Comparison

Pool Log vs Chameleon Lighting

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pool Log

This app provides precise chemical dosing instructions for pools and spas based on your test results. It tracks multiple water bodies, integrates local weather data, and offers advanced features like SLAM mode for algae and CSI calculations. All data is stored locally for privacy.

Highlights
  • Precise chemical dosing instructions
  • Manages multiple pools and spas
  • Weather-aware test result tracking
  • SLAM mode for algae treatment
  • Calcite Saturation Index (CSI) calculation
  • Chemical addition logging
  • Maintenance task tracking
Features
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SKIP THE POOL STORE Stop driving to the pool store for tests that are inconsistent, expensive, and end with someone trying to upsell you chemicals you don't need. PoolLog turns your own test results into precise dosing instructions in seconds — using the same Taylor Technologies and Pool & Hot Tub Alliance formulas the pros rely on. POOLS AND SPAS, ONE APP Manage every body of water from one place. PoolLog handles backyard pools, spas, hot tubs, and rentals — each with its own sanitizer system, surface type, target ranges, and history. Switch between them with a tap. WEATHER-AWARE TRACKING Test results pair with the local weather automatically (no location permission required, just a postal code). Spot the patterns that matter: heatwave chlorine drops, post-rain alkalinity swings, the bather load that always nudges your pH. YOUR DATA. YOUR DEVICE. No account required. Nothing leaves your phone unless you turn on optional iCloud sync — and even then it's only ever between your own Apple devices. Other apps want a login and a cloud account before they'll show you a number. We don't. PREVIEW THE EXACT DOSE Before you add anything, PoolLog shows the precise amount of each chemical you'd need to reach your target — accounting for your pool's volume, current chemistry, and the specific concentration of the product on your shelf. Add the chemical, log the addition, done. GROUNDED IN REAL CHEMISTRY Recommendations come from peer-reviewed industry standards — Taylor Technologies, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, and the same CSI formula commercial operators use to keep plaster pools from etching or scaling. We document every formula in the app's references. SLAM MODE FOR ALGAE When the green hits, switch on SLAM (Shock, Level, And Maintain) and PoolLog raises the chlorine target to the appropriate level for your CYA, walks you through the procedure, and resets when you're back to normal. Built for the TFP-style algae recovery the rest of the industry won't talk about. CSI CALCULATION INCLUDED The Calcite Saturation Index tells you whether your water is going to scale (build up calcium deposits) or etch (eat your plaster). PoolLog calculates it from your pH, temperature, calcium hardness, alkalinity, and TDS — and shows it on the dashboard, not buried in a settings screen. EVERYTHING THAT'S IN HERE • Free chlorine, combined chlorine, total chlorine • Bromine sanitizer support (chlorine alternative for spas) • pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid • Salt level with custom ranges per cell manufacturer (Hayward, Pentair, Jandy) • Borates, TDS, water temperature • CSI dashboard tile and history • Chemical addition logging with concentration-aware dosing • Maintenance task tracking — brushing, backwashing, filter cleans, opening/closing • Expense tracking with categories • Beautiful charts for every level • Test reminders that pause when the pool is closed for the season • Imperial / UK imperial / metric units • English, Spanish, and French PREMIUM FEATURES Upgrade to Premium for $0.99/month or $7.99/year: • Multiple pools (free version supports one) • Data export to CSV for spreadsheets and analysis • iCloud sync across your Apple devices • Test strip scanner (coming soon) • Priority support WHO THIS IS FOR Pool and spa owners who'd rather spend their weekend swimming than queueing at the pool store. New owners who want a smart guide. Experienced owners who already know their CYA from their CSI and want a logger that respects that. Privacy Policy: https://blite.github.io/PoolLog/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://blite.github.io/PoolLog/terms/

About

Chameleon Lighting

Control professional-grade addressable LED lights with pre-designed playlists and simple scheduling. Instantly apply holiday themes or dynamic animations without complex setup. Manage all your lights from a single dashboard.

Highlights
  • Professional playlists for instant light shows
  • Holiday-themed lighting presets
  • Dynamic animations and moods
  • Simple, automated scheduling
  • At-a-glance device status
  • Quick select favorites
  • Total power on/off control
Features
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Bring your home to life with Chameleon Lighting, the control center for your professional-grade addressable LED lights. No coding, no confusing setup, no light-by-light programming — just beautiful light, customized for you. ONE-TAP SHOWS, ALREADY DESIGNED A library of professionally designed playlists, ready to run. Holidays: Christmas, Halloween, Fourth of July, Easter and more, as complete multi-effect shows. Moods and animations: rainbows, ocean waves, firelight, aurora, and simple, elegant accent lighting. Dozens of effects — Fireworks, Twinkle Fade, Bouncing Balls, Meteor, Chase — each matched to a curated color palette. Browse the entire library before you ever create an account. SCHEDULING THAT RUNS ITSELF Add an event and it schedules itself. There is nothing else to set up. Holidays arrive on the right days every year, including the ones that move. Your team's colors run on game nights, following the real schedule. Sunrise and sunset are worked out for you, wherever you live. Choose your on and off times once and every event follows them — or give any single event its own. FAVORITES AND LIVE CONTROL Favorites on the Home screen: one tap puts a look on your lights right now, and turns them on if they were off. Now Playing shows what is running and what is coming up next, with brightness and speed you can move while it plays. Zones: split one controller across the roofline, the porch and the walkway, and send different content to each. Turn everything on or off from the main screen. MAKE IT YOUR OWN Studio: build your own playlists, patterns and color palettes — or start from anything in the library and change it. Quick Color: pick a color and it is on your lights immediately. See exactly how a pattern will lay out across your strip before it gets there. WORKS ON YOUR WI-FI, WITH OR WITHOUT AN ACCOUNT Your controller runs on your own network. Find it, drive it, set its schedules and save its settings straight from the app — no account, no internet connection. When your internet is out, your lights carry on. Everything local stays free, always. BUILT FOR THE WHOLE HOUSE A free Chameleon account keeps your devices, schedules and creations in sync across every phone in the home. Set something up on one, and it is there on all of them. Your lights keep to their schedule whether the app is open or not. Activating a controller adds the cloud half: calendars that keep themselves current, live sports schedules, control from outside the house, and over-the-air firmware updates. One activation covers one controller — a single purchase, not a subscription. Designed to work exclusively with Chameleon Lighting hardware.

Screenshots

Pool Log4 screens
Chameleon Lighting4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chameleon Lighting at none against Pool Log's 2. Chameleon Lighting also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ratings volume, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pool Log sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Chameleon Lighting asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chameleon Lighting holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pool Log ships an update every 2 weeks, Chameleon Lighting every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on August 19, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Pool Log versus Chameleon Lighting: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPool LogChameleon Lighting
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (6 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael HollowayJarrod Brown

Customer experience

Pool Log

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%

Chameleon Lighting

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Pool Log

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Annual Plan7 Days trial$7.991 Year
None

Chameleon Lighting

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pool Log free?
Pool Log is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chameleon Lighting free?
Chameleon Lighting is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Pool Log or Chameleon Lighting?
Chameleon Lighting is rated higher. Pool Log averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Chameleon Lighting averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Pool Log or Chameleon Lighting have ads?
Neither Pool Log nor Chameleon Lighting shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pool Log or Chameleon Lighting?
Pool Log ships an update every 2 weeks, and Chameleon Lighting every 3 days. Most recently, Pool Log was updated on August 19, 2026 and Chameleon Lighting on September 17, 2026.

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