# Pool Math by TroubleFreePool vs Cost Companion

The clearest difference is price: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool at Free against Cost Companion's $0.99. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool also leads on ratings volume (287 vs 6). Cost Companion's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 63%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool is free to download; Cost Companion costs $0.99 up front. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per year. Cost Companion asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cost Companion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool has 287 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Pool Math by TroubleFreePool's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cost Companion's.

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool ships an update fortnightly, Cost Companion every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pool Math by TroubleFreePool | Cost Companion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [3.6 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-math-by-troublefreepool/id1228819359/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cost-companion/id1662286552/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **287** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 63.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 314 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TroubleFreePool](https://appshunter.io/developer/1228819358) | [Angela Mcarthur](https://appshunter.io/developer/451676466) |

## What reviewers say

### Pool Math by TroubleFreePool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-math-by-troublefreepool/id1228819359)

Easily manage your swimming pool's water chemistry by tracking key levels like chlorine and pH. This app calculates the precise amounts of chemicals needed to maintain clear, algae-free water, offering a cost-effective alternative to pool store advice.

**Highlights:** Chemical level calculators (pH, Chlorine, Alkalinity, etc.), Track pool maintenance tasks, Log chemical additions, Weather condition tracking, Chemical addition effect calculations, Bleach price comparison, Data backup and export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pool Math Premium Subscription | $7.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Excellent for maintaining a clean, balanced pool
- 🔍 Comprehensive tracking of test results and chemical additions
- 🧠 Helpful recommendations for chemical adjustments
- ⚙️ Useful features like SLAM mode and timeline
- 🤖 Automatic weather data logging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with data syncing and backup
- 🤔 Unintuitive interface and navigation
- 💰 Subscription model and lack of one-time purchase
- 🚫 Limited support for non-chlorine sanitizers and spa-specific options
- 🔄 Bugs with chemical addition logging and target value retention

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues and inability to restore purchases
- App crashes and freezes on certain actions
- Incorrect chemical recommendations and calculations
- Disappearing historical data after updates

**Requested features**

- Custom target ranges and alerts
- Ability to log non-standard chemical additions
- Export options for data analysis
- Apple Watch integration
- Improved user guidance and on-boarding


### Cost Companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cost-companion/id1662286552)

Easily calculate discounts on clearance items or tips for services. This utility app offers a simple interface to determine sale prices and tip amounts, with options to split bills among multiple people. It also accounts for sales tax for accurate final totals.

**Highlights:** Tip calculator, Split tip/bill, Sale discount calculator, Switch between tip and sale modes, Large display, Sales tax entry, Locale-based currency display

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pool Math by TroubleFreePool free?

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cost Companion free?

Cost Companion costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool or Cost Companion?

Cost Companion is rated higher. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool averages 3.6 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while Cost Companion averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Pool Math by TroubleFreePool or Cost Companion have ads?

Neither Pool Math by TroubleFreePool nor Cost Companion shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool or Cost Companion?

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool ships an update fortnightly, and Cost Companion every 3 days. Most recently, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool was updated on October 24, 2026 and Cost Companion on October 9, 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.*