Rachio vs Twinkly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Rachio
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.
- Automated watering schedules
- Remote sprinkler control
- Water and money saving
- Weather-based adjustments
- Smart home integration
- Mobile app access
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The Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller changes the way you water. It makes running your sprinklers easy and convenient while saving you water and money. Rachio automatically creates a watering schedule that lowers your water bill and ensures the beautiful yard you want, while the mobile app gives you access to your sprinkler system from anywhere. Plus, Rachio is compatible with nearly any sized yard and smart home platform. This is the companion app to the industry-leading Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller.
Twinkly
Control and personalize smart light decorations for an enhanced festive experience. Easily connect via Wi-Fi to create custom lighting effects for your tree and home.
- Personalize lighting effects
- Smart design
- Intuitive use
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Customizable Christmas lights
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The companion app for Twinkly, the smart light decoration system to make your Christmas unforgettable. It is the evolution of the classic Christmas lights and a true innovation in how you light up your tree. It features a smart design that gives you the ability to personalize your lighting effects for an even greater experience. Designed for intuitive use, just connect over Wi-Fi and you will be playing with your lights in a matter of seconds.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Twinkly at none against Rachio's 5. Twinkly also leads on ads (none vs shown). Rachio's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 38%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Rachio sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Twinkly asks for nothing beyond the download.
Rachio holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 159K and 48K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Rachio's written reviews are positive against 38% of Twinkly's.
Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, Twinkly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rachio | Twinkly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (159K ratings) — better | 4.6 (48K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 57.4% of reviews — better | 38.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 159K — better | 48K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 163 MB | 194 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RACHIO, INC. | Twinkly srl |
Customer experience
Rachio
Twinkly
User reviews
Rachio
From 159K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 🌱 Saves water and money
- 🌳 Helps maintain healthy lawn and plants
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 💸 Aggressive upselling
- 🤔 Confusing user interface
- 🌧️ Inaccurate weather-based scheduling
Twinkly
From 48K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Amazing lights
- 🎨 Customizable colors and effects
- 🎄 Great for holiday decorations
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🤩 Wow factor
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🔌 Connectivity issues
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience
- 🕰️ Unstable firmware updates
- 💸 Expensive for the issues
Bugs and requests
Rachio
Reported bugs
4 issues- Zones running at unexpected times
- Schedules not working as programmed
- App crashing during setup and use
- Syncing issues between app and controller
Requested features
4 requests- 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
Twinkly
Reported bugs
6 issues- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Lights disconnecting from WiFi
- Mapping and setup process unreliable
- Preset effects not working as expected
- Playlist and custom effects not saving
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Firmware update process failing
Requested features
6 requests- Multiple timers for on/off schedules
- Ability to edit and save custom effects
- Sync effects across multiple light sets
- Homekit and Alexa integration
- More preset effects and animations
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Improved app layout and usability
In-app purchases
Rachio
- Tempest Integration$29.99
- AirLink Integration$29.99
- Heat Wave Boost$29.99
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- Wire Status$29.99
- Valve & Heat Monitoring Bundle$49.99
Twinkly
No in-app purchases
