FramePhotos vs SmartThings
Both can get your photos onto a Samsung The Frame. They are just built for different jobs. SmartThings is Samsung’s app for controlling your whole home; Frame Photos is a dedicated photo workflow for The Frame. Here is a fair, factual look so you can pick the right one.
What each one is for
SmartThings
Samsung’s whole-home control app
SmartThings is Samsung’s official app for setting up and controlling Samsung devices across your home: TVs, appliances, lights, and more. It can also add your own photos to The Frame’s Art Mode. It is free, and it ties into your Samsung account and the wider SmartThings ecosystem.
Frame Photos
A dedicated photo workflow for The Frame
Frame Photos does one thing: get your own photos onto The Frame, beautifully. It finds your TV on local WiFi, gives you a true matte and crop preview before anything is sent, organizes photos into albums, supports portrait-mounted Frames, runs fast slideshows and Party Mode, and is tested on every Frame model year from 2017 to 2026. No Samsung account, no whole-home setup.
Side by side
A neutral comparison on the things that matter when the goal is your own photos on The Frame.
| Feature | SmartThings | Frame Photos |
|---|---|---|
| What it is built for | Whole-home Samsung device control | Your photos on The Frame |
| Price | Free | Free to try, one-time unlock |
| Adds your own photos to The Frame | ||
| Samsung account required | ||
| Works over local home WiFi | Account + internet connection | Direct on your home WiFi |
| Matte + crop preview before sending | Crop step; not all mat options for photos | Full matte preview, including no-mat |
| No-mat / full-screen for personal photos | ||
| Edit on the TV | Edit on your device first | |
| Organize photos into albums | ||
| Portrait-mounted Frame workflow | Manual workaround | |
| Fast slideshow / Party Mode | 15 sec to 3 min, multiple Frames | |
| Apple and Android apps | App Store; Google Play coming | |
| Tested on Frame model years | Not verified by us | Every year 2017–2026 |
SmartThings is Samsung’s official, free app and it does upload personal photos and apply mattes to Art Store artwork. Per Samsung’s support pages, it asks for a Samsung account and an internet connection, does not let you edit photos on the TV, and does not expose every mat option (including no-mat) for personal photos. We have not independently verified its behavior on older Frames. Details can change. Check Samsung’s current support pages before you decide.
Which one is right for you
Reach for SmartThings when
- You already manage other Samsung devices and want one app for the whole home.
- You are happy signing in with a Samsung account and using Samsung’s Art Store.
- You mostly want curated Art Store pieces, with the occasional personal photo.
Reach for Frame Photos when
- Your own photos are the point, and you want them framed exactly right.
- You want a true matte and crop preview, including no-mat, before anything is sent.
- You want portrait-mounted Frame support or a fast app-driven slideshow for travel and party albums.
- You want to organize photos into albums and know it is tested on your Frame, 2017 through 2026.
- You would rather not create or sign in with a Samsung account to push a photo.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Samsung account to use Frame Photos?
No. Frame Photos finds your Frame on your home WiFi and connects directly, no Samsung account and no SmartThings sign-in. SmartThings, by contrast, asks for a Samsung account and an internet connection.
Can SmartThings put my own photos on The Frame?
Yes. SmartThings can add personal photos to The Frame’s Art Mode. The difference is the workflow: Frame Photos is photo-first, with a full matte and no-mat preview before sending, albums, portrait-mounted Frame support, and Party Mode across multiple Frames.
Which app is better for older Frame TVs?
Frame Photos is tested on every Frame model year from 2017 through 2026, including the older 2017–2021 art interface that trips up many apps. We have not independently verified how SmartThings behaves on older Frames.
Try Frame Photos on your own Frame
Find your TV, preview the matte, and send your first 4 uploads for free, no Samsung account, and your photos stay on your home WiFi during the upload. The one-time Apple unlock is $9.99 for unlimited uploads, albums, collages, fast slideshow, and Party Mode across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and the Android app is coming to Google Play.