Comparison

Pulse® vs Powerpal

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

Head to head
About

Pulse®

Gain immediate insight and control over your home's solar energy generation and electricity consumption. Track historical data, set energy goals, and forecast your electricity bills in real-time. Remotely manage connected appliances like air conditioning and lights.

Highlights
  • View solar generation and electricity consumption
  • Set energy goals
  • Track electricity bill forecast
  • Receive system notifications and alerts
  • Control appliances remotely
  • View historical energy data
Read full description

Pulse® is the most powerful energy advisor available. Pulse® gives you immediate visibility, advice and control of all of your home's solar generation and electricity consumption. Use the Pulse® app to: ° View current and historic solar generation and electricity consumption (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly…)
 ° Choose an energy goal: Maximise your solar investment, compare your usage against your previous period, or against similar homes 
 ° Track your electricity bill forecast in real time
 ° View system notifications and alerts ° Use the app to control your air conditioning, lights and other appliances. For use with an installed Pulse® unit. More information at emberpulse.com

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Pulse®4 screens
Powerpal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Pulse® at free against Powerpal's free with in-app purchases. Pulse® also leads on iOS requirement (11.1 vs 15.1). Powerpal's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pulse® ships an update every 2 months, Powerpal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pulse® versus Powerpal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPulse®Powerpal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.6 (24 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews69.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.1 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer369 Labs Pty LtdAmber Electric Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Pulse®

Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%

Powerpal

All ratings24 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews143 reviews
Positive69.9%
Neutral11.9%
Negative18.2%

Bugs and requests

Pulse®

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
Show 10 more
  • 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
Show 13 more
  • 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

None

Pulse®

No in-app purchases

None

Powerpal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pulse® free?
Pulse® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Powerpal free?
Powerpal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pulse® or Powerpal have ads?
Neither Pulse® nor Powerpal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pulse® or Powerpal?
Pulse® ships an update every 2 months, and Powerpal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pulse® was updated on October 7, 2026 and Powerpal on October 19, 2026.

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