Comparison

PoolVault vs Pool

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

Head to head
About

PoolVault

This app simplifies pool maintenance by using AI to analyze test strips from a photo. It provides a health score, personalized chemical recommendations, and tracks your pool's history and equipment. Manage your pool care effortlessly with smart insights and a maintenance log.

Highlights
  • AI test strip scanning
  • Pool health score
  • Personalized chemical recommendations
  • Chemical inventory tracking
  • Full history and trends
  • Equipment and maintenance logging
  • Troubleshooting wizard
Features
Read full description

Pool Vault takes the guesswork out of pool maintenance. Just snap a photo of your test strip and let AI do the rest -- you'll get a full water analysis, a health score, and step-by-step instructions on exactly what to add and how much. HOW IT WORKS Dip your test strip like you normally would Open Pool Vault and snap a photo Get instant results with a clear health score Follow personalized chemical recommendations That's it. No charts. No math. No squinting at color pads in the sun. WHAT YOU GET AI-Powered Strip Scanning -- Supports AquaChek, HTH, Clorox, Taylor, and Poolmaster strips. The AI reads your strip against brand-specific reference charts for accurate results. Pool Health Score -- One number that tells you how your water is doing, with color-coded breakdowns for pH, chlorine, alkalinity, hardness, and more. Smart Recommendations -- Know exactly which chemicals to add, how much based on your pool size, and how long to wait between treatments. No more overdosing or guessing. Chemical Inventory -- Track what you have on hand so you never run out mid-season. Low stock alerts keep you ahead of the game. Full History & Trends -- See how your water quality changes over time with charts and logged results. Spot problems before they become expensive. Equipment Tracker -- Log your pump, filter, heater, and SWG with model numbers and warranty dates. Everything in one place. Maintenance Log -- Record backwashes, filter cleans, and seasonal tasks. Never wonder "when did I last do that?" Troubleshooting Wizard -- Green water? Cloudy pool? Walk through guided steps to diagnose and fix common problems fast. Shopping List -- AI suggests what you need, and you can tap to buy on Amazon. Weather Integration -- Real-time conditions and UV index so you know how the weather is affecting your water. Works with salt, chlorine, and bromine pools. Inground or above ground. Your data is encrypted and synced across devices. Your pool, your data, always private. BUILT FOR REAL POOL OWNERS We built Pool Vault because we were tired of apps that make pool care more complicated than it needs to be. This one just works. Dip, snap, done. Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you. Terms of Use (EULA): https://poolvault.onrender.com/terms

About

Pool

This app guides users through spa and hot tub water chemistry using a professional-grade test kit methodology. It ensures the correct order of chemical additions, provides precise dose recommendations, and calculates the LSI score for optimal water balance. The app is designed for poolside use with a focus on privacy and safety.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step chemical balancing
  • Precise dose calculations
  • LSI score calculation
  • Chlorine and bromine modes
  • Wet-hand friendly interface
  • Local data storage
  • Safety guardrails
Features
Read full description

Stop guessing. Stop Googling. Pool-Proof walks you step-by-step through a complete spa or hot tub water chemistry session using Taylor K-2006 Platinum test kit methodology — the gold standard used by pool professionals. THE RIGHT ORDER, EVERY TIME Water chemistry is order-dependent. Balancing pH before alkalinity causes instability. Adding chlorine when pH is acidic corrodes equipment. Pool-Proof enforces the correct sequence: Free Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, pH, Calcium Hardness. Every time, without fail. PRECISE DOSE RECOMMENDATIONS Pool-Proof calculates exactly how much of each chemical to add — baking soda, muriatic acid, liquid chlorine, Cal-Hypo shock, dry acid, sodium carbonate (soda ash), calcium increaser, or granular bromine. Every dose follows the 50% Staged Dosing rule: add half the calculated amount, run jets for 45 minutes, then re-test. This prevents chemical bounce and over-treatment. Dose cards show liquid amounts in fl oz and mL, plus granular equivalents in household measures (tsp, tbsp, cup) — so you can use whatever product you have on the shelf. THE LSI SCORE The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is your water balance report card. Pool-Proof calculates it using CYA-corrected alkalinity per Taylor K-2006 methodology. A large color-coded score — from corrosive to scaling — gives you the full picture at a glance. CHLORINE & BROMINE Switch between chlorine and bromine mode from the Setup screen. Bromine mode adjusts all target ranges, skips CYA correction, and uses the correct dosing rates for granular bromine automatically. WET-HAND FRIENDLY Built for poolside use. Giant tap targets. Physical-style +/- drop counters that mirror the real test kit workflow. No tiny keyboard fields. Dark theme for outdoor readability. THE VAULT Save every test session. Review past LSI scores and readings. Spot trends over time. All history is stored privately on your device — no account required, no cloud sync. BUILT-IN SAFETY GUARDRAILS Pool-Proof includes the same safety rules professional techs follow: pH gate — chlorine dosing blocked when pH is below 7.0 Alkalinity guardrail — emergency baking soda forced when effective alkalinity drops dangerously low Acid cap — muriatic acid limited to a safe maximum per treatment cycle TA-first logic — pH corrections deferred until alkalinity is balanced FLEXIBLE FOR ANY SPA Gallons or liters volume input F or C temperature toggle Liquid or granular dose format preference Basic Mode (acrylic or fiberglass spa) or Pro Mode (plaster pool, full LSI and calcium hardness) Chlorine or bromine sanitizer COMPLETELY PRIVATE All data is stored locally on your device. No login. No subscription. No data collection. Nothing ever leaves your phone. Works with the Taylor K-2006 Platinum test kit. Trusted methodology. No guesswork. DISCLAIMER: Pool-Proof is a calculation aid designed to assist with routine residential spa maintenance. It does not replace professional water testing or licensed pool service technicians. Always follow chemical product labels and safety precautions.

Screenshots

PoolVault4 screens
Pool4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pool at none against PoolVault's 1. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. PoolVault sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Pool asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PoolVault against 5.0 for Pool. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
PoolVault versus Pool: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPoolVaultPool
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB3 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCass MieczakowskiBrandon Currie

Customer experience

PoolVault

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pool

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PoolVault

Subscriptions1
  • Pool Vault Premium$4.991 Month
None

Pool

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PoolVault free?
PoolVault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pool free?
Pool is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PoolVault or Pool?
PoolVault and Pool are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do PoolVault or Pool have ads?
Neither PoolVault nor Pool shows ads.

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