Comparison

Spark Water vs Drip Strips

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Drip Strips

Easily scan and track your water test readings with this official companion app. Visualize your results with graphs, export data, and share findings over any time period. Designed exclusively for a specific brand of water testing strips.

Highlights
  • Scan water test strips
  • Save and chart readings
  • View test graphs
  • Export readings
  • Share results
Features
Read full description

The official scanner app for Drip Strips water testing strips. Scan, save, and chart your water readings just as easily as taking a photo. View graphs of your tests, export the readings, and share the results from any desired time frame. The Drip Strips scanner is tailor made to support our line of water testing kits, and is not compatible with other brands.

Screenshots

Spark Water4 screens
Drip Strips4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Drip Strips at 4.2 against Spark Water's 3.0. Drip Strips also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Spark Water's advantage is iOS requirement (10.1 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Drip Strips holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 5 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spark Water ships an update every 5 months, Drip Strips every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Spark Water versus Drip Strips: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpark WaterDrip Strips
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.2 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings25 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS10.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSPARK DIAGNOSTICS, LLCApt Goods LLC

Customer experience

Spark Water

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

Drip Strips

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Spark Water

No in-app purchases

None

Drip Strips

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spark Water free?
Spark Water is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Drip Strips free?
Drip Strips is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Spark Water or Drip Strips?
Drip Strips is rated higher. Spark Water averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Drip Strips averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.
Do Spark Water or Drip Strips have ads?
Neither Spark Water nor Drip Strips shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spark Water or Drip Strips?
Spark Water ships an update every 5 months, and Drip Strips every 2 months. Most recently, Spark Water was updated on October 3, 2026 and Drip Strips on October 24, 2026.

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