# Kidde vs Smart Shade PRO

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart Shade PRO at none against Kidde's 2. Smart Shade PRO also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (67% vs 44%). Kidde's advantage is ratings volume (6.7K vs 4) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kidde sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Smart Shade PRO asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kidde holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kidde has 6.7K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Kidde's written reviews are positive against 67% of Smart Shade PRO's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Kidde ships an update every 2 months, Smart Shade PRO every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kidde | Smart Shade PRO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kidde/id942334464/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shade-pro/id1631261901/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.7K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 44.5% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 88 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Walter Kidde Portable Equipment](https://appshunter.io/developer/942334463) | [t2Fi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1255063027) |

## What reviewers say

### Kidde

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kidde/id942334464)

This app connects to smart home safety devices, providing real-time alerts for smoke, CO, air quality, and water leaks. It offers features like Smart Hush, remote notifications to loved ones, and advanced indoor air quality monitoring through a subscription service.

**Highlights:** Real-time alarm notifications, Smart Hush functionality, QR code setup for Wi-Fi connection, Device replacement notifications, Remote notifications to friends/family, Advanced Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring, Mold Risk Analysis

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced Home Health - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Advanced Home Health - Annual | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy setup
- 👍 Helpful app features
- 🔒 Provides peace of mind
- 💡 Useful air quality monitoring
- 👍 Good customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent false alarms
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Buggy app and firmware
- 👎 Paywalled features
- 👎 Poor user experience

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to connect to devices
- Firmware updates failing
- Devices going offline randomly
- Notifications not working as expected
- Inconsistent device naming in app

**Requested features**

- Add HomeKit support
- Improve historical data tracking
- Provide more detailed temperature/air quality data
- Allow remote alarm silencing
- Enhance app stability and usability


### Smart Shade PRO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shade-pro/id1631261901)

Remotely operate your awnings and screens using your smart devices. This application transforms your Smart-Shade awning into a smart device, allowing control from anywhere globally.

**Highlights:** Remote awning control, Global operation via smart devices, Smart screen control, Comfort and protection features, Integration with smart devices

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kidde free?

Kidde is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Smart Shade PRO free?

Smart Shade PRO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Kidde or Smart Shade PRO?

Kidde is rated higher. Kidde averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while Smart Shade PRO averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Kidde or Smart Shade PRO have ads?

Neither Kidde nor Smart Shade PRO shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kidde or Smart Shade PRO?

Kidde ships an update every 2 months, and Smart Shade PRO every 10 days. Most recently, Kidde was updated on October 17, 2026 and Smart Shade PRO on October 7, 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.*