DoorBird vs iSmartgate Access
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DoorBird
See, hear, and speak to visitors at your door from anywhere in the world. Receive instant notifications for doorbell presses and motion detection, ensuring you never miss a visitor or delivery. Securely unlock doors, garages, or gates remotely.
- Live HDTV video with night vision
- 2-way audio communication
- Worldwide mobile access
- Push notifications for visitors and motion
- Remote door, garage, or gate unlocking
- Visitor history
- Geofencing
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The DoorBird App provides mobile access to DoorBird IP Video Door Stations. Using the app, you can see and hear your visitors in real time, speak with them or unlock the door. When visitors press your doorbell, you receive a push notification on your iPhone or iPad and can immediately answer your door – from anywhere in the world. The DoorBird can also send instant alerts when a visitor triggers the built-in motion sensor. No matter if you are at home or not, you will never miss a visitor or a delivery. DoorBird's innovative IP technology was developed in Germany and is continuously improved through regular app and hardware updates. The system works in your local network (LAN) as well as outside of your home network environment without range limitation and securely encrypted over the Internet. DoorBird App Features for IP Video Door Stations: • Live HDTV video (ultra wide-angle camera lens, night vision) • 2-way audio communication • Worldwide mobile access to DoorBird IP Video Door Stations • Push notifications on your iPhone or iPad when the doorbell is pushed or the motion sensor is triggered • Configurable motion sensor • Free visitor history • Secure door, garage or gate opener via the app • Different ringtones for push notifications • Geofencing • App is optimized for portrait and landscape format • WiFi and Ethernet (PoE) • Smart Home and NVR compatible
iSmartgate Access
Control and monitor your garage doors or gates remotely using your smart device. This app works with a separate iSmartgate device to provide status alerts, manage multiple doors, and integrate with smart home assistants.
- Remote garage door control
- Garage door status alerts
- HomeKit, Google Assistant, IFTTT compatible
- Supports multiple garage doors (PRO version)
- IP camera integration
- Unlimited user access
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This App works with the iSmartgate device that can be purchased separately at www.ismartgate.com. The iSmartgate Access app will connect your iPhone or iPad to the iSmartgate device via your Wi-Fi home network or internet. Product details: •HomeKit Compatible (iSmartgate PRO and LITE). •Google Assistant Compatible. •IFTTT Compatible. •Amazon Echo Compatible via IFTTT. •This APP (when used in conjunction with the iSmartgate device) will open up to 3 garage doors/gates (PRO version) or a single garage door/gate (LITE, LITE 2 and MINI versions). •Live video streaming: watch your garage in real time from the door screen, without leaving the app. •Connect an IP camera to your iSmartgate device to see what is happening in your garage (up to 3 cameras, one for each door on the PRO version). •Garage door status alert: shows if your garage doors are Open or Closed. •Push notifications when a door is opened or left open. •Event history: see who opened each door and when. •Guided Wi-Fi setup for iSmartgate MINI and LITE 2, and automatic Wi-Fi setup through HomeKit for PRO and LITE. •Clean, intuitive and user friendly interface. •Unlimited number of users can download the app and operate a single garage. •Remote access. •Compatible with all garage door openers. What's new in 2.9.0: •Live camera video is now built into the door screen. •Rebuilt and much faster iSmartgate MINI setup. •Improved settings and event history on MINI devices with older firmware. •Lower battery consumption and general stability improvements.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: DoorBird at 4.5 against iSmartgate Access's 2.4. DoorBird also leads on ratings volume (29K vs 37) and review sentiment (37% vs 23%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
DoorBird holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DoorBird has 29K ratings behind it against 37, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of DoorBird's written reviews are positive against 23% of iSmartgate Access's.
DoorBird ships an update every 3 weeks, iSmartgate Access every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DoorBird | iSmartgate Access |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (29K ratings) — better | 2.4 (37 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 37.0% of reviews — better | 23.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 29K — better | 37 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 88 MB | 84 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bird Home Automation GmbH | PYKRS |
Customer experience
DoorBird
iSmartgate Access
User reviews
DoorBird
From 29K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great product and service
- 🔒 Reliable security features
- 🚀 Easy installation and setup
Room to improve
- 🐛 Slow app response and connectivity issues
- 🔇 Poor audio quality and speaker volume
- 📽️ Low camera quality and limited field of view
- 🕰️ Significant delays in notifications and video feed
iSmartgate Access
From 37 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Works with HomeKit
- 👍 Works with Apple Watch
- 👍 Saves time
- 👍 Good support when available
- 👍 Reliable when working
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and cumbersome app
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🐛 Frequent connection issues
- 🐛 Poor HomeKit integration
- 🐛 Baffling interface
Bugs and requests
DoorBird
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent connectivity and sync issues
- Unreliable device pairing and setup process
Requested features
4 requests- Siri/Google Assistant integration for voice control
- Improved push notification system with audible alerts
- Local storage option for video recordings
- Simplified app interface and settings
iSmartgate Access
Reported bugs
19 issues- App crashes and freezes
- Login forms break password manager integration
- Automations stopped working after iOS updates (e.g., ios26, 16.2, 16.4, 18)
- Device stops responding after a few minutes
- Door sensor keeps losing connection
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- Lost Wi-Fi connection after updates
- HomeKit 'no response' errors
- App slow to refresh and load pages
- Incorrect door status in HomeKit
- App doesn't detect door position
- Alerts not working for the app
- Cannot access users menu
- Warning 'feature' (sound/light) requires factory reset to disable
- Device stops working after Wi-Fi upgrade
- App doesn't match screenshots, missing remote access/add user options
- Wrong doors opening after update
- Sensor states flipped, identity flipped
- HomeKit compatibility broken after firmware update
- Video codec requires additional payment
Requested features
5 requests- CarPlay integration
- Schedule open/close options
- Apple Watch app
- Ability to open gate partially (e.g., 20%)
- Add additional users/user menu access
In-app purchases
DoorBird
No in-app purchases
iSmartgate Access
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is DoorBird free?
Is iSmartgate Access free?
Which has better reviews, DoorBird or iSmartgate Access?
Do DoorBird or iSmartgate Access have ads?
Which is updated more often, DoorBird or iSmartgate Access?
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