# SmartThermo vs Masterbuilt

The clearest difference is rating: Masterbuilt at 4.7 against SmartThermo's 1.8. Masterbuilt also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 41). SmartThermo's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Masterbuilt holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Masterbuilt has 12K ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 16% of SmartThermo's written reviews are positive against 13% of Masterbuilt's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SmartThermo ships an update monthly, Masterbuilt every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThermo | Masterbuilt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthermo/id935208547/reviews) | **[4.7 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masterbuilt/id1587962574/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **16.4% of reviews** | 13.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fuzhou Emax Electronic Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1128654625) | [PREMIER SPECIALTY BRANDS, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281287625) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThermo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthermo/id935208547)

Easily monitor your meat's temperature while grilling or smoking. Insert the probe, select your food and desired doneness, and receive alerts when it's perfectly cooked. Features include Bluetooth connectivity, a long-lasting battery, and multiple cooking modes.

**Highlights:** Wireless meat temperature monitoring, Bluetooth connectivity, Preset temperatures for 8 meats, Custom doneness programming, Alerts for perfect temperature, Multiple cooking modes (Meat Profiles, Timer, Target Temp)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate temperature readings
- 👍 Works well when connected
- 👍 Alarm notifies desired temp
- 👍 Can see temperature remotely
- 👍 Foolproof meals when working

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Does not work at all
- 🐛 Connection issues
- 🐛 Unintuitive interface
- 🐛 Does not charge
- 🐛 App gives no info on errors

**Reported bugs**

- App not connecting to phone
- Thermometer not charging
- App buttons hidden by notch
- App reverts to Celsius
- Bluetooth connection drops frequently

**Requested features**

- Update UI for newer iPhones
- Allow multiple device support
- Color coding for probes
- Add Apple Watch app
- Add graph of temperature


### Masterbuilt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masterbuilt/id1587962574)

Control your smart grill or smoker remotely. Adjust temperature, monitor cooking progress with real-time graphs, and receive alerts. Explore a vast recipe library to elevate your outdoor cooking experience.

**Highlights:** Remote grill and smoker control, Set and adjust temperature and time, Monitor meat probes and view graphs, Receive cooking notifications and alerts, Access a recipe library, View cooking history

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great smoker and grill
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔥 Excellent flavor from charcoal and wood
- 🍽️ Versatile (smoking, grilling, baking)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues with app
- 🔌 App frequently disconnects from smoker
- 🔍 App lacks important features (e.g. temperature history, notifications)
- 🔢 Inconsistent temperature readings
- 🤖 App is buggy and unreliable

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently loses connection to smoker
- Temperature settings not always reflected in smoker
- Probe temperature selection options are limited
- App crashes when trying to access certain features

**Requested features**

- Add ability to set custom probe temperatures
- Improve app connectivity and reliability
- Add more detailed cooking data and history
- Provide better notifications and alerts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartThermo free?

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

### Is Masterbuilt free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartThermo or Masterbuilt?

Masterbuilt is rated higher. SmartThermo averages 1.8 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Masterbuilt averages 4.7 from 12K ratings.

### Do SmartThermo or Masterbuilt have ads?

Neither SmartThermo nor Masterbuilt shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartThermo or Masterbuilt?

SmartThermo ships an update monthly, and Masterbuilt every 3 months. Most recently, SmartThermo was updated on October 6, 2026 and Masterbuilt on October 12, 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.*