# Hive vs Three+

The clearest difference is ads: Hive at none against Three+'s shown. Hive also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Three+'s advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Hive holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hive has 802 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of Hive's written reviews are positive against 20% of Three+'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hive ships an update fortnightly, Three+ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hive | Three+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (802 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hive/id712829172/reviews)** | [4.0 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-plus/id1581134796/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **802** | 31 |
| Positive reviews | 18.5% of reviews | **20.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 200 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Centrica Hive Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1171162560) | [Hutchison 3G UK Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/393530269) |

## What reviewers say

### Hive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hive/id712829172)

Control your home's energy usage, from heating and EV charging to lighting and solar power, all from your smartphone. Save money and reduce your carbon footprint with smart scheduling, real-time tracking, and personalized insights.

**Highlights:** Smart heating control, EV charging management, Smart lighting and plugs, Solar energy generation and storage, Energy usage tracking and budgeting, Personalized dashboard, Smart actions and scheduling

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure system
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Integrates well with Alexa and Google

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- 🐛 Unreliable app performance
- 🐛 Scheduling problems
- 🔋 High battery drain on devices
- 👎 Paywall for basic features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Devices randomly going offline
- Heating/cooling schedules not working as expected
- Camera live view and recordings not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More granular scheduling controls
- Better integration with smart home platforms
- Improved camera functionality and recording


### Three+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-plus/id1581134796)

Access exclusive rewards and offers from popular brands, available only to customers. Discover deals on food, entertainment, days out, shopping, and more to enhance your lifestyle.

**Highlights:** Exclusive rewards and offers, Deals on food and drink, Entertainment discounts, Savings on days out, Shopping promotions, Wellbeing offers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast app
- 💡 Great rewards
- 👍 Useful discounts
- 🤩 Fantastic app
- 😊 Excellent rewards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constantly crashes
- 🔑 Difficult to log in
- ⏱️ Slow to load
- 🤯 Buggy and glitchy
- 🙄 Unreliable

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Login issues and password problems
- Rewards not working as expected
- Slow performance and loading times

**Requested features**

- Bring back Cafe Nero rewards
- Expand rewards to more locations
- Improve app stability and reliability
- Make it easier to redeem rewards


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hive free?

Hive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Three+ free?

Three+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hive or Three+?

Hive is rated higher. Hive averages 4.2 out of 5 from 802 ratings, while Three+ averages 4.0 from 31 ratings.

### Do Hive or Three+ have ads?

Three+ shows ads; Hive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hive or Three+?

Hive ships an update fortnightly, and Three+ every 2 months. Most recently, Hive was updated on October 14, 2026 and Three+ on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*