# PAL Commander vs AquaChek Connect

The clearest difference is rating: AquaChek Connect at 3.2 against PAL Commander's 1.0. AquaChek Connect also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 48 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 1). PAL Commander's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

AquaChek Connect holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AquaChek Connect has 1.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PAL Commander ships an update every 48 months, AquaChek Connect every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PAL Commander | AquaChek Connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-commander/id734217020/reviews) | **[3.2 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aquachek-connect/id1510985740/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 9.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 48 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PAL Lighting](https://appshunter.io/developer/567905333) | [Hach Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/625107878) |

## 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


### AquaChek Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aquachek-connect/id1510985740)

This app uses photo capture technology to scan test strips and provide personalized pool water treatment recommendations. It offers features like test result history, a water volume calculator, and maintenance reminders to simplify pool care.

**Highlights:** Photo capture test strip scanning, Personalized treatment recommendations, Test result history, Water volume calculator, Maintenance reminders, Email/print test results

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and accurate test
- 💡 Helpful instructions and recommendations
- 🚀 Makes pool maintenance easy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Camera doesn't focus or capture strip properly
- 🐛 Inconsistent and inaccurate readings
- 🐛 App crashes or doesn't work as expected
- 🐛 Requires perfect alignment for photo capture
- 🐛 Manual entry option also doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- Camera doesn't work on newer iPhones
- App crashes when trying to manually enter data
- Keeps prompting for update that doesn't exist
- Deletes user data after updates

**Requested features**

- Add metric unit support
- Improve photo capture functionality
- Provide more granular data entry options
- Bring back previous version's features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PAL Commander free?

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

### Is AquaChek Connect free?

AquaChek Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PAL Commander or AquaChek Connect?

AquaChek Connect is rated higher. PAL Commander averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while AquaChek Connect averages 3.2 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do PAL Commander or AquaChek Connect have ads?

Neither PAL Commander nor AquaChek Connect shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PAL Commander or AquaChek Connect?

PAL Commander ships an update every 48 months, and AquaChek Connect every 2 months. Most recently, PAL Commander was updated on October 16, 2026 and AquaChek Connect on October 21, 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.*