# Hayward Poolwatch vs Orb.net

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Orb.net at 64% against Hayward Poolwatch's 20%. Orb.net also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Hayward Poolwatch's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Orb.net holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orb.net has 35 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Hayward Poolwatch's written reviews are positive against 64% of Orb.net's.

Hayward Poolwatch ships an update every 3 months, Orb.net every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hayward Poolwatch | Orb.net |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hayward-poolwatch/id1229111016/reviews) | **[4.6 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbnet/id6477840170/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | 19.5% of reviews | **64.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 59 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hayward](https://appshunter.io/developer/827614021) | [Orb Forge Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730784564) |

## What reviewers say

### Hayward Poolwatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hayward-poolwatch/id1229111016)

Monitor your pool's pH, ORP, and water temperature in real-time. Remotely adjust filtration, water treatment, and lighting settings. Control external devices like heat pumps via auxiliary relays.

**Highlights:** Real-time pool monitoring, pH level tracking, ORP level tracking, Water temperature monitoring, Remote filtration adjustment, Remote water treatment control, Remote lighting control, External device control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Orb.net

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbnet/id6477840170)

This free platform continuously measures your internet connection's responsiveness, reliability, and speed. It provides easy-to-understand scores and detailed technical information for users who want to understand their true internet experience.

**Highlights:** Measures internet responsiveness, Measures internet reliability, Measures internet speed, Continuous lightweight tests, Easy-to-understand scores, Technical details for advanced users

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good network insights
- 💡 Helpful for working from home

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't run in the background
- 🐛 Inaccurate speed test results
- 🐛 High system overhead

**Reported bugs**

- Console opens on desktop every time
- Slow performance

**Requested features**

- Apple TV app
- PlayStation app
- Background mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hayward Poolwatch free?

Hayward Poolwatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Orb.net free?

Orb.net is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hayward Poolwatch or Orb.net?

Orb.net is rated higher. Hayward Poolwatch averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Orb.net averages 4.6 from 35 ratings.

### Do Hayward Poolwatch or Orb.net have ads?

Neither Hayward Poolwatch nor Orb.net shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hayward Poolwatch or Orb.net?

Hayward Poolwatch ships an update every 3 months, and Orb.net every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hayward Poolwatch was updated on October 18, 2026 and Orb.net on October 22, 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.*