# Rain Bird vs Hunter NODE

The clearest difference is rating: Rain Bird at 4.7 against Hunter NODE's 3.1. Rain Bird also leads on ratings volume (70K vs 59) and review sentiment (31% vs 23%). Hunter NODE's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Rain Bird holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rain Bird has 70K ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Rain Bird's written reviews are positive against 23% of Hunter NODE's.

Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, Hunter NODE fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rain Bird | Hunter NODE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (70K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rain-bird/id1060727082/reviews)** | [3.1 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hunter-node-bt/id1438535498/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **70K** | 59 |
| Positive reviews | **31.3% of reviews** | 22.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rain Bird Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/958281909) | [Hunter Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/710090127) |

## What reviewers say

### Rain Bird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rain-bird/id1060727082)

Control your sprinklers remotely from your mobile device. Automate watering schedules and adjust for weather conditions to conserve water and reduce costs. Compatible with various Rain Bird controller models.

**Highlights:** Remote sprinkler control, Customizable watering schedules, Automated weather adjustments, Water and money saving, Controller model compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to program
- 🚀 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Versatile
- 👍 Must have
- 👍 Ease of mind

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Slow and clunky app
- 🐛 Date/time not updating
- 🐛 Unreliable system
- 🐛 Limited functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Constant connection errors
- App crashes frequently
- Date/time not syncing correctly
- Seasonal adjustment not working as expected
- Manual controls not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Add water usage history and analytics
- Allow pausing of individual zones
- Improve manual control options
- Add weather integration and smart scheduling
- Improve notification system


### Hunter NODE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hunter-node-bt/id1438535498)

Control your landscape irrigation system remotely via Bluetooth. This app allows for easy programming, scheduling, and monitoring of watering cycles without needing to access the valve box. Manage multiple controllers, set custom schedules, and receive important status updates directly on your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Remote controller management, Custom watering schedules, Manual irrigation control, Sensor activation, Controller status monitoring, Offline schedule editing, Controller event logs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rain Bird free?

Rain Bird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hunter NODE free?

Hunter NODE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Rain Bird or Hunter NODE?

Rain Bird is rated higher. Rain Bird averages 4.7 out of 5 from 70K ratings, while Hunter NODE averages 3.1 from 59 ratings.

### Do Rain Bird or Hunter NODE have ads?

Neither Rain Bird nor Hunter NODE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rain Bird or Hunter NODE?

Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, and Hunter NODE fortnightly. Most recently, Rain Bird was updated on September 24, 2026 and Hunter NODE on September 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*