# Rachio vs B

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: B at none against Rachio's 5. B also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Rachio sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. B asks for nothing beyond the download.

Rachio holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 159K and 336K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Rachio's written reviews are positive against 61% of B's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, B every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rachio | B |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (159K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rachio/id864325098/reviews)** | [4.7 (336K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/b-hyve/id1066451939/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 159K | **336K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.5% of reviews | **60.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 163 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RACHIO, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864325101) | [Orbit Irrigation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1066451938) |

## What reviewers say

### Rachio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rachio/id864325098)

This app allows you to control your sprinkler system remotely, creating custom watering schedules. It helps save water and money by optimizing irrigation based on weather and yard needs. Access your system from anywhere for convenient lawn care.

**Highlights:** Automated watering schedules, Remote sprinkler control, Water and money saving, Weather-based adjustments, Smart home integration, Mobile app access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tempest Integration | $29.99 | one-time |
| AirLink Integration | $29.99 | one-time |
| Heat Wave Boost | $29.99 | one-time |
| Wire Status | $29.99 | one-time |
| Valve & Heat Monitoring Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 🌱 Saves water and money
- 🌳 Helps maintain healthy lawn and plants

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 💸 Aggressive upselling
- 🤔 Confusing user interface
- 🌧️ Inaccurate weather-based scheduling

**Reported bugs**

- Zones running at unexpected times
- Schedules not working as programmed
- App crashing during setup and use
- Syncing issues between app and controller

**Requested features**

- Ability to skip multiple upcoming watering cycles
- Customizable notifications for low battery and offline status
- Better integration with smart home platforms like HomeKit
- More granular control over watering schedules and durations


### B

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/b-hyve/id1066451939)

Control and monitor your sprinklers from anywhere with this smart watering app. It uses local weather data and plant information to create optimized watering schedules, saving water and money. You can also set custom programs and utilize an integrated irrigation audit tool.

**Highlights:** Remote sprinkler control, Smart watering schedules, Weather-based adjustments, Custom program settings, Integrated irrigation audit tool, Water conservation features

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use app
- 🌳 Effective smart watering
- 🌍 Remote control from anywhere
- ⏱️ Convenient manual control
- 📊 Detailed watering history

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🌧️ Inaccurate weather data
- 🔍 Unintuitive interface
- 🔀 Inability to control multiple devices together
- 🕰️ Inconsistent watering schedules

**Reported bugs**

- Watering programs not executing as scheduled
- Zones not responding to manual controls
- Connectivity issues causing loss of watering history
- Unexpected changes to programmed watering schedules

**Requested features**

- Ability to pause and resume watering programs
- Integration with smart home platforms (e.g., HomeKit)
- More granular control over watering schedules and zones
- Improved weather forecasting and rain delay functionality
- Global calendar view of all connected devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rachio free?

Rachio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is B free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Rachio or B?

Rachio is rated higher. Rachio averages 4.9 out of 5 from 159K ratings, while B averages 4.7 from 336K ratings.

### Do Rachio or B have ads?

Rachio shows ads; B does not.

### Which is updated more often, Rachio or B?

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, and B every 6 weeks. Most recently, Rachio was updated on November 3, 2026 and B on November 3, 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.*