Spark Water vs Test Strip Scanner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spark Water
This app automatically reads water test strips using your smartphone camera, providing immediate and accurate results for pool and spa water chemistry. It helps you monitor trends and interpret results easily, ensuring optimal water balance without complex visual charts.
- Automatic test strip reading via camera
- Immediate and accurate results
- Trend monitoring with historical data
- Simple color-coded result interpretation
- Supports pool and spa water parameters
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Spark Water Test Strip Reader app is designed to work seamlessly to read Spark Diagnostics’s Water test products. This easy-to-use smartphone app for Spark Diagnostics Water test strip such as W-5P for Pool and Spa, automatically reads the test strip and delivers hassle-free, immediate, and accurate results in 30 seconds in your phone screen without having to interpret complex visual color chart. Note: App requires use of Spark Diagnostics’s W-5P and similar test strips products. The app features automatic reading of the Spark Diagnostics test strips by using your camera from the app or previously taken photos of test strip to give automatic reading. Spark Diagnostics Water test products measures Pool or Spa Water test parameter such as Free Chlorine, Hardness, Alkalinity, pH and more for maintaining healthy Pool & Spa water chemistry for optimum experience. APP FEATURES: FAST, FREE, AND CONVENIENT SMARTPHONE APP READING – easy-to-use smartphone test system app automatically reads the test strip and delivers hassle-free, immediate, and accurate results in your phone screen. TREND MONITORING: save test results in App to build historical trends. Save your spa and pool water test results to build historical trends that helps to improve consistency in maintaining your spa or pool chemical balance. SIMPLE RESULT INTERPRETATION: use the simple color indicators that guides you if the test results are low (light gray), in-required-range (green), borderline high (yellow) or high (red). Note: Instructions on the product package take precedence over the recommendations made by the app. In the event of unexpected or questionable results by App follow instructions from product package inserts.
Test Strip Scanner
Easily read water test strip results by taking a photo. View and export charts of chemical readings over time. Ideal for those with visual impairments or limited patience.
- Scan test strip results with photos
- Save and view readings
- Export charts of chemical trends
- Supports multiple popular water test strips
- No account signup required
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Test Strip Scanner makes it easy to read results from some of the most popular water test strips on the market. No signing up for an account, no data being funneled into a large company, no annoying notifications, just a handy little utility for water analysis. Test Strip Scanner lets you scan and save the readings of your strip by simply taking a photo. After that you can view & export charts of each chemical reading over your desired time frame. Test Strip Scanner is great for those with poor eyesight, colorblindness, and low patience. Test Strip Scanner supports the following strips: Water - JNW Pool & Spa 7in1 - Easy Test 7in1 - Aquachek Select Connect - HTH 6-way - Baracuda 6in1 And more to come in the future!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Test Strip Scanner at every 5 days against Spark Water's every 5 months. Test Strip Scanner also leads on rating (3.2 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (9 vs 2). Spark Water's advantage is iOS requirement (10.1 vs 16.0). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Test Strip Scanner holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 50% and 50% positive.
Spark Water ships an update every 5 months, Test Strip Scanner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spark Water | Test Strip Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 3.2 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 9 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 10.1 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 49 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Spark Diagnostics LLC | Quentin Reiser |
Customer experience
Spark Water
Test Strip Scanner
In-app purchases
Spark Water
No in-app purchases
Test Strip Scanner
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Spark Water free?
Is Test Strip Scanner free?
Which has better reviews, Spark Water or Test Strip Scanner?
Do Spark Water or Test Strip Scanner have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spark Water or Test Strip Scanner?
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