# Rain Bird vs MSU Irrigation

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Rain Bird at 70K against MSU Irrigation's 3. Rain Bird also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). MSU Irrigation's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 3 weeks 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.

MSU Irrigation holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rain Bird has 70K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, MSU Irrigation every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rain Bird | MSU Irrigation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (70K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rain-bird/id1060727082/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msu-irrigation/id6477047162/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **70K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 31.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rain Bird Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/958281909) | [MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1140154569) |

## 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


### MSU Irrigation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msu-irrigation/id6477047162)

Plan and log irrigation field by field with data-driven recommendations. Get daily insights based on weather, ET, and crop/soil conditions. Collaborate with your team to ensure everyone is aligned on irrigation schedules.

**Highlights:** Field-by-field irrigation management, Daily recommendations based on weather and ET, Crop and soil data integration, Irrigation schedule tracking, Team collaboration features

**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 MSU Irrigation free?

MSU Irrigation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Rain Bird or MSU Irrigation?

MSU Irrigation is rated higher. Rain Bird averages 4.7 out of 5 from 70K ratings, while MSU Irrigation averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Rain Bird or MSU Irrigation have ads?

Neither Rain Bird nor MSU Irrigation shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rain Bird or MSU Irrigation?

Rain Bird ships an update every 2 months, and MSU Irrigation every 3 weeks. Most recently, Rain Bird was updated on September 26, 2026 and MSU Irrigation on June 22, 2026.

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