# Netro vs lichen play

The clearest difference is review sentiment: lichen play at 100% against Netro's 38%. lichen play also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.7) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Netro's advantage is ratings volume (18 vs 3) and device support (4 vs 2). 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.

lichen play holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Netro has 18 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Netro's written reviews are positive against 100% of lichen play's.

Netro ships an update every 4 months, lichen play every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Netro | lichen play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netro/id1207556450/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichen-play/id1329616907/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **18** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 37.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 69 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Netro Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1207241825) | [Playtopro LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1329616906) |

## What reviewers say

### Netro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netro/id1207556450)

This app manages your home irrigation system remotely. It creates intelligent watering schedules based on local weather to conserve water and maintain a healthy garden. Monitor your garden's status and adjust settings from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Dynamic weather-based watering schedules, Remote sprinkler monitoring and control, Garden health status indicators, Adjustable watering preferences, Schedule manager

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy setup and installation
- 👍 Good overall functionality
- 👍 Flexible programming options
- 👍 Supports remote access
- 👍 Good for dry climates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable weather data
- 🐛 Login required every time
- 🐛 Limited historical data storage
- 🐛 Difficulty with manual control

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- App crashes when renaming zones
- App crashes when moving between screens
- App crashes when attempting to open
- App crashes when logging in

**Requested features**

- Allow 1.5 minute watering intervals
- Allow simultaneous watering of multiple zones
- Alter order of watering zones with drag and drop
- Add more weather providers (e.g., Apple's API)
- Improve user interface for iOS users


### lichen play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichen-play/id1329616907)

This smart sprinkler controller offers full automation and real-time remote access to manage your irrigation zones. Create custom watering schedules with independent control for up to 8 zones, running them multiple times daily.

**Highlights:** Fully automated sprinkler control, Remote access from any location, Customizable 7-day watering schedules, Independent control of 8 zones, Multiple watering cycles per zone daily, Secure multi-path connectivity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Netro free?

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

### Is lichen play free?

lichen play is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Netro or lichen play?

lichen play is rated higher. Netro averages 2.7 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while lichen play averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Netro or lichen play have ads?

Neither Netro nor lichen play shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Netro or lichen play?

Netro ships an update every 4 months, and lichen play every 3 weeks. Most recently, Netro was updated on October 26, 2026 and lichen play on October 24, 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.*