Drip Strips vs PoolCheck
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Drip Strips
Easily scan and track your water test readings with this official companion app. Visualize your results with graphs, export data, and share findings over any time period. Designed exclusively for a specific brand of water testing strips.
- Scan water test strips
- Save and chart readings
- View test graphs
- Export readings
- Share results
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The official scanner app for Drip Strips water testing strips. Scan, save, and chart your water readings just as easily as taking a photo. View graphs of your tests, export the readings, and share the results from any desired time frame. The Drip Strips scanner is tailor made to support our line of water testing kits, and is not compatible with other brands.
PoolCheck
Easily test your pool or spa water by photographing your test strips. Get clear chemical dosing instructions, including product amounts and order, to maintain optimal water balance. This app offers a private, ad-free experience with optional in-app purchase to remove ads.
- Photograph test strips for automatic reading
- Chemical dose calculator with step-by-step plans
- Calculates gallons from pool dimensions
- Tracks test history and local weather forecasts
- Supports various pool types and finishes
- Private by design, no account required
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PoolCheck is a free pool test strip reader and pool chemical dose calculator for backyard pool and spa owners. Photograph your test strip, confirm the readings, and get a clear dose plan: which products to add, how much, and in what order. No account and no sign-up. The app opens straight to your pool. READ YOUR TEST STRIP • Take a photo of your strip with your iPhone or iPad camera, or pick one from your photo library. PoolCheck lines up each pad with the color chart and suggests a reading for you. • Color matching runs on your phone. Your strip photos are not uploaded. • Each suggestion is marked so you can check it against the chart on the bottle. Low-confidence pads are flagged or left blank rather than guessed. • Prefer a drop kit? Type your numbers in by hand. EVERY READING THAT MATTERS • Free chlorine (FC) and total chlorine (TC) • pH • Total alkalinity (TA) • Calcium hardness (CH) • Cyanuric acid (CYA / stabilizer) • Bromine for bromine pools and spas A POOL DOSE CALCULATOR THAT SHOWS ITS WORK • A step-by-step plan for your gallons: product, amount, and an everyday measure such as "about 1½ 5 lb bags". • Adds are listed in a safe order: alkalinity, then pH, then sanitizer or shock, then stabilizer, then hardness. • Retest timing for each step, and a confirm screen so you check every number before you pour. • Your free chlorine target is set from your CYA level, not a one-size 1–3 ppm range. • Combined chlorine (TC − FC) is calculated, and PoolCheck suggests a shock toward breakpoint when it is 0.5 ppm or higher. • At-a-glance status for pH, alkalinity, hardness, chlorine and CYA, each marked low, high or OK. BUILT FOR YOUR POOL • Chlorine, saltwater (chlorine generator), bromine and spa. • Vinyl, plaster and fiberglass finishes. • Know your gallons? Type them in. Don't? The pool volume calculator estimates gallons from shape (rectangle, oval, round or kidney), length, width and average depth. • Pick the chemical brand on your shelf. Doses use popular pool-chemical brands or generic store products. • Optional shop links help you find a product online. HISTORY, WEATHER AND HELP • Every completed test is saved with the date on your device. Tap one to reopen it, or swipe to delete it. • Add your ZIP code for a short local forecast and a heads-up to retest after heavy rain. • A built-in Help & FAQ explains strip reading, CYA and chlorine, combined chlorine, and pool volume. • Send feedback straight from the app. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No account, no password and no cloud profile. Settings, history and purchases stay on your device. • Strip photos are read on your phone and never uploaded. FREE, WITH AN OPTIONAL UPGRADE PoolCheck is free to download and use, and supported by ads on the results screen. A one-time $4.99 in-app purchase removes ads. It is not a subscription. Already bought it? Your purchase is restored automatically from the App Store on this device. WHO IT'S FOR Homeowners who test their own pool or hot tub with strips or a drop kit and want a quick, clear answer to "what do I add?" It's also a handy second check for anyone who looks after a pool. IMPORTANT PoolCheck is a reading and planning aid. Test strips are approximate, so confirm big changes with a drop test kit or your pool store. Add one chemical at a time, never mix chemicals, and always follow the product label. As an Amazon Associate, PoolCheck earns from qualifying purchases made through shop links. Questions or ideas? Use Send feedback in the app. We read every message.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PoolCheck at 5.0 against Drip Strips's 4.2. PoolCheck also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Drip Strips's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and iOS requirement 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. PoolCheck sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Drip Strips asks for nothing beyond the download.
PoolCheck holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively.
Drip Strips ships an update every 2 months, PoolCheck fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Drip Strips | PoolCheck |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (5 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Apt Goods LLC | Christopher Daniels |
Customer experience
Drip Strips
PoolCheck
In-app purchases
Drip Strips
No in-app purchases
PoolCheck
- Remove Ads$2.99
Questions
Is Drip Strips free?
Is PoolCheck free?
Which has better reviews, Drip Strips or PoolCheck?
Do Drip Strips or PoolCheck have ads?
Which is updated more often, Drip Strips or PoolCheck?
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