# RainMachine vs Amcrest Cloud

The clearest difference is rating: Amcrest Cloud at 4.2 against RainMachine's 1.8. Amcrest Cloud also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (6K vs 617). RainMachine's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RainMachine sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. Amcrest Cloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

Amcrest Cloud holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Amcrest Cloud has 6K ratings behind it against 617, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of RainMachine's written reviews are positive against 20% of Amcrest Cloud's.

RainMachine ships an update monthly, Amcrest Cloud every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RainMachine | Amcrest Cloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (617 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rainmachine/id647589286/reviews) | **[4.2 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amcrest-cloud/id992489382/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 617 | **6K** |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews | **20.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 33 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RainMachine](https://appshunter.io/developer/647589469) | [Amcrest](https://appshunter.io/developer/930807300) |

## What reviewers say

### RainMachine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rainmachine/id647589286)

Control your smart sprinkler system from your iPhone or iPad. Dynamically adjust watering schedules based on local weather data to save water and maintain a healthy garden. Manage zones, set restrictions, and snooze or pause watering remotely.

**Highlights:** Cloud independent smart sprinkler control, Dynamic weather-based watering schedules, Remote access and control, Water saving technology, Zone and program management, Snooze and pause watering

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RainMachine Premium | $29.99 | per year |


### Amcrest Cloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amcrest-cloud/id992489382)

This AI-powered cloud service provides advanced video monitoring for IP cameras. It offers cloud storage, motion detection alerts, and sophisticated object detection for enhanced security.

**Highlights:** AI-powered cloud service, Cloud storage, Motion detection alerts, People, vehicle, animal detection, Camera health checks, 4K model support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great camera
- 👍 Easy to set up
- 🚀 Very high resolution picture
- 🚀 Great performance in the app
- 🚀 No streaming latency

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No video recorded despite motion detection
- 🐛 Cannot connect to WiFi
- 🐛 Will not record to SD card
- 🤔 Confusing app
- 🤔 Cannot add more cameras

**Reported bugs**

- Camera firmware update bricking cameras
- Inability to connect cameras to WiFi
- Cameras disconnecting from cloud
- App login issues
- Inability to change detection zones

**Requested features**

- Multiple saved camera locations
- Ability to view more than 4 hours of recordings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RainMachine free?

RainMachine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Amcrest Cloud free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RainMachine or Amcrest Cloud?

Amcrest Cloud is rated higher. RainMachine averages 1.8 out of 5 from 617 ratings, while Amcrest Cloud averages 4.2 from 6K ratings.

### Do RainMachine or Amcrest Cloud have ads?

Neither RainMachine nor Amcrest Cloud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RainMachine or Amcrest Cloud?

RainMachine ships an update monthly, and Amcrest Cloud every 4 months. Most recently, RainMachine was updated on November 1, 2026 and Amcrest Cloud on November 8, 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.*