# PAL Commander vs Pool Math by TroubleFreePool

The clearest difference is rating: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool at 3.7 against PAL Commander's 1.0. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 48 months) and ratings volume (272 vs 1). PAL Commander's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pool Math by TroubleFreePool sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per year. PAL Commander asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pool Math by TroubleFreePool has 272 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PAL Commander ships an update every 48 months, Pool Math by TroubleFreePool fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PAL Commander | Pool Math by TroubleFreePool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-commander/id734217020/reviews) | **[3.7 (272 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-math-by-troublefreepool/id1228819359/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **272** |
| Positive reviews | — | 63.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 48 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 3 MB | 314 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PAL Lighting](https://appshunter.io/developer/567905333) | [TroubleFreePool](https://appshunter.io/developer/1228819358) |

## What reviewers say

### PAL Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-commander/id734217020)

This app allows you to control your wire PAL swimming pool lights. It provides a 12V A/C supply for multiple light units and offers precise color advancement with a memory function. Manage your pool lighting with ease through its intuitive interface.

**Highlights:** Controls wire PAL swimming pool lights, Provides 12V A/C supply, Supports PAL-Treo or PAL-2000 lights, Precise color advance function, 2 Channel Control (8 outputs), Memory Function

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pool Math by TroubleFreePool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-math-by-troublefreepool/id1228819359)

Easily manage your swimming pool's water chemistry by tracking key levels like chlorine and pH. This app calculates the precise amounts of chemicals needed to maintain clear, algae-free water, offering a cost-effective alternative to pool store advice.

**Highlights:** Chemical level calculators (pH, Chlorine, Alkalinity, etc.), Track pool maintenance tasks, Log chemical additions, Weather condition tracking, Chemical addition effect calculations, Bleach price comparison, Data backup and export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pool Math Premium Subscription | $7.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Excellent for maintaining a clean, balanced pool
- 🔍 Comprehensive tracking of test results and chemical additions
- 🧠 Helpful recommendations for chemical adjustments
- ⚙️ Useful features like SLAM mode and timeline
- 🤖 Automatic weather data logging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with data syncing and backup
- 🤔 Unintuitive interface and navigation
- 💰 Subscription model and lack of one-time purchase
- 🚫 Limited support for non-chlorine sanitizers and spa-specific options
- 🔄 Bugs with chemical addition logging and target value retention

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues and inability to restore purchases
- App crashes and freezes on certain actions
- Incorrect chemical recommendations and calculations
- Disappearing historical data after updates

**Requested features**

- Custom target ranges and alerts
- Ability to log non-standard chemical additions
- Export options for data analysis
- Apple Watch integration
- Improved user guidance and on-boarding


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PAL Commander free?

PAL Commander is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pool Math by TroubleFreePool free?

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PAL Commander or Pool Math by TroubleFreePool?

Pool Math by TroubleFreePool is rated higher. PAL Commander averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Pool Math by TroubleFreePool averages 3.7 from 272 ratings.

### Do PAL Commander or Pool Math by TroubleFreePool have ads?

Neither PAL Commander nor Pool Math by TroubleFreePool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PAL Commander or Pool Math by TroubleFreePool?

PAL Commander ships an update every 48 months, and Pool Math by TroubleFreePool fortnightly. Most recently, PAL Commander was updated on October 9, 2026 and Pool Math by TroubleFreePool on October 7, 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.*