Comparison

Ember vs Whisker

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

Head to head
About

Ember

This app allows you to precisely control the temperature of your hot beverages using a smart mug. Customize presets, receive notifications when your drink reaches the perfect temperature, and explore recipes. Personalize your mug settings for an enhanced drinking experience.

Highlights
  • Precise temperature control
  • Save temperature presets
  • Beverage recipes and blogs
  • Customizable notifications
  • Manage multiple mugs
  • Personalize mug settings
Features
Read full description

At Ember®, we use temperature control to change the world in ordinary (and extraordinary) ways. With an Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug and the Ember app, you can transform your mornings by making hot beverages set to your chosen temperature an everyday reality. Our redesigned Ember app is simple, easy to use, and customizable. Whether you are a first-time user or a long-time customer, get ready for a whole new temperature control experience. The Ember app seamlessly pairs with your Ember products to precisely adjust your favorite hot drinks to your preferred drinking temperature, saves temperature presets, offers recipes, sends notifications when your desired drinking temperature has been reached, and more. Ember App Features: - Control the temperature of your beverage down to the degree - Use your previous temperature setting for a set-it-and-forget-it beverage experience - Manage unlimited paired mugs on an all-new Ember home screen - Find recipes and blogs you can save and share with friends and family in the new Explore section - Receive notifications when your preferred temperature has been reached, or your battery is low - Customize presets for multiple beverages and engage timers - Personalize your mugs with names and adjust the color of the smart LED - Easily switch between °C/°F and control sounds and haptic feedback in the redesigned Account section - Access Ember x Health with Apple Health

About

Whisker

Remotely monitor and control your WiFi-enabled pet devices, including litter boxes and feeders. Receive real-time alerts, track usage insights, and manage schedules from anywhere. Enhance your pet care routine with smart technology.

Highlights
  • Real-time alerts for device status
  • Remote control of device functions
  • Usage insights and trend tracking
  • Flexible feeding schedules
  • Multi-robot management
  • On-demand pet treat dispensing
Features
Read full description

The Whisker app uses our proprietary WhiskerOS™ software to allow you to remotely monitor and control your WiFi-enabled Whisker device. Use the Whisker app to monitor, control, and get insights from your Whisker devices—including Litter-Robot and Feeder-Robot—anytime, anywhere. Works with Litter-Robot 3 Connect, Litter-Robot 4, Litter-Robot 5, Litter-Robot 5 Pro, Litter-Robot EVO, PetTag, and Feeder-Robot. Litter-Robot features - Real-time alerts: Know when a cycle starts, pauses, or the drawer needs emptying. - Litter & waste status: See litter level and waste drawer status at a glance. - Usage insights: Track trends that help you monitor your cat's routine. - Remote controls: Adjust cycle delay time, lock the control panel, toggle night light, or schedule sleep mode. - Multi-robot support: Set up and manage multiple units in one place. Feeder-Robot features - Flexible schedules: Create and edit feeding schedules from your phone. - Snack on demand: Dispense a snack anytime, wherever you are. - Low-food & issue alerts: Get notified when food is low or if the feeder needs attention. - Feeding insights: View weekly and monthly trends. Setup & requirements - Camera permission for QR code onboarding. - Wi-Fi: Visible, password-protected IPv4 network. All models support 2.4 GHz; 5 GHz is supported on select Pro models only. Use 2.4 GHz for all others. - Location Services: Enable during onboarding to help the app find your Wi-Fi network. Features may vary by device and model.

Screenshots

Ember4 screens
Whisker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Whisker at 4.8 against Ember's 3.3. Whisker also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 18%) and ratings volume (147K vs 7.4K). Ember's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

Whisker holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Whisker has 147K ratings behind it against 7.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Ember's written reviews are positive against 52% of Whisker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ember ships an update every 2 months, Whisker every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Ember versus Whisker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmberWhisker
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (7.4K ratings)4.8 (147K ratings) — better
Positive reviews18.0% of reviews51.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.4K147K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB175 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEmber Technologies Inc.Automated Pet Care Products Inc. dba AutoPets

Customer experience

Ember

All ratings7,424 ratings
Positive54.6%
Neutral4.8%
Negative40.6%
Written reviews1,289 reviews
Positive18.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative73.7%

Whisker

All ratings146,721 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews1,058 reviews
Positive51.6%
Neutral11.5%
Negative36.9%

User reviews

Ember

From 7.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Keeps drink at perfect temperature
  • 🍵 Great for tea and coffee drinkers
  • 🎨 Customizable LED light colors
  • 🔋 Decent battery life when used properly
  • 🤖 Apple Watch app integration

Room to improve

  • 🔌 Requires frequent charging and docking
  • 🔒 Forced account creation and login
  • 🔄 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent issues
  • 🤔 Confusing app UI and controls

Whisker

From 147K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient, hassle-free
  • 👍 Keeps litter box clean and odor-free
  • 💡 Tracks cat usage and weight
  • 🚀 Saves time and effort

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent false 'drawer full' notifications
  • 🐛 Connectivity issues with app
  • 🐛 Sensor malfunctions and interrupted cycles
  • 🔋 Drains phone battery with constant notifications

Bugs and requests

Ember

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App frequently logs users out
  • Mug disconnects from app randomly
  • Firmware update process often fails
  • App doesn't always detect liquid in mug
  • Presets and settings get lost after updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Battery level indicator on main screen
  • Improved Apple Watch app functionality
  • Wireless charging option
  • Ability to lock temperature settings
  • Automatic temperature adjustment based on volume

Whisker

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App frequently disconnects from litter box
  • App fails to properly register litter box
  • Litter box gets stuck in cleaning cycle

Requested features

4 requests
  • Customizable cleaning cycle settings
  • Ability to identify which cat used the litter box
  • Improved app stability and responsiveness
  • Better integration with smart home devices

In-app purchases

None

Ember

No in-app purchases

None

Whisker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Whisker free?
Whisker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ember or Whisker?
Whisker is rated higher. Ember averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7.4K ratings, while Whisker averages 4.8 from 147K ratings.
Do Ember or Whisker have ads?
Neither Ember nor Whisker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ember or Whisker?
Ember ships an update every 2 months, and Whisker every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ember was updated on September 28, 2026 and Whisker on September 29, 2026.

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