# Emerald vs Aussie Start

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.

Both are free to download. Aussie Start sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Emerald asks for nothing beyond the download.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Emerald | Aussie Start |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emerald/id1561759351/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 17.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 110 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EMERALD PLANET ENVIRONMENTAL PTY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526454239) | [RHK Solutions PTY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1843541463) |

## What reviewers say

### Emerald

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emerald/id1561759351)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Real-time electricity consumption monitoring
- 💰 Helps identify cost-saving opportunities
- 📊 Basic functionality works for tracking usage
- 🆓 Free or subsidized installation
- ➕ Add household members feature available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📡 Bluetooth connectivity issues and limited range
- 🔌 High battery drain on mobile devices
- ⏱️ Slow data syncing and connection times
- 🔐 Persistent login and authentication problems

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Aussie Start

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aussie-start/id6802947511)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AussieStart Pro | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*