Comparison

Spark Water vs Live BMS

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

Live BMS

Monitor multiple LiFePO4 batteries from a single dashboard. View real-time data like charge, voltage, temperature, and cycle count. Get estimates for time to full or empty, and track battery health and performance.

Highlights
  • Unified dashboard for all batteries
  • Real-time charge, voltage, and current
  • Per-cell voltage monitoring
  • Time to full/empty estimates
  • Battery bank grouping
  • Trip tracking and history
  • Remote output control
Features
Read full description

Live BMS puts every one of your lithium batteries on a single, beautiful dashboard — no more switching between manufacturer apps. Connect over Bluetooth to your LiFePO4 packs and watch what actually matters, live: state of charge, pack voltage, current, per-cell voltages, temperature, cycle count, and health. A liquid-fill charge ring and clear in/out power flow make each battery readable at a glance, and a running estimate tells you how long until the pack is full while charging or empty while it's under load. Built for people running more than one battery — on a boat, an RV, a van, or an off-grid solar setup. WATCH FROM ANYWHERE (OPTIONAL) Add the Live BMS Link, a small Wi-Fi bridge that sits with your batteries, and your dashboard keeps updating when you're nowhere near the boat. Without it, Live BMS works exactly as it always has — Bluetooth only, nothing leaves your phone. FEATURES • One dashboard for all your batteries, updating in real time • Auto-detects supported BMS units — no fiddling with settings • Live "time to full" and "time to empty" at the current rate • Battery banks: group the packs wired together and see one combined charge, power draw, and runtime • Trip tracking: compare where you started to now, burn rate, and days remaining at your current use • Per-cell voltage bars and imbalance so you can spot a weak cell • History charts for charge, voltage, and current • Remote output on/off, including a master switch for all batteries • Alerts for low charge, high temperature, and cell imbalance — with plain-language guidance on what to set • Optional Live BMS Link accessory for checking your batteries from anywhere • Fahrenheit or Celsius, and Light / Dark / System themes FREE VS PRO The free version shows live charge and voltage for one battery — so you can prove it works with your hardware before paying anything. A single $4.99 unlock adds everything else: full telemetry, trips, history, alerts, power control, banks, and unlimited batteries. SUPPORTED BATTERIES Works with LiTime, Power Queen, and Redodo LiFePO4 batteries, plus common JBD / Xiaoxiang, JK-BMS, and Daly BMS units. More families are being added. PRIVACY Live BMS has no accounts, no ads, and no analytics. It talks directly to your batteries over Bluetooth and stores your history on your phone. If you add the optional Live BMS Link, your own battery readings pass through our server so you can see them remotely — nothing else does, and none of it is tied to your name, your email, or anything that identifies you. Note: Live BMS is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by LiTime, Power Queen, Redodo, or any BMS manufacturer.

Screenshots

Spark Water4 screens
Live BMS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Live BMS at 5.0 against Spark Water's 3.0. Live BMS also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 months). Spark Water's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (10.1 vs 17.0). 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

Live BMS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spark Water ships an update every 5 months, Live BMS every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Spark Water versus Live BMS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpark WaterLive BMS
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS10.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSPARK DIAGNOSTICS, LLCTim Jones

Customer experience

Spark Water

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

Live BMS

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Spark Water

No in-app purchases

None

Live BMS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spark Water free?
Spark Water is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Live BMS free?
Live BMS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Spark Water or Live BMS?
Live BMS is rated higher. Spark Water averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Live BMS averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Spark Water or Live BMS have ads?
Neither Spark Water nor Live BMS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spark Water or Live BMS?
Spark Water ships an update every 5 months, and Live BMS every 6 days. Most recently, Spark Water was updated on October 24, 2026 and Live BMS on October 24, 2026.

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