Rain Bird vs Hydrawise
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Remote sprinkler control
- Customizable watering schedules
- Automated weather adjustments
- Water and money saving
- Controller model compatibility
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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
Hydrawise
Optimize your irrigation with intelligent watering schedules based on local weather forecasts. This app helps conserve water while ensuring your landscape stays healthy and vibrant. Manage your irrigation system remotely for ultimate convenience.
- Predictive Watering™
- Local weather insights
- Water savings optimization
- Lush landscape creation
- Remote irrigation management
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Elevate Your Irrigation Experience with Hydrawise! Discover the ultimate in irrigation control with the Hydrawise App. Harness the power of Predictive Watering™, fueled by local weather data, to optimise water usage and enhance your landscape's vitality. Key Features: Predictive Watering: Let advanced algorithms adjust schedules based on local weather forecasts, saving water and promoting a thriving landscape. Improved Local Weather Insights: Dive into weather data with enhanced icons and descriptors that make it easier to understand the forecast's impact on your irrigation schedule. Maximise Water Savings: Hydrawise intelligently adapts watering schedules, conserving water without compromising landscape health. Lush Landscapes: Create an environment of beauty and sustainability by tailoring irrigation to your landscape's unique needs. Stay Connected: Never lose touch with your irrigation system — manage it remotely and with ease. Experience the Future of Irrigation: Hydrawise empowers you to take command of your irrigation system like never before. • Embrace the power of Predictive Watering, seamlessly integrating local weather data to optimise water usage. • Cultivate a landscape that flourishes while saving water and effort. • Stay in touch with your irrigation, from anywhere, anytime. Download the app now and embark on a journey to transform your landscape into a masterpiece of efficiency and beauty!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Hydrawise at every 3 weeks against Rain Bird's every 2 months. Rain Bird's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Rain Bird against 4.7 for Hydrawise. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70K and 64K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of Rain Bird's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hydrawise's.
Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, Hydrawise every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Rain Bird | Hydrawise |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (70K ratings) | 4.7 (64K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.3% of reviews | 38.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 70K — better | 64K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 86 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rain Bird Corporation | Hunter Industries |
Customer experience
Rain Bird
Hydrawise
User reviews
Rain Bird
From 70K App Store ratingsWhat 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
Hydrawise
From 64K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Improved performance
- 💡 Useful features like weather-based watering
- 🔒 Secure system
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 👎 Confusing user interface
- 🔍 Difficult to find/access certain features
- 📉 Lack of important functionality from previous app
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
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- Add ability to turn off entire system remotely
Hydrawise
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes on launch
- Zones not starting as scheduled
- Incorrect flow rate and water usage data
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to pause/resume programs
- Customizable watering schedules
- Improved reporting and historical data
- Easier manual zone control
In-app purchases
Rain Bird
No in-app purchases
Hydrawise
No in-app purchases
