# Pool Copilot vs The Barkstead

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Barkstead at none against Pool Copilot's 2. Pool Copilot's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pool Copilot sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. The Barkstead asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Pool Copilot against 5.0 for The Barkstead. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 9 respectively.

Pool Copilot ships an update fortnightly, The Barkstead every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pool Copilot | The Barkstead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-copilot-easy-pool-care/id6741560777/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-barkstead/id6777022327/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 25 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [123CHLOR CORP.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1794703652) | [iTrust Ventures LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1317767149) |

## What reviewers say

### Pool Copilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-copilot-easy-pool-care/id6741560777)

This AI-powered app simplifies pool maintenance year-round. It offers easy water testing, intelligent pump scheduling, maintenance reminders, and chemical inventory tracking to help you keep your pool clean and balanced without guesswork.

**Highlights:** Tap-to-match water testing, AI-powered pump scheduling, Maintenance reminders, Chemical inventory tracking, Log and track pool data, Works with any pool type

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| per month | $2.99 | per month |
| per year | $24.99 | per year |


### The Barkstead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-barkstead/id6777022327)

Manage your pet's care with ease. Schedule appointments, receive real-time updates and photos, communicate directly with staff, and handle payments seamlessly. Experience top-tier pet services.

**Highlights:** Schedule appointments, Receive status updates, View pet pictures, Chat with staff, Contactless payments

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pool Copilot free?

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

### Is The Barkstead free?

The Barkstead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pool Copilot or The Barkstead?

The Barkstead is rated higher. Pool Copilot averages 4.9 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while The Barkstead averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Pool Copilot or The Barkstead have ads?

Neither Pool Copilot nor The Barkstead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pool Copilot or The Barkstead?

Pool Copilot ships an update fortnightly, and The Barkstead every 2 months. Most recently, Pool Copilot was updated on October 23, 2026 and The Barkstead on October 20, 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.*