Comparison

B vs Light Stream

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

Head to head
About

B

Control and monitor your sprinklers from anywhere with this smart watering app. It uses local weather data and plant information to create optimized watering schedules, saving water and money. You can also set custom programs and utilize an integrated irrigation audit tool.

Highlights
  • Remote sprinkler control
  • Smart watering schedules
  • Weather-based adjustments
  • Custom program settings
  • Integrated irrigation audit tool
  • Water conservation features
Features
Read full description

The B-hyve smart sprinkler timer app allows you to control or monitor your sprinklers from anywhere in the world with the convenience of your smart device. Smart Watering Knowing how long and how often to water your plants can be challenging. When set to smart watering mode, B-hyve takes the guesswork out of watering and utilizes Mother Nature, along with some really great technology, to determine the watering schedule for your yard. When set and left in smart watering mode, B-hyve can save users as much as 50% more water over a traditional controller. Weather When set in smart mode, B-hyve uses local weather data to determine how much water is evaporated and transpired through your plants each day to know when it needs to water. It also accounts for any rainfall that is in the forecast, shuts off the system for rain, then looks back to see how much actually fell. That’s smart! But all yards are not the same. B-hyve also takes into account things like soil type, plant type, sun/shade and slope to determine a watering schedule that takes the water to the roots and helps avoid runoff. WeatherSense If you want to be the one in control of the schedule, that’s okay too. With B-hyve you can set custom programs to water how you want while still taking advantage of the local weather data to override watering in case of a weather event. This will shut off your system during the rain and resume your program when the rain has passed. That’s smart! Integrated Irrigation Audit Tool The B-hyve app also integrates the award-winning irrigation audit tool right to your smart device. By performing a catch cup test on your sprinkler system, you will know exactly how much water is being applied rather than relying on estimated sprinkler head water use that other timers/apps use, which can be off by as much as 50%, saving you more water and money. This is the app for the best-selling, WaterSense and SWAT certified Orbit B-hyve Smart Wifi Sprinkler Timer. This is also the companion app for homeowners with the Hydro-Rain B-hyve Pro Wifi Controller. Please let us know if you have questions or problems. ALEXA – Works with Alexa. For a list of Alexa commands visit http://help.orbitbhyve.com/Alexa-Commands/ Bhyve.orbitonline.com 800-488-6156 support@orbitbhyve.com

About

Light Stream

Control your wireless Christmas lights with custom color themes and patterns. This app allows you to set up to six different bulb colors simultaneously, offering flexibility for indoor and outdoor decoration.

Highlights
  • Customizable light colors
  • Up to six colors per theme
  • Indoor and outdoor use
  • Works with existing E12 wire
  • Create custom light patterns
Features
Read full description

Harness the power of infinite possibilities with Light Stream™. Using the exclusive Light Stream™ app for iPhone, you can have up to six different light bulb colors at any given time. You decide whether you want all the bulbs to be the same color, or create your own custom themes, such as red, white, and green. Light Stream™ will give you the freedom you’ve been looking for in a Christmas light. Use it on your roof lines, tree, bushes, or even indoors! Innovative lighting for infinite possibilities of colors and patterns. Unlike competitors wireless lights, our design allows for you to use your existing E12 Christmas wire. Saving you time and money, simply swap your bulbs and pair your devices. FOR USE WITH LIGHT STREAM™ COMPONENTS ONLY - V-20586: Remote LED Bulbs ( Required ) - V-20587: Controller ( Required ) - V-20588: Switch ( Optional but recommended ) Thank you for reading all about the all-new, innovative wireless lighting solution that is Light Stream™. To purchase Light Stream components, please visit Villagelighting.com or Villagelightingwholesale.com for more information.

Screenshots

B4 screens
Light Stream4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: B at 4.7 against Light Stream's 3.2. B also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 33%) and ratings volume (335K vs 26). Light Stream's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (8.1 vs 15.1). 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

B holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: B has 335K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of B's written reviews are positive against 33% of Light Stream's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

B ships an update every 6 weeks, Light Stream monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
B versus Light Stream: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBLight Stream
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (335K ratings) — better3.2 (26 ratings)
Positive reviews61.0% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings335K — better26
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.18.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOrbit IrrigationVillage Lighting

Customer experience

B

All ratings330,461 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews1,905 reviews
Positive61.0%
Neutral7.6%
Negative31.3%

Light Stream

All ratings26 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral11.5%
Negative38.5%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

Bugs and requests

B

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Watering programs not executing as scheduled
  • Zones not responding to manual controls
  • Connectivity issues causing loss of watering history
  • Unexpected changes to programmed watering schedules

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to pause and resume watering programs
  • Integration with smart home platforms (e.g., HomeKit)
  • More granular control over watering schedules and zones
  • Improved weather forecasting and rain delay functionality
  • Global calendar view of all connected devices

Light Stream

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

B

No in-app purchases

None

Light Stream

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is B free?
B is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Light Stream free?
Light Stream is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, B or Light Stream?
B is rated higher. B averages 4.7 out of 5 from 335K ratings, while Light Stream averages 3.2 from 26 ratings.
Do B or Light Stream have ads?
Neither B nor Light Stream shows ads.
Which is updated more often, B or Light Stream?
B ships an update every 6 weeks, and Light Stream monthly. Most recently, B was updated on October 27, 2026 and Light Stream on October 24, 2026.

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