Comparison

Emerald vs Aussie Start

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

Head to head
About

Emerald

Monitor and control your home's energy usage, climate, and safety devices. Track electricity consumption in real-time, set budgets, and receive alerts for emergencies. Turn your air-con into a smart device for remote climate control.

Highlights
  • Real-time electricity usage tracking
  • Electricity budgeting
  • Smart air-con control
  • Remote climate adjustment
  • Smoke alarm monitoring
  • Emergency notifications
Features
Read full description

The Emerald app is a complete solution to creating a smart, sustainable and safe home. Use the Electricity Advisor to keep track of your home’s electricity usage in real-time, create an electricity budget to stay on top of your bills and protect your loved ones and your home from fire with the SafeLink along with other great products! AC LINK Turn your air-con into a smart air-con with Emerald AC Link. Whether you’re at work, on vacation or enjoying a walk, easily control the climate of your home with AC Link and the Emerald app. Access the complete functionality of your air-con via your smartphone. - Adjust mode and fan settings - Set schedules and timers ELECTRICITY ADVISOR The Emerald app works in conjunction with the Electricity Advisor to track your energy consumption via your Smart Meter. Once the Electricity Advisor is installed, you will be able to monitor your energy usage right from your fingertips! - Visually track and measure how energy is being used. - Get Weekly Reports to view and compare your weekly energy usage. - View Energy Savings Tips to help you save on your bills. LIVELINK LiveLink Wi-Fi Gateway works in addition to your Electricity Advisor allowing you to monitor your electricity usage even when you are away from home. Upgrade Bluetooth to Wi-Fi connectivity 24/7 monitoring and visibility React in real-time, even if you’re not home Adjust your habits and save money SAFELINK The SafeLink is a gateway between the Emerald app and your interconnected Emerald smoke alarms, which allows you to view the real-time status of your alarms via your phone. - Protect your family by having full control of your smoke alarms. - Ensure your alarms are working with frequent testing at the touch of a button. - Get notified in case of an emergency. - Full alarm event history. - Link quick-dial contacts in case of a fire. - Humidity and temperature sensors. UPCOMING PRODUCTS We are currently developing a number of Smart Intelligence devices that will assist you in your energy saving journey! Keep an eye out in the coming months for our latest products that will work in conjunction with the Emerald app. https://emeraldhome.com.au/

About

Aussie Start

Features
Read full description

AussieStart is a practical starter guide for new arrivals, students, workers, families, and visitors. It stays on your iPhone or iPad — no account, no feed, no ads. **First week, without the guesswork** - Airport arrival, biosecurity, and getting into the city - Local SIM or eSIM, bank account, TFN, and your state’s transport card - Emergency 000, Medicare GP visits, and OSHC basics for students - Rent, jobs, and driving rules explained in plain language **A First 30 Days roadmap** Home and the journey list filter by who you are (student, worker, family, visitor) and which state you chose. Tick tasks as you go. Everything stays on this device. **Clear guides, official links** Each guide covers why it matters, when to do it, what you need, step-by-step, common mistakes, and FAQs. Tappable .gov.au links open the real government site — AussieStart never logs in for you. The app UI and priority guides are available in top 10 Australian Languages including **English, Mandarin, Punjabi and many more** **AussieStart Pro (optional, one-time)** Unlock later settlement guides: myGov, visa work rights, super, utilities, rental bond, scams, tax, Medicare enrolment, ImmiAccount, Centrelink claims, PPSR, contents insurance, private health waiting periods, OVHC, tolls, car insurance types, ambulance cover, and more. Pro also lets you share or print your First 30 Days list and turn on weekly reminders on this device. Informational only — not legal, migration, financial, or medical advice. Always verify critical steps with official Australian Government sources. AussieStart is not affiliated with the Australian Government.

Screenshots

Emerald4 screens
Aussie Start4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Emerald at none against Aussie Start's 1. Emerald also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Aussie Start's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). On price, ads 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. Aussie Start sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Emerald asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Emerald ships an update monthly, Aussie Start every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Emerald versus Aussie Start: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmeraldAussie Start
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews17.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size110 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEMERALD PLANET ENVIRONMENTAL PTY LTDRHK Solutions PTY LTD

Bugs and requests

Emerald

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • App crashes on startup or when opening specific features
  • Smart Actions stop working after updates
  • Bluetooth connection drops frequently
  • Data not syncing or updating after certain dates
  • Login failures and forced logouts
Show 14 more
  • OTP (One-Time Password) delivery delays
  • Energy consumption data showing incorrect values
  • Heat pump controls showing disconnected when device is connected
  • Livelink setup stuck on 'configuring' screen
  • App crashes when selecting Electricity Adviser
  • Temperature adjustment feature removed after update
  • Smart Actions button unclickable
  • Electricity Advisor won't open or display data
  • App hangs and becomes unresponsive
  • Bluetooth not visible to device despite being paired
  • Data fetching stopped after July 31, 2025
  • Reverse cycle AC controller library missing
  • App loses product data after reinstall
  • iOS 17 compatibility issues

Requested features

19 requests
  • Support for 3-tier and multi-tier tariff structures
  • WiFi connectivity instead of Bluetooth only
  • Advanced smart actions with conditional triggers
  • Ability to set mode (boost/silent) in smart actions
  • Scheduled automation based on water temperature/capacity
Show 14 more
  • API access for third-party integrations
  • Temperature adjustment controls for heat pump
  • Solar panel production monitoring
  • Larger, more readable text and improved UI
  • Per-second or 10-minute granularity reporting
  • Server-side smart action processing
  • Support for free electricity periods (solar sponge plans)
  • Ability to change peak/off-peak times manually
  • Battery replacement notifications
  • Dark mode and improved visual design
  • Monthly power usage tracking in kWh
  • Grid export monitoring for solar users
  • Thermostat temperature scheduling
  • Better graph visualization with clear day delineation

Aussie Start

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Emerald

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Aussie Start

One-time1
  • AussieStart Pro$5.99

Questions

Is Emerald free?
Emerald is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aussie Start free?
Aussie Start is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Emerald or Aussie Start have ads?
Neither Emerald nor Aussie Start shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Emerald or Aussie Start?
Emerald ships an update monthly, and Aussie Start every 2 days. Most recently, Emerald was updated on September 30, 2026 and Aussie Start on September 21, 2026.

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