Comparison

Rain Bird vs Rheem 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

Rheem EcoNet

Manage your home's heating, cooling, and hot water systems remotely. Optimize energy usage, set custom schedules, and receive important alerts for maintenance and system performance. This app helps homeowners save on utility bills and maintain ideal comfort levels.

Highlights
  • Smart HVAC control
  • Water heater monitoring
  • Energy consumption tracking
  • Customizable schedules
  • Maintenance alerts
  • Remote system access
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
Rheem EcoNet4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Rain Bird at 4.7 against Rheem EcoNet's 4.4. Rain Bird also leads on review sentiment (31% vs 15%) and ratings volume (79K vs 16K). 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. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79K and 16K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Rain Bird's written reviews are positive against 15% of Rheem EcoNet's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, Rheem EcoNet every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Rain Bird versus Rheem EcoNet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRain BirdRheem EcoNet
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (79K ratings) — better4.4 (16K ratings)
Positive reviews31.2% of reviews — better14.7% of reviews
Number of ratings79K — better16K
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 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRain Bird CorporationRheem Manufacturing Company

Customer experience

Rain Bird

All ratings66,807 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral3.1%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews894 reviews
Positive31.2%
Neutral17.4%
Negative51.3%

Rheem EcoNet

All ratings15,207 ratings
Positive84.0%
Neutral3.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews655 reviews
Positive14.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative72.8%

User reviews

Rain Bird

From 79K 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

Rheem EcoNet

From 16K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Useful for monitoring energy usage
  • 👍 Improved app UI in recent update
  • 🚀 Reliable connection after update

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Scheduling issues and unreliable
  • 🐛 Home/away mode not functioning properly
  • 🐛 Connectivity problems after app updates
  • 🐛 Clunky and unintuitive user interface
  • 🐛 Missing key information like current water temperature

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

Rheem EcoNet

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Schedule resets or stops working randomly
  • App disconnects from water heater frequently
  • Vacation/away mode settings not saving properly
  • Inability to log in or create account

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to view current water tank temperature
  • Improve scheduling functionality and reliability
  • Provide more detailed usage data and analytics
  • Allow custom temperature settings for away/vacation mode

In-app purchases

None

Rain Bird

No in-app purchases

None

Rheem EcoNet

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Rain Bird free?
Rain Bird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rheem EcoNet free?
Rheem EcoNet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Rain Bird or Rheem EcoNet?
Rain Bird is rated higher. Rain Bird averages 4.7 out of 5 from 79K ratings, while Rheem EcoNet averages 4.4 from 16K ratings.
Do Rain Bird or Rheem EcoNet have ads?
Neither Rain Bird nor Rheem EcoNet shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rain Bird or Rheem EcoNet?
Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, and Rheem EcoNet every 5 weeks. Most recently, Rain Bird was updated on November 1, 2026 and Rheem EcoNet on November 1, 2026.

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