Comparison

Powerpal vs Holman Home

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

Head to head
About

Powerpal

Monitor your home's real-time energy consumption and track historical usage. Set monthly spending targets, receive alerts, and get tips to optimize energy use and save money. Integrates with time-of-use tariffs for further savings.

Highlights
  • Real-time power usage display
  • Historical energy consumption tracking
  • Monthly spend target setting
  • On-target and off-track alerts
  • Energy-saving tips
  • Time-of-use tariff integration
Features
Read full description

Wouldn’t it be great to know how much it costs to run your air conditioning? Or the heater? Or the lights the kids are constantly leaving on upstairs? With Powerpal you can see how your energy use changes when you turn on and off your home appliances, so you can take control of how you want to use energy in your home. The Powerpal app reveals your power usage in real-time and keeps track of your history, helping you to make better decisions about the way you use energy. With Powerpal you can set a monthly spend target and see how you’re tracking in real time. You’ll receive alerts to tell you if you’re on target, and get some tips to get back on track if you’re not. By combining Powerpal with a time of use tariff you could access cheaper energy during off-peak times. Simple changes like running your dishwasher after 10pm can add up to big savings on your bill. For information about how to order your Powerpal in Australia visit https://www.powerpal.net

About

Holman Home

Control your garden watering and lighting systems remotely from anywhere in the world. Schedule watering, adjust settings, and monitor weather conditions with smart sensors for optimal garden care. Easy DIY installation for a connected outdoor space.

Highlights
  • Remote garden product control
  • Schedule watering cycles
  • Manual zone control
  • Smart sensor integration
  • Garden lighting scene customization
  • Weather monitoring and data graphs
Features
Read full description

With the Holman Home app you can use your smartphone to control all the programming and interface functions of a continually increasing range of Holman and K-Rain garden products via a permanent internet (and Wi-Fi) connection, you can then control the device remotely from anywhere in the world (using mobile data or Wi-Fi). These products are designed for easy DIY installation. You can control the following products with the Holman Home app: 1 | GARDEN WATERING • WX8 Irrigation Controller – 8 Zones • WX1 Tap Timer – 1 Zone • WX2 Tap Timer – 2 Zones • K-Rain KRX6 - 6 Zones • K-Rain KRX8 - 8 Zones • K-Rain K Connect Tap Timer (Bluetooth only - can only connect to tap timer when within Bluetooth range) • K-Rain K Connect Tap Timer connected to K-Rain K Connect Wi-Fi Hub Features • You have remote control access to your device to change any setting at any time via the app (excluding K Connect Tap Timer - Bluetooth only) • Schedule three Starts to run on the days of your choice (KRX8 has four Starts and K Connect Tap Timer has eight Starts) • Manually run any zone or Start from anywhere in the world (excluding K Connect Tap Timer - Bluetooth only) • Set your run time in hours and minutes • WX8s with the Holman Rain Sensor “Evie” or other third party rain sensors are able to automatically disable watering during wet weather • WX1s and WX2s with Moisture Sensors are able to automatically disable watering when the soil moisture is above the set threshold • KRX6s and KRX8s with a third party sensor is able disable watering using Scene Automations • It is easy to share your device with other family members or users 2 | Garden Lighting • RGB Garden Light • WW (Warm White) Garden Light Features • Easy 2-Pin (WW) or 4-Pin (RGB) Plug + Socket System. No Electrician required • Scene automations and custom scene options allow you to light up your garden, however you want 3 | WEATHER MONITORING • Helios Weather Station Features • Compatible with other Holman Home products • Accurate weather readings for your property • Includes 10” Indoor LCD Display Panel • Daily, Weekly and Monthly graphs of key weather data

Screenshots

Powerpal4 screens
Holman Home4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Powerpal at 70% against Holman Home's 27%. Powerpal also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). Holman Home's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Powerpal holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Powerpal has 24 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Powerpal's written reviews are positive against 27% of Holman Home's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Powerpal ships an update every 3 weeks, Holman Home every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Powerpal versus Holman Home: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPowerpalHolman Home
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (24 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews69.9% of reviews — better27.1% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB205 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAmber Electric Pty LtdBookleaf PTY Ltd

Customer experience

Powerpal

All ratings24 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews143 reviews
Positive69.9%
Neutral11.9%
Negative18.2%

Holman Home

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews70 reviews
Positive27.1%
Neutral17.1%
Negative55.7%

User reviews

Powerpal

From 24 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📊 Real-time power consumption monitoring
  • 💰 Helps users reduce electricity bills
  • 🎨 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
  • 📈 Multiple graph and visualization formats
  • 🔧 Simple installation process

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Pairing failures with error 403
  • 📱 Portrait mode only - no landscape support
  • 🔋 Battery dies after 2-3 years without replacement option
  • 📡 Limited Bluetooth range and connectivity issues
  • ⚙️ Rigid tariff configuration options

Holman Home

From 1 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to set up
  • 👍 Works well for basic functions
  • 👍 Reliable hardware (sometimes)
  • 👍 Good for remote watering
  • 👍 User-friendly app (sometimes)

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Extremely unreliable
  • 🐛 Buggy and clunky UI
  • 🐛 Frequent data loss/dropout
  • 🐛 Settings do not save
  • 🐛 Automation doesn't work

Bugs and requests

Powerpal

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Error 403 pairing failures on iOS and Android
  • App crashes when entering pairing code
  • Forced update screen with no skip/cancel option
  • Update failures preventing app launch
  • Bluetooth disconnections even when device is nearby
Show 10 more
  • Inconsistent readings between paired devices
  • LED sensitivity issues after firmware updates
  • Remote connection setting being ignored
  • Data disappearing after app updates
  • App not registering zero usage when devices are off
  • Poor Bluetooth signal strength (30% max)
  • Navigation loop restricted to sequential movement
  • Missing readings and data gaps
  • Slow response time to power changes
  • Graph display showing incorrect zero values

Requested features

18 requests
  • Landscape mode support for tablets/iPads
  • Custom tariff time configuration
  • WiFi connectivity for remote monitoring
  • Support for multiple tariff rates (EV plans, super off-peak)
  • Solar export/feed-in tracking and monitoring
Show 13 more
  • API access for smart home integration
  • Home Assistant integration
  • Demand pricing structure support
  • Customizable peak/off-peak time periods
  • Multiple user accounts and sharing
  • Extended data history (beyond 60 days)
  • Date range selection for data downloads
  • Battery replacement option instead of full unit replacement
  • Split-view support for iPad
  • Controlled load monitoring
  • Calendar month matching for bill comparisons
  • Alert notifications for high usage
  • Spreadsheet export functionality

Holman Home

Reported bugs

41 issues
  • Constantly deletes data
  • Requires restart/re-linking
  • Frequent data dropout
  • Rain delay feature does not save
  • Schedule watering does not start
Show 36 more
  • Device/hub goes offline
  • Software UI unresponsive and buggy
  • Cannot view past weather trends accurately
  • Daily totals reset at 9 am, no numerical readout
  • Automation doesn't work, watering doesn't happen
  • Constantly resetting password
  • App deletes all devices
  • Hub never connected
  • Settings do not save
  • Updated app refuses to initiate start times
  • Cannot set location for weather
  • Preset stations wiped after updates
  • Logging out of app
  • WX1 cannot connect to Wi-Fi hub
  • AM setup only, PM times not available
  • Status shows watering when moisture is above limit
  • Changes to schedules not saved
  • Cannot set time for manual watering
  • Next watering time shows as in the past
  • Wi-Fi socket deleted, cannot reconnect
  • Need to reset all the time, especially after power outage
  • Missing activity history
  • Keeps showing network error
  • WX is limited to only three schedules
  • Time settings change randomly
  • Cannot pair with controller after updates
  • App won't open
  • New app not compatible with older iPad
  • Security cameras don't show sprinklers running
  • Hub wouldn't connect to Wi-Fi
  • Location Services not showing app
  • Location shows incorrect distance
  • No HomeKit compatibility
  • Odd/even day interval selection missing
  • False advertising regarding interval watering
  • Previous app not compatible with new hardware

Requested features

22 requests
  • HomeKit support
  • Desktop access/web interface
  • Improved rainfall data visualization (bar chart, cumulative totals)
  • Hourly rainfall totals
  • Cumulative rainfall display
Show 17 more
  • Clearer rainfall totals (since midnight/9 am)
  • Dark mode
  • Apple Watch app integration for weather station
  • More scene options for lighting
  • Automatic sunset/sunrise lighting
  • Interval watering settings
  • Misting function in scenes
  • Notifications for timer start/stop
  • Calendar watering history
  • Activity/event log
  • More than 3 schedules per tap timer
  • Ability to stop scheduled watering after it has started
  • Status showing why watering is skipped (e.g., moisture level)
  • Option to program misting in manual watering mode
  • Face ID/Biometric login
  • Allow PM times for setup
  • Alert for spikes in water usage

In-app purchases

None

Powerpal

No in-app purchases

None

Holman Home

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Powerpal free?
Powerpal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Holman Home free?
Holman Home is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Powerpal or Holman Home?
Powerpal is rated higher. Powerpal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Holman Home averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Powerpal or Holman Home have ads?
Neither Powerpal nor Holman Home shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Powerpal or Holman Home?
Powerpal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Holman Home every 5 months. Most recently, Powerpal was updated on September 23, 2026 and Holman Home on September 24, 2026.

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