You need to be connected to the cloud in order to be able to use the app. I find the app excellent and very reliable. For a diy Install the app is free for the first twelve months then £36 a year after. Break this down to £3 a month and it really is excellent value.
Registered Installers can also use the cloud to connect to systems using the Pyronix insite software. This allows full programming of a system. Again another excellent product but is only available to registered installers, cough.