Comparison

SmartHQ vs SmartThings

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SmartHQ

Control and monitor smart appliances from multiple brands in one app. Receive notifications, update software, and personalize settings. Get expert help and track energy usage.

Highlights
  • Remote appliance control
  • Appliance notifications
  • Software updates
  • Personalized settings
  • Voice integration
  • Energy/water usage monitoring
  • AI cooking recipes
  • Product registration
  • Expert assistance
  • Proactive service alerts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SmartHQ: Your Connected Home Command Center Effortlessly control your smart appliances from GE Appliances, Profile, Café, Monogram, Fisher & Paykel, and Haier – all in one app. KEY FEATURES: • REMOTE CONTROL – Monitor and control your appliances from anywhere, ensuring peace of mind and convenience. • STAY INFORMED - Receive timely notifications about your appliances, including alerts and updates. • SOFTWARE UPDATES - Keep your appliances running smoothly with the latest software updates and access new features as they become available. • PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE - Create shortcuts for frequently used functions and download new appliance modes. • VOICE INTEGRATION – Add your appliances to Amazon Alexa and Google Home hubs for voice control. • MONITOR ENERGY & WATER USAGE - Gain insights into your appliance's energy and water consumption, helping you make informed choices. • ENHANCED COOKING EXPERIENCE - Generate cooking recipes using Flavorly AI. Monitor your oven's progress with the built-in camera and pair accessories such as smart cookware and probes. • CONVENIENT PRODUCT REGISTRATION - Register all your GE appliances, even non-Wi-Fi models, for quick access to manuals, specs, and support. • GET EXPERT HELP - Access the SmartHQ Assistant for answers to your appliance questions. • PROACTIVE SERVICE - Receive service alerts when your appliance needs attention and use the diagnostics tool to troubleshoot issues. • SCHEDULE SERVICE - Schedule a technician visit or access appliance support contact information. *Note: Features may vary depending on your appliance model and country of residence. REMOTE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS: Requires a compatible SmartHQ-enabled appliance or SmartHQ Connect module. SmartHQ Connect modules can be purchased online: https://www.geapplianceparts.com/store/parts/spec/PBX23W00Y0?SpecType=SpecType. OPTIONAL APP PERMISSIONS: • Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth/BLE - Used for commissioning nearby appliances. • Notifications - Used for product updates and status notifications. • Camera/Media Files - Used for Flavorly Picture to Recipe feature. - To scan QR codes to add appliances. - To scan product barcodes and provide recipes. • Precise Location - Used for enabling Automation feature (i.e. Home/Away mode).

About

SmartThings

Unify and manage all your smart home devices from a single application. Connect hundreds of brands, create custom scenes and routines, and control your home remotely. Monitor energy usage and even get meal planning assistance.

Highlights
  • Connect and control devices from multiple brands
  • Create custom scenes and routines
  • Remote home monitoring and control
  • Automated notifications and status updates
  • Voice control with Google Assistant
  • Energy tracking and saving features
  • Smart cooking and meal planning assistance
Features
Read full description

Quickly and easily connect and control your smart home devices through SmartThings. SmartThings is compatible with 100s of smart home brands. So, you can control all of your smart home gadgets in one place, including your Samsung Smart TV and smart home appliances. With SmartThings, you can connect, monitor and control multiple smart home devices quicker and easier. Connect your Samsung smart TVs, smart appliances, smart speakers and brands like Ring, Nest and Philips Hue - all from one app. Then control your smart devices using voice assistants including Google Assistant [Key Features] - Control and check in on your home from wherever you are - Connect your smart devices across many different brands to work together by setting ‘scenes’ - Build routines that are set on time, weather, and device status, so your home runs smoothly in the background - Allow shared control by giving access to other users - Receive status updates about your devices with automated notifications - Talk to your devices using Google Assistant - Track, monitor and save money on energy with SmartThings Energy. See how much your home and compatible Samsung devices cost to run, and try various energy saving features, such as AI saving mode, or schedule devices to run during off peak hours. - Receive recipe recommendations by scanning meal kits, wine, and meat. Plan, shop and prep meals with the help of SmartThings Cooking ※ Some features may not be available in all countries. [App requirements] Some mobile devices may not be supported. - iOS 17.0 or later / iPhone XR or later / iPad 6 or later ※ App permissions The following permissions are required for the app service. For optional permissions, the default functionality of the service is turned on, but not allowed. [Optional access permissions] • Apple Health : Used to sync with Apple Health data to give you better Family Care insights • Apple Music : Used to read music album information • Bluetooth : Used to scan for nearby devices using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) • Camera: Used to scan QR codes so you can easily add members and devices to SmartThings • Contacts : Used to get phone numbers of your contacts to send text message notifications • Location : Used to locate your devices, create routines based on your location, and scan for nearby devices using Wi-Fi • Local Network : Used to find Wi-Fi connected devices • Microphone: Used to add certain devices to SmartThings using high-frequency sounds • Notification : Used to provide notifications about SmartThings devices and features • NFC : Used to check information about devices that you intend to connect • Photos : Used to play photos and videos on SmartThings devices • Voice recognition : Used to convert voice to text

Screenshots

SmartHQ4 screens
SmartThings4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: SmartThings at none against SmartHQ's shown. SmartThings also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (31% vs 17%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for SmartHQ against 4.6 for SmartThings. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartThings has 845K ratings behind it against 88K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 17% of SmartHQ's written reviews are positive against 31% of SmartThings's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartHQ ships an update every 4 weeks, SmartThings monthly. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
SmartHQ versus SmartThings: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartHQSmartThings
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (88K ratings)4.6 (845K ratings)
Positive reviews17.4% of reviews30.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings88K845K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#79#9 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size259 MB887 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperHAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INCSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

SmartHQ

All ratings87,647 ratings
Positive89.9%
Neutral2.9%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews1,471 reviews
Positive17.4%
Neutral10.0%
Negative72.6%

SmartThings

All ratings845,252 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews7,634 reviews
Positive30.7%
Neutral6.5%
Negative62.8%

User reviews

SmartHQ

From 88K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth and easy to connect
  • 👍 Convenient notifications
  • 👍 Helpful for laundry efficiency
  • 👍 Automation and scheduling
  • 👍 Integrated with Amazon

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Account verification issues
  • 🐛 Connectivity problems
  • 🐛 Buggy and unstable
  • 🐛 Limited functionality
  • 🐛 Intrusive data collection

SmartThings

From 845K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Remote control functionality
  • 📚 Laundry cycle recommendations
  • 🤖 Automation and scheduling capabilities
  • 🔧 Customizable settings

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections and crashes
  • ⏱️ Slow and laggy performance
  • 🔍 Difficulty connecting and configuring devices
  • 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive user interface
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with location tracking

Bugs and requests

SmartHQ

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Account verification loop
  • Inability to connect appliances to WiFi
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Inaccurate cycle tracking
  • Disconnection issues
Show 1 more
  • Incompatibility with certain devices

Requested features

7 requests
  • Allow setting favorites as default
  • Provide more granular control over appliance settings
  • Integrate with smart home platforms
  • Add more customization options
  • Improve notification controls
Show 2 more
  • Provide access to appliance manuals
  • Enable remote control of all appliance functions

SmartThings

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to add or remove devices
  • Inconsistent device status updates
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to control TV without remote
  • Improved photo/artwork management for Frame TV
  • More advanced automation and scheduling options
  • Better integration with other smart home platforms

In-app purchases

None

SmartHQ

No in-app purchases

None

SmartThings

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SmartHQ free?
SmartHQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SmartThings free?
SmartThings is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SmartHQ or SmartThings?
SmartHQ and SmartThings are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 88K and 845K ratings respectively.
Do SmartHQ or SmartThings have ads?
SmartHQ shows ads; SmartThings does not.
Which is updated more often, SmartHQ or SmartThings?
SmartHQ ships an update every 4 weeks, and SmartThings monthly. Most recently, SmartHQ was updated on October 16, 2026 and SmartThings on October 16, 2026.
Which is more popular, SmartHQ or SmartThings?
SmartHQ currently peaks at #79 in the App Store charts, and SmartThings at #9. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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