# VLC Light Stream vs Hydrawise

The clearest difference is rating: Hydrawise at 4.7 against VLC Light Stream's 3.1. Hydrawise also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (66K vs 8). VLC Light Stream's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Hydrawise holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydrawise has 66K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of VLC Light Stream's written reviews are positive against 39% of Hydrawise's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

VLC Light Stream ships an update every 5 months, Hydrawise every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VLC Light Stream | Hydrawise |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-light-stream/id1436506833/reviews) | **[4.7 (66K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydrawise/id1618847331/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **66K** |
| Positive reviews | **40.0% of reviews** | 38.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 33 MB | 141 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Village Lighting](https://appshunter.io/developer/1276283822) | [Hunter Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/710090127) |

## What reviewers say

### VLC Light Stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-light-stream/id1436506833)

Control your holiday lights with custom color themes and patterns. This system allows you to use your existing Christmas light wires by simply swapping out the bulbs and pairing the components.

**Highlights:** Customizable bulb colors, Create color themes, Use with existing wires, Control holiday lighting, Indoor and outdoor use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hydrawise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydrawise/id1618847331)

Optimize your irrigation with intelligent watering schedules based on local weather forecasts. This app helps conserve water while ensuring your landscape stays healthy and vibrant. Manage your irrigation system remotely for ultimate convenience.

**Highlights:** Predictive Watering™, Local weather insights, Water savings optimization, Lush landscape creation, Remote irrigation management

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Improved performance
- 💡 Useful features like weather-based watering
- 🔒 Secure system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 👎 Confusing user interface
- 🔍 Difficult to find/access certain features
- 📉 Lack of important functionality from previous app

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Zones not starting as scheduled
- Incorrect flow rate and water usage data

**Requested features**

- Ability to pause/resume programs
- Customizable watering schedules
- Improved reporting and historical data
- Easier manual zone control


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VLC Light Stream free?

VLC Light Stream is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hydrawise free?

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

### Which has better reviews, VLC Light Stream or Hydrawise?

Hydrawise is rated higher. VLC Light Stream averages 3.1 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Hydrawise averages 4.7 from 66K ratings.

### Do VLC Light Stream or Hydrawise have ads?

Neither VLC Light Stream nor Hydrawise shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VLC Light Stream or Hydrawise?

VLC Light Stream ships an update every 5 months, and Hydrawise every 3 weeks. Most recently, VLC Light Stream was updated on October 14, 2026 and Hydrawise on October 23, 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.*