# Rachio vs Twinkly

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.

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. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rachio | Twinkly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (159K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rachio/id864325098/reviews)** | [4.6 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twinkly/id1132187056/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **159K** | 48K |
| Positive reviews | **57.4% of reviews** | 38.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 163 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RACHIO, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864325101) | [Twinkly srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1132187055) |

## 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


### Twinkly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twinkly/id1132187056)

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.

**Highlights:** Personalize lighting effects, Smart design, Intuitive use, Wi-Fi connectivity, Customizable Christmas lights

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Amazing lights
- 🎨 Customizable colors and effects
- 🎄 Great for holiday decorations
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🤩 Wow factor

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🔌 Connectivity issues
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience
- 🕰️ Unstable firmware updates
- 💸 Expensive for the issues

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rachio free?

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

### Is Twinkly free?

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

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

Rachio is rated higher. Rachio averages 4.9 out of 5 from 159K ratings, while Twinkly averages 4.6 from 48K ratings.

### Do Rachio or Twinkly have ads?

Rachio shows ads; Twinkly does not.

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

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, and Twinkly fortnightly. Most recently, Rachio was updated on October 29, 2026 and Twinkly on October 29, 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.*