# ViCare vs DogPilot

The clearest difference is ads: ViCare at none against DogPilot's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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 and DogPilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ViCare ships an update every 9 days, DogPilot weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ViCare | DogPilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicare/id964468260/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 40.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 662 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Viessmann IT Service GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801739683) | [MANUEL GARCIA FERNANDEZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882351676) |

## What reviewers say

### ViCare

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

Control your home heating system remotely with this app. Adjust temperatures, set schedules, and monitor system status for comfort and energy savings. Receive alerts and manage basic functions from your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Remote heating system control, Set preferred room temperatures, Create daily heating schedules, Monitor system status, Energy cost savings, 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


### DogPilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dogpilot/id6762251899)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DogPilot Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ViCare free?

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

### Is DogPilot free?

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

### Do ViCare or DogPilot have ads?

DogPilot shows ads; ViCare does not.

### Which is updated more often, ViCare or DogPilot?

ViCare ships an update every 9 days, and DogPilot weekly. Most recently, ViCare was updated on October 16, 2026 and DogPilot on October 9, 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.*