RAA vs Powerpal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RAA
Access your member benefits, find cheap fuel and EV charging stations, enter competitions, and request roadside assistance. Manage your RAA products and services, and discover exclusive member offers.
- Digital membership card
- Real-time fuel prices
- EV charging station locator
- Road Service requests
- Member-only offers and deals
- Competition entries
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With the RAA app, your member benefits are just a tap away. Find cheap fuel near you, access your digital membership card, enter exciting competitions, request Road Service and so much more – all from the palm of your hand. In the RAA app, you can: • find cheap fuel near you with real-time fuel prices, straight from the source. • access your digital membership card – essential if you don't carry your physical card around. • enter competitions with an awesome range of prizes. • request a Road Service call-out and track the progress of your patrol.* • view all your RAA products and services. • find an EV charging station near you, using our EV charging locator. • save big with a huge range of member-only offers and deals, from entertainment and events to food and fashion. *Limitations apply. Not available in an emergency or for selected job types. Members outside the Adelaide metropolitan area should call 13 11 11 for Road Service. *By downloading this app, you agree to the End User Licence Agreement available at www.raa.com.au/app-terms
Powerpal
Monitor your home's real-time energy consumption and track historical usage. Set monthly spending targets, receive alerts, and get tips to optimize energy use and save money. Integrates with time-of-use tariffs for further savings.
- Real-time power usage display
- Historical energy consumption tracking
- Monthly spend target setting
- On-target and off-track alerts
- Energy-saving tips
- Time-of-use tariff integration
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Wouldn’t it be great to know how much it costs to run your air conditioning? Or the heater? Or the lights the kids are constantly leaving on upstairs? With Powerpal you can see how your energy use changes when you turn on and off your home appliances, so you can take control of how you want to use energy in your home. The Powerpal app reveals your power usage in real-time and keeps track of your history, helping you to make better decisions about the way you use energy. With Powerpal you can set a monthly spend target and see how you’re tracking in real time. You’ll receive alerts to tell you if you’re on target, and get some tips to get back on track if you’re not. By combining Powerpal with a time of use tariff you could access cheaper energy during off-peak times. Simple changes like running your dishwasher after 10pm can add up to big savings on your bill. For information about how to order your Powerpal in Australia visit https://www.powerpal.net
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: RAA at free against Powerpal's free with in-app purchases. RAA also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 24) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Powerpal's advantage is device support (3 vs 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
RAA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RAA has 15K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of RAA's written reviews are positive against 70% of Powerpal's.
RAA ships an update every 2 weeks, Powerpal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RAA | Powerpal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (15K ratings) — better | 4.6 (24 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 81.1% of reviews — better | 70.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 15K — better | 24 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 31 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Royal Automobile Association of South Australia Limited | Amber Electric Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
RAA
Powerpal
User reviews
RAA
From 15K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- ⛽ Great for checking fuel prices
- ⭐ Excellent customer service
- 🚗 Prompt roadside assistance
- 💰 Good value for membership
Room to improve
- 🐛 App not opening/crashing
- ⛽ Fuel price information not updated
- ⚠️ Login issues
- 📱 Incompatible with older devices
- ❌ App not loading
Powerpal
From 24 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📊 Real-time power consumption monitoring
- 💰 Helps users reduce electricity bills
- 🎨 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 📈 Multiple graph and visualization formats
- 🔧 Simple installation process
Room to improve
- 🐛 Pairing failures with error 403
- 📱 Portrait mode only - no landscape support
- 🔋 Battery dies after 2-3 years without replacement option
- 📡 Limited Bluetooth range and connectivity issues
- ⚙️ Rigid tariff configuration options
Bugs and requests
RAA
Reported bugs
10 issues- Login issues, emails not sent
- App not opening/disappearing
- Fuel price information not updated
- App not compatible with older iOS versions (iPhone 6, iPad)
- Keyboard doesn't slide down when submitting roadside assistance
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- App download issues preventing login
- Fuel search not working on iPad
- Map zoom out not syncing correctly
- Site down for maintenance and then unusable
- Update has ruined app functionality on older devices
Requested features
7 requests- Dark mode support
- Home Screen widget for fuel prices
- CarPlay and Apple Wallet updates (already implemented but requested again)
- Option to select both 'diesel' and 'premium diesel' prices simultaneously
- Ability to zoom in on fuel prices on the map
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- Option to enter competitions with just membership number
- App size optimization for older phones
Powerpal
Reported bugs
15 issues- Error 403 pairing failures on iOS and Android
- App crashes when entering pairing code
- Forced update screen with no skip/cancel option
- Update failures preventing app launch
- Bluetooth disconnections even when device is nearby
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- Inconsistent readings between paired devices
- LED sensitivity issues after firmware updates
- Remote connection setting being ignored
- Data disappearing after app updates
- App not registering zero usage when devices are off
- Poor Bluetooth signal strength (30% max)
- Navigation loop restricted to sequential movement
- Missing readings and data gaps
- Slow response time to power changes
- Graph display showing incorrect zero values
Requested features
18 requests- Landscape mode support for tablets/iPads
- Custom tariff time configuration
- WiFi connectivity for remote monitoring
- Support for multiple tariff rates (EV plans, super off-peak)
- Solar export/feed-in tracking and monitoring
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- API access for smart home integration
- Home Assistant integration
- Demand pricing structure support
- Customizable peak/off-peak time periods
- Multiple user accounts and sharing
- Extended data history (beyond 60 days)
- Date range selection for data downloads
- Battery replacement option instead of full unit replacement
- Split-view support for iPad
- Controlled load monitoring
- Calendar month matching for bill comparisons
- Alert notifications for high usage
- Spreadsheet export functionality
In-app purchases
RAA
No in-app purchases
Powerpal
No in-app purchases
