PoolCalc vs Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PoolCalc
This utility calculates the scaling potential of pool water using the Langelier Saturation Index. It allows users to save and edit readings, locations, and add notes. A paid upgrade offers advanced features for pool professionals.
- Langelier Saturation Index calculation
- Save and edit readings
- Save and edit locations
- Add notes to readings
- Quick add readings to locations
- Paid upgrade for multiple location routes
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This calculator helps you determine the scaling potential of your pool water by using the Langelier Saturation Index. Save and edit readings. Save and edit locations. Add notes to each reading. Quick add button. Add readings to locations with a single tap. If you are a pool professional then with a paid upgrade you will be able to save multiple locations for your pool route. I want to make this app something that you will use and see a benefit from. If there is something that you wish to see added please use the feedback form in the app and let me know!
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
Easily manage your swimming pool's water chemistry by tracking key levels like chlorine and pH. This app calculates the precise amounts of chemicals needed to maintain clear, algae-free water, offering a cost-effective alternative to pool store advice.
- Chemical level calculators (pH, Chlorine, Alkalinity, etc.)
- Track pool maintenance tasks
- Log chemical additions
- Weather condition tracking
- Chemical addition effect calculations
- Bleach price comparison
- Data backup and export
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PoolMath makes swimming pool care, maintenance and management easy by tracking chlorine, pH, alkalinity and other levels to help calculate how much salt, bleach and other chemicals to add. Keep swimming in your TroubleFreePool with Pool Math. Crystal clear algae free pool water is what Trouble Free Pool Math is committed to. Pool Math performs all the calculations you need to keep your chlorine, pH, calcium, alkalinity, and stabilizer levels balanced. Why choose Pool Math over the others? Other apps claim to make testing easy by using test strips and your phone's camera. Unfortunately, this is simply too good to be true. Test strips are notoriously inaccurate and end up costing you much more money in both chemicals and the tests themselves in the long run. Trouble Free Pool believes using a proper test kit is much easier, effective, and economical in the long run. By following these calculations the pool owner achieves and maintains crystal clear water without reliance on the often unproductive advice and unneeded expense from pool stores. Pool Math's great features include: • Calculators for pH, Free Chlorine, Calcium Hardness, Salt, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, Borates, CSI • Track Maintenance: Backwashing, Vacuuming, Filter Cleaning, Filter Pressure, SWG Cell %, Flow Rate • Track Chemical Additions • Track Weather conditions with your logs • Calculate the Effects of Adding chemicals to your pool • Bleach Price Calculator - Find the best deals on bleach easily • Summary page to see an overview of test results and chemical additions • Data backup / Export Premium Subscribers get access to these additional features: • Unlimited Test Log History Storage • Maintenance Reminders • Cloud Sync/Backup • Sync across multiple devices • Unlimited Pool / Spa Configurations • Test Log CSV Import / Export Pool Math Premium Subscription details: • Auto-renewable subscription • 1 year for $7.99 USD • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew (at the duration of 1 year) unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Current subscription may not be cancelled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use: http://poolmathapp.com/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool at 63% against PoolCalc's 17%. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool also leads on rating (3.7 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (272 vs 1). PoolCalc's advantage is iOS requirement (7.1 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. PoolCalc sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Pool Math by TroubleFreePool sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool has 272 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of PoolCalc's written reviews are positive against 63% of Pool Math by TroubleFreePool's.
PoolCalc ships an update every 2 months, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PoolCalc | Pool Math by TroubleFreePool |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 3.7 (272 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | 63.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 272 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.1 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 314 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bonham Customs | TroubleFreePool |
Customer experience
PoolCalc
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
Bugs and requests
PoolCalc
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
Reported bugs
4 issues- Subscription issues and inability to restore purchases
- App crashes and freezes on certain actions
- Incorrect chemical recommendations and calculations
- Disappearing historical data after updates
Requested features
5 requests- Custom target ranges and alerts
- Ability to log non-standard chemical additions
- Export options for data analysis
- Apple Watch integration
- Improved user guidance and on-boarding
In-app purchases
PoolCalc
- Pool Professional Upgrade$2.99
Pool Math by TroubleFreePool
- Pool Math Premium Subscription$7.991 Year
Questions
Is PoolCalc free?
Is Pool Math by TroubleFreePool free?
Which has better reviews, PoolCalc or Pool Math by TroubleFreePool?
Do PoolCalc or Pool Math by TroubleFreePool have ads?
Which is updated more often, PoolCalc or Pool Math by TroubleFreePool?
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