Show Box vs Pool Time ClearPool Expert™
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Show Box
Easily create custom holiday light shows with pre-programmed functions. Synchronize your lights to music and design unique visual displays with a simple tap.
- Create holiday light shows
- Pre-programmed functions
- Synchronized to music
- Simple tap interface
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Creating your own holiday tree/lights light show is as simple as a tap of your finger. Choose from a selection of following pre-programmed functions that synchronized to Show Box.
Pool Time ClearPool Expert™
This app provides expert water analysis for your swimming pool using test strips or kits. It offers personalized maintenance plans, reminders, and troubleshooting tips to keep your pool clean and swim-ready. You can also add recommended products to a shopping cart for purchase.
- Expert water analysis with test strips or kits
- Personalized pool maintenance plans
- Maintenance reminders
- Water analysis history
- Troubleshooting common pool problems
- Add products to shopping cart
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The Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ Water Testing app helps you keep your pool swim-ready all season long! Features include: • FREE Rapid expert water analysis when - Testing with ClearPool Expert™ 6-Way Test Strips - Testing with any reagent Liquid or DPD test kit - Troubleshooting common water problems • Add products to shopping cart and checkout at Homedepot.com • Easy to read Water Analysis History in graph form • Personalized Pool Plan that calculates seasonal, monthly and weekly product needs • Personalized Maintenance Reminders to help you keep your pool balanced & pristine • Reference information on general Pool Maintenance • Tips on how to treat or prevent Common Problems • Text, Email or Print Treatment Plan and Shopping List PLEASE NOTE: This Pool Time ClearPool™ Expert App is only compatible with the Pool Time™ ClearPool Expert™ Test Strips, which can be purchased at your local Home Depot®. To find your nearest Home Depot®, visit PoolTime.com If you have questions or problems with the app or your water analysis, contact us at 1-800-252-POOL for help.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ at 4.7 against Show Box's 2.7. Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ also leads on review sentiment (42% vs 13%) and ratings volume (5.3K vs 147). Show Box's advantage is iOS requirement (6.0 vs 11.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ has 5.3K ratings behind it against 147, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Show Box's written reviews are positive against 42% of Pool Time ClearPool Expert™'s.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on August 28, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Show Box | Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (147 ratings) | 4.7 (5.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 12.9% of reviews | 42.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 147 | 5.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 8 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 江海 聂 | BioLab, Inc. |
Customer experience
Show Box
Pool Time ClearPool Expert™
User reviews
Show Box
From 147 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎵 Good sound quality and volume
- 📡 WiFi connectivity works when functioning properly
- 🎨 Light synchronization to music is impressive
- ⏱️ Timer function available
- 🎛️ Multiple music streaming options supported
Room to improve
- 🐛 Chronic WiFi connection failures
- 🐛 App crashes and force closes frequently
- 🐛 Pandora login completely broken
- 🐛 iTunes/Apple Music integration non-functional
- 🐛 AirPlay feature doesn't work
Pool Time ClearPool Expert™
From 5.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 🚀 Accurate water testing and recommendations
- 💡 Helpful for pool maintenance
- 🔑 Customized pool profile
- 🔍 Detailed water analysis
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔍 Inaccurate test results and recommendations
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with required account creation
- 🚫 Doesn't work well for smaller pools/spas
- 💸 Expensive chemicals compared to other options
Bugs and requests
Show Box
Reported bugs
13 issues- WiFi connection fails repeatedly despite correct password
- App force closes on launch
- Pandora login authentication broken
- AirPlay functionality non-operational
- iTunes purchased music not accessible
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- Light function reverts to default setting (8) instead of user selection
- iHeartRadio station selection takes excessive time
- App doesn't recognize music library on device
- Compatibility issues with latest iOS versions
- Connection timeout errors between multiple ShowBox units
- Static interference with aux cord connection
- App requires manual reconnection after going out of WiFi range
- Device must be manually turned off/on for app to recognize it
Requested features
11 requests- Spotify integration
- Pandora login fix
- Automatic daily scheduling (turn on/off at specific times)
- Sensitivity adjustment controls
- iTunes search functionality
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Better light-to-music synchronization
- Ability to select individual lights to sync with music
- Offline music playback capability
- One-time WiFi setup (remember credentials permanently)
- Better device recognition (show only owned devices)
Pool Time ClearPool Expert™
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues and inability to create an account
- Troubleshooting feature not working
- Inability to input pool volume on mobile
- Incompatibility with certain devices and OS versions
Requested features
4 requests- Camera feature to automatically read test strips
- Ability to manually enter test results
- More customization options for pool size and type
- Ability to view past test history and recommendations
In-app purchases
Show Box
No in-app purchases
Pool Time ClearPool Expert™
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Show Box free?
Is Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ free?
Which has better reviews, Show Box or Pool Time ClearPool Expert™?
Do Show Box or Pool Time ClearPool Expert™ have ads?
Which is updated more often, Show Box or Pool Time ClearPool Expert™?
Other comparisons
