EcoNet vs PlumBuddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EcoNet
Manage your home's HVAC and water heater systems remotely for optimal comfort and energy efficiency. Track energy usage, set custom schedules, and receive important alerts for maintenance and potential issues.
- Smart HVAC control
- Water heater monitoring
- Energy consumption tracking
- Custom scheduling
- Remote access
- Maintenance alerts
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EcoNet®: Smart Control for Your Home’s Comfort Take complete control of your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. EcoNet provides seamless smart control over your HVAC and water heaters from the Rheem family of brands (Rheem, Ruud, Friedrich, Richmond, Sure Comfort, Russell by Rheem, Durastar). Experience the convenience of managing your home’s climate and hot water needs right from your smartphone. Features: - Smart Control: Easily adjust your heating and cooling settings to maintain the perfect indoor climate. - Smart Monitoring: Monitor and control your water heater’s performance for optimal efficiency and comfort. - Smart Savings: Track your energy consumption and receive tips to improve efficiency and save on utility bills. - Utility Programs: Enroll in utility programs in your area to maximize your savings. - Custom Schedules: Set personalized schedules for your HVAC and water heater to match your lifestyle and maximize energy savings. - Alerts & Notifications: Get real-time alerts and notifications for maintenance reminders, system updates, and potential issues. Quickly share these alerts with your contractor when contact info added at account creation. - Remote Access: Control your home’s systems from anywhere, ensuring comfort and peace of mind whether you’re at home or away. Download EcoNet today and transform the way you manage your home’s comfort and efficiency!
PlumBuddy
Monitor and control your home's water system remotely. Receive real-time alerts for leaks and track water usage to prevent damage and identify issues. Manage multiple properties from a single account.
- Real-time water data monitoring
- Remote water shut-off
- Automatic leak detection
- Customizable alerts (email, SMS, push)
- Multi-property management
- Live water usage tracking
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The PlumBuddy App is the mobile companion to our Ecosystem of Total Plumbing Protection. Get access to real-time data based on intelligent monitoring by our PlumBuddy valves and PlumSense sensors. Whether you're at home or away, the PlumBuddy app provides full visibility and control over your property's water usage. PlumBuddy helps protect your properties from water damage with these key features: - Email, SMS, and push notifications with customizable settings - Turn your water on or off remotely from the app - Automatic water leak location & identification with the PlumAssist sensor. - Live water flow, pressure, temperature, and usage tracking - Insights that help homeowners and plumbers identify hidden problems - Manage multiple properties from one account - PlumBuddy delivers the dependability and features that plumbers want and what you need. Learn more at www.plumbuddy.co.
Screenshots
Verdict
EcoNet and PlumBuddy both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of PlumBuddy's written reviews are positive against 15% of EcoNet's. PlumBuddy also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). EcoNet's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 5). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for EcoNet against 4.4 for PlumBuddy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EcoNet has 14K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 15% of EcoNet's written reviews are positive against 100% of PlumBuddy's.
EcoNet ships an update every 6 weeks, PlumBuddy every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.
| Parameter | EcoNet | PlumBuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (14K ratings) — better | 4.4 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 15.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rheem Manufacturing Company | PlumBuddy Inc |
Customer experience
EcoNet
PlumBuddy
Bugs and requests
EcoNet
Reported bugs
5 issues- Frequent disconnections from Wi-Fi
- Vacation mode not functioning properly
- Schedules not being followed consistently
- Temperature and mode settings not sticking
- Incorrect time zone and date information
Requested features
5 requests- Actual water temperature display
- Customizable scheduling options
- Geofencing with multiple users
- Integration with other smart home platforms
- More detailed energy usage reporting
PlumBuddy
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
EcoNet
No in-app purchases
PlumBuddy
No in-app purchases
