Comparison

Rain Bird vs EcoNet

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

Head to head
About

Rain Bird

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
Read full description

Smart Watering Made Simple. Connect your Rain Bird controller to your mobile device to turn on sprinklers, set up customized watering schedules, and automate weather adjustments, saving you water and money. Compatible with the following Rain Bird controller models: ST8-WIFI ESP-TM2 ESP-RZXe ESP-Me ESP-ME3 RC2 ARC8 For more information: http://wifi.rainbird.com 1-800-RAINBIRD

About

EcoNet

Manage your home's heating, cooling, and water heater systems remotely. Optimize energy efficiency, track consumption, and set custom schedules for comfort and savings. Receive alerts for maintenance and system updates.

Highlights
  • Smart HVAC control
  • Smart water heater monitoring
  • Energy consumption tracking
  • Custom scheduling
  • Remote system access
  • Maintenance alerts
Features
Read full description

EcoNet®: Smart Control for Your Home’s Comfort Take complete control of your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. EcoNet provides seamless smart control over your HVAC and water heaters from the Rheem family of brands (Rheem, Ruud, Friedrich, Richmond, Sure Comfort, Russell by Rheem, Durastar). Experience the convenience of managing your home’s climate and hot water needs right from your smartphone. Features: - Smart Control: Easily adjust your heating and cooling settings to maintain the perfect indoor climate. - Smart Monitoring: Monitor and control your water heater’s performance for optimal efficiency and comfort. - Smart Savings: Track your energy consumption and receive tips to improve efficiency and save on utility bills. - Utility Programs: Enroll in utility programs in your area to maximize your savings. - Custom Schedules: Set personalized schedules for your HVAC and water heater to match your lifestyle and maximize energy savings. - Alerts & Notifications: Get real-time alerts and notifications for maintenance reminders, system updates, and potential issues. Quickly share these alerts with your contractor when contact info added at account creation. - Remote Access: Control your home’s systems from anywhere, ensuring comfort and peace of mind whether you’re at home or away. Download EcoNet today and transform the way you manage your home’s comfort and efficiency!

Screenshots

Rain Bird4 screens
EcoNet4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Rain Bird at 4.7 against EcoNet's 4.4. Rain Bird also leads on review sentiment (31% vs 16%) and ratings volume (70K vs 13K). On price, update cadence, ads 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

Rain Bird holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rain Bird has 70K ratings behind it against 13K, 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 16% of EcoNet's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, EcoNet every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Rain Bird versus EcoNet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRain BirdEcoNet
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (70K ratings) — better4.4 (13K ratings)
Positive reviews31.3% of reviews — better15.5% of reviews
Number of ratings70K — better13K
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRain Bird CorporationRheem Manufacturing Company

Customer experience

Rain Bird

All ratings66,807 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral3.1%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews878 reviews
Positive31.3%
Neutral17.5%
Negative51.1%

EcoNet

All ratings13,136 ratings
Positive85.0%
Neutral3.6%
Negative11.4%
Written reviews502 reviews
Positive15.5%
Neutral13.7%
Negative70.7%

User reviews

Rain Bird

From 70K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

EcoNet

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Functional app
  • 📊 Useful graphs and data
  • 🔒 Resetting password options
  • 🕰️ Scheduling and vacation mode

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable connection
  • 🚫 Inaccurate power consumption data
  • 🤔 Confusing and limited UI
  • 🔄 Inconsistent mode changes
  • 🔍 Lack of detailed information

Bugs and requests

Rain Bird

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add water usage history and analytics
  • Allow pausing of individual zones
  • Improve manual control options
  • Add weather integration and smart scheduling
  • Improve notification system
Show 1 more
  • Add ability to turn off entire system remotely

EcoNet

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent disconnections from Wi-Fi
  • Vacation mode not functioning properly
  • Schedules not being followed consistently
  • Temperature and mode settings not sticking
  • Incorrect time zone and date information

Requested features

5 requests
  • Actual water temperature display
  • Customizable scheduling options
  • Geofencing with multiple users
  • Integration with other smart home platforms
  • More detailed energy usage reporting

In-app purchases

None

Rain Bird

No in-app purchases

None

EcoNet

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Rain Bird free?
Rain Bird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is EcoNet free?
EcoNet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Rain Bird or EcoNet?
Rain Bird is rated higher. Rain Bird averages 4.7 out of 5 from 70K ratings, while EcoNet averages 4.4 from 13K ratings.
Do Rain Bird or EcoNet have ads?
Neither Rain Bird nor EcoNet shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rain Bird or EcoNet?
Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, and EcoNet every 5 weeks. Most recently, Rain Bird was updated on September 24, 2026 and EcoNet on September 24, 2026.

Other comparisons