# HCA vs Control

The clearest difference is rating: Control at 5.0 against HCA's 4.7. Control also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). HCA's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17). On price, ratings volume, ads 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.

Control holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively.

HCA ships an update every 4 months, Control every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HCA | Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hca/id869907178/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-it/id6505086470/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Advanced Quonset Technology, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200893792) | [Micah Crandell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1755081026) |

## What reviewers say

### HCA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hca/id869907178)

Control your home's lighting, thermostat, and automation devices remotely. Monitor sensors, trigger programs, and manage keypads. Uses geofencing for automated actions when entering or leaving areas.

**Highlights:** Remote device control, Sensor status monitoring, Program execution, Keypad control, Geofencing automation, Log viewing and filtering, Custom icon synchronization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-it/id6505086470)

Transform your mobile device into a versatile network command center. Control smart home devices, send custom commands, and manage your network with a single tap. Features include HTTP server, MIDI control, and collaborative grids.

**Highlights:** HTTP Server capabilities, Bluetooth MIDI control, Multi-protocol command sending, Customizable grid layouts, Action chaining, Real-time collaboration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HCA free?

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

### Is Control free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HCA or Control?

Control is rated higher. HCA averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Control averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do HCA or Control have ads?

Neither HCA nor Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HCA or Control?

HCA ships an update every 4 months, and Control every 6 weeks. Most recently, HCA was updated on June 8, 2026 and Control on September 19, 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.*