# Amazon Alexa vs SmartHome (MSmartHome)

Amazon Alexa and SmartHome (MSmartHome) both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 69% of SmartHome (MSmartHome)'s written reviews are positive against 20% of Amazon Alexa's. SmartHome (MSmartHome) also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Amazon Alexa's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (5.9M vs 20K). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Amazon Alexa sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. SmartHome (MSmartHome) asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartHome (MSmartHome) holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Amazon Alexa has 5.9M ratings behind it against 20K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Amazon Alexa's written reviews are positive against 69% of SmartHome (MSmartHome)'s.

Amazon Alexa ships an update weekly, SmartHome (MSmartHome) every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Amazon Alexa | SmartHome (MSmartHome) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amazon-alexa/id944011620/reviews) | **[4.7 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smarthome-msmarthome/id1254346490/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.9M** | 20K |
| Positive reviews | 20.3% of reviews | **69.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#14** | — |
| Size | 508 MB | 233 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMZN Mobile LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/297606954) | [ShenZhen Shuzhi Scene Positioning Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1669708338) |

## What reviewers say

### Amazon Alexa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amazon-alexa/id944011620)

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Manage your smart home devices, control music, and organize your day with voice commands. This app allows you to set up and interact with compatible devices, discover new skills, and stay connected with others. It learns your preferences for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Manage Alexa-enabled devices, Control music playback, View and edit lists, Set reminders and timers, Discover and enable skills, Connect with other devices

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Amazon Kids+ | $6.99 | per month |
| Alexa+ Standard Monthly | $19.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient for controlling smart devices
- 🚀 Helpful for managing reminders and playing music
- 👍 Alexa is a great companion
- 👍 Alexa is funny, nice, and kind
- 👍 Alexa is a lifesaver for the elderly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Inconsistent voice recognition
- 🐛 Cluttered and unintuitive interface
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive app
- 🐛 Alexa sometimes ignores commands or gives irrelevant responses

**Reported bugs**

- Alexa unable to link to Apple Music account
- Alexa unable to properly control smart plugs and lights
- Alexa unable to maintain connection with Bluetooth speakers
- Alexa unable to consistently set alarms and timers
- Alexa app crashing or becoming unresponsive

**Requested features**

- More customization options for routines
- Better integration with third-party apps
- Ability to control Alexa devices without voice commands
- Option to set custom sounds/music for alarms and timers
- Improved music playback controls in the app


### SmartHome (MSmartHome)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smarthome-msmarthome/id1254346490)

Control and monitor smart home appliances from various brands remotely and with voice commands. Receive important notifications and set up helpful automations to simplify daily tasks. Customize your device controls for quick access.

**Highlights:** Remote app control, Voice control integration, Appliance status monitoring, Helpful automations, Customizable device cards, Timely notifications

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Helpful scheduling features
- 🚀 Straightforward setup
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🐛 Unreliable app

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Frequent disconnections from devices
- Inability to control devices remotely
- Scheduled tasks not working as expected
- Inaccurate device status reporting

**Requested features**

- Add energy usage/consumption tracking
- Improve Alexa integration
- Add option to disable beeping sounds
- Allow multiple users to access the same account
- Provide more detailed usage data and analytics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Amazon Alexa free?

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

### Is SmartHome (MSmartHome) free?

SmartHome (MSmartHome) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Amazon Alexa or SmartHome (MSmartHome)?

SmartHome (MSmartHome) is rated higher. Amazon Alexa averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.9M ratings, while SmartHome (MSmartHome) averages 4.7 from 20K ratings.

### Do Amazon Alexa or SmartHome (MSmartHome) have ads?

Neither Amazon Alexa nor SmartHome (MSmartHome) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Amazon Alexa or SmartHome (MSmartHome)?

Amazon Alexa ships an update weekly, and SmartHome (MSmartHome) every 2 months. Most recently, Amazon Alexa was updated on October 24, 2026 and SmartHome (MSmartHome) on October 24, 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.*