# ViCare vs Homematic IP

ViCare and Homematic IP both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Homematic IP's written reviews are positive against 41% of ViCare's. Homematic IP also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). ViCare's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 54). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ViCare sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Homematic IP asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for ViCare against 4.5 for Homematic IP. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ViCare has 1.3K ratings behind it against 54, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of ViCare's written reviews are positive against 80% of Homematic IP's.

ViCare ships an update every 9 days, Homematic IP every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ViCare | Homematic IP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicare/id964468260/reviews)** | [4.5 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homematic-ip/id1012842369/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 54 |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 727 MB | 236 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Viessmann IT Service GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801739683) | [eQ-3 AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/481997950) |

## What reviewers say

### ViCare

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicare/id964468260)

Remotely manage your home heating system with an intuitive interface. Monitor system status, adjust temperatures, and set schedules to save energy and ensure comfort. Offers convenient shortcuts for common actions like hot water requests or vacation mode.

**Highlights:** Remote heating system control, Temperature adjustment, Daily scheduling for energy saving, System status monitoring, Hot water and away shortcuts, Holiday program settings

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $33.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app to control heating and hot water
- 📊 Useful data and analytics on energy usage
- 🌟 Intuitive and easy to use interface
- ⏱️ Convenient remote access and control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues and app crashes
- 🔌 Unreliable sync with boiler, settings not always applied
- 🕰️ Limited scheduling and timer options
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive user experience

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to load or gets stuck on loading screen
- Settings changes not syncing properly with boiler
- Incorrect time zone and DST adjustments
- Frequent loss of connectivity to boiler

**Requested features**

- Add a simple 'boost' or 'quick on' heating mode
- Provide more granular control over heating and hot water schedules
- Enable integration with smart home platforms like Alexa or HomeKit
- Improve data visualization and historical energy usage tracking


### Homematic IP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homematic-ip/id1012842369)

Control your home's climate, security, lighting, and shutters with this smart home app. It offers energy savings, enhanced comfort, and automated routines. Voice control integration and secure, anonymous data handling are also provided.

**Highlights:** Climate control for energy savings, Home security monitoring, Automated lighting and dimming, Shutter and blind control, Customizable automation rules, Voice control integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ViCare free?

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

### Is Homematic IP free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ViCare or Homematic IP?

ViCare is rated higher. ViCare averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Homematic IP averages 4.5 from 54 ratings.

### Do ViCare or Homematic IP have ads?

Neither ViCare nor Homematic IP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ViCare or Homematic IP?

ViCare ships an update every 9 days, and Homematic IP every 6 weeks. Most recently, ViCare was updated on November 6, 2026 and Homematic IP on November 6, 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.*