Pool Math by TroubleFreePool vs Pool Log
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
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.
- 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
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PoolMath makes swimming pool care, maintenance and management easy by tracking chlorine, pH, alkalinity and other levels to help calculate how much salt, bleach and other chemicals to add. Keep swimming in your TroubleFreePool with Pool Math. Crystal clear algae free pool water is what Trouble Free Pool Math is committed to. Pool Math performs all the calculations you need to keep your chlorine, pH, calcium, alkalinity, and stabilizer levels balanced. Why choose Pool Math over the others? Other apps claim to make testing easy by using test strips and your phone's camera. Unfortunately, this is simply too good to be true. Test strips are notoriously inaccurate and end up costing you much more money in both chemicals and the tests themselves in the long run. Trouble Free Pool believes using a proper test kit is much easier, effective, and economical in the long run. By following these calculations the pool owner achieves and maintains crystal clear water without reliance on the often unproductive advice and unneeded expense from pool stores. Pool Math's great features include: • Calculators for pH, Free Chlorine, Calcium Hardness, Salt, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, Borates, CSI • Track Maintenance: Backwashing, Vacuuming, Filter Cleaning, Filter Pressure, SWG Cell %, Flow Rate • Track Chemical Additions • Track Weather conditions with your logs • Calculate the Effects of Adding chemicals to your pool • Bleach Price Calculator - Find the best deals on bleach easily • Summary page to see an overview of test results and chemical additions • Data backup / Export Premium Subscribers get access to these additional features: • Unlimited Test Log History Storage • Maintenance Reminders • Cloud Sync/Backup • Sync across multiple devices • Unlimited Pool / Spa Configurations • Test Log CSV Import / Export Pool Math Premium Subscription details: • Auto-renewable subscription • 1 year for $7.99 USD • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew (at the duration of 1 year) unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Current subscription may not be cancelled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use: http://poolmathapp.com/privacy/
Pool Log
This app provides precise chemical dosing instructions for pools and spas based on your test results. It tracks multiple water bodies, integrates local weather data, and offers advanced features like SLAM mode for algae and CSI calculations. All data is stored locally for privacy.
- Precise chemical dosing instructions
- Manages multiple pools and spas
- Weather-aware test result tracking
- SLAM mode for algae treatment
- Calcite Saturation Index (CSI) calculation
- Chemical addition logging
- Maintenance task tracking
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SKIP THE POOL STORE Stop driving to the pool store for tests that are inconsistent, expensive, and end with someone trying to upsell you chemicals you don't need. PoolLog turns your own test results into precise dosing instructions in seconds — using the same Taylor Technologies and Pool & Hot Tub Alliance formulas the pros rely on. POOLS AND SPAS, ONE APP Manage every body of water from one place. PoolLog handles backyard pools, spas, hot tubs, and rentals — each with its own sanitizer system, surface type, target ranges, and history. Switch between them with a tap. WEATHER-AWARE TRACKING Test results pair with the local weather automatically (no location permission required, just a postal code). Spot the patterns that matter: heatwave chlorine drops, post-rain alkalinity swings, the bather load that always nudges your pH. YOUR DATA. YOUR DEVICE. No account required. Nothing leaves your phone unless you turn on optional iCloud sync — and even then it's only ever between your own Apple devices. Other apps want a login and a cloud account before they'll show you a number. We don't. PREVIEW THE EXACT DOSE Before you add anything, PoolLog shows the precise amount of each chemical you'd need to reach your target — accounting for your pool's volume, current chemistry, and the specific concentration of the product on your shelf. Add the chemical, log the addition, done. GROUNDED IN REAL CHEMISTRY Recommendations come from peer-reviewed industry standards — Taylor Technologies, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, and the same CSI formula commercial operators use to keep plaster pools from etching or scaling. We document every formula in the app's references. SLAM MODE FOR ALGAE When the green hits, switch on SLAM (Shock, Level, And Maintain) and PoolLog raises the chlorine target to the appropriate level for your CYA, walks you through the procedure, and resets when you're back to normal. Built for the TFP-style algae recovery the rest of the industry won't talk about. CSI CALCULATION INCLUDED The Calcite Saturation Index tells you whether your water is going to scale (build up calcium deposits) or etch (eat your plaster). PoolLog calculates it from your pH, temperature, calcium hardness, alkalinity, and TDS — and shows it on the dashboard, not buried in a settings screen. EVERYTHING THAT'S IN HERE • Free chlorine, combined chlorine, total chlorine • Bromine sanitizer support (chlorine alternative for spas) • pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid • Salt level with custom ranges per cell manufacturer (Hayward, Pentair, Jandy) • Borates, TDS, water temperature • CSI dashboard tile and history • Chemical addition logging with concentration-aware dosing • Maintenance task tracking — brushing, backwashing, filter cleans, opening/closing • Expense tracking with categories • Beautiful charts for every level • Test reminders that pause when the pool is closed for the season • Imperial / UK imperial / metric units • English, Spanish, and French PREMIUM FEATURES Upgrade to Premium with a monthly or yearly subscription: • Multiple pools (free version supports one) • Data export to CSV for spreadsheets and analysis • iCloud sync across your Apple devices • Test strip scanner (coming soon) • Priority support WHO THIS IS FOR Pool and spa owners who'd rather spend their weekend swimming than queueing at the pool store. New owners who want a smart guide. Experienced owners who already know their CYA from their CSI and want a logger that respects that. Privacy Policy: https://blite.github.io/PoolLog/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://blite.github.io/PoolLog/terms/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Pool Log at 4.8 against Pool Math by TroubleFreePool's 3.6. Pool Log also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium). Pool Math by TroubleFreePool's advantage is ratings volume (287 vs 8) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, 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. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per year and Pool Log sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Pool Log holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool has 287 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool ships an update fortnightly, Pool Log every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Pool Math by TroubleFreePool | Pool Log |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (287 ratings) | 4.8 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 63.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 287 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 4 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 314 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TroubleFreePool | Michael Holloway |
Customer experience
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
Pool Log
Bugs and requests
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
Pool Log
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
- Pool Math Premium Subscription$7.991 Year
Pool Log
- Monthly Plan7 Days trial$0.991 Month
- Annual Plan7 Days trial$7.991 Year
Questions
Is Pool Math by TroubleFreePool free?
Is Pool Log free?
Which has better reviews, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool or Pool Log?
Do Pool Math by TroubleFreePool or Pool Log have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool or Pool Log?
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