# Rachio vs Ember

The clearest difference is rating: Rachio at 4.9 against Ember's 3.3. Rachio also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 18%) and ratings volume (158K vs 7.5K). Ember's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Rachio holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rachio has 158K ratings behind it against 7.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Rachio's written reviews are positive against 18% of Ember's.

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, Ember every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rachio | Ember |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (158K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rachio/id864325098/reviews)** | [3.3 (7.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-temperature-control/id1147470931/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **158K** | 7.5K |
| Positive reviews | **57.4% of reviews** | 17.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 163 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RACHIO, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864325101) | [Ember Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063861447) |

## 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


### Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-temperature-control/id1147470931)

This app allows you to precisely control the temperature of your hot beverages using a smart mug. Customize presets, receive notifications when your drink reaches the perfect temperature, and explore recipes. Personalize your mug settings for an enhanced drinking experience.

**Highlights:** Precise temperature control, Save temperature presets, Beverage recipes and blogs, Customizable notifications, Manage multiple mugs, Personalize mug settings

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Keeps drink at perfect temperature
- 🍵 Great for tea and coffee drinkers
- 🎨 Customizable LED light colors
- 🔋 Decent battery life when used properly
- 🤖 Apple Watch app integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔌 Requires frequent charging and docking
- 🔒 Forced account creation and login
- 🔄 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent issues
- 🤔 Confusing app UI and controls

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently logs users out
- Mug disconnects from app randomly
- Firmware update process often fails
- App doesn't always detect liquid in mug
- Presets and settings get lost after updates

**Requested features**

- Battery level indicator on main screen
- Improved Apple Watch app functionality
- Wireless charging option
- Ability to lock temperature settings
- Automatic temperature adjustment based on volume


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rachio free?

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

### Is Ember free?

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

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

Rachio is rated higher. Rachio averages 4.9 out of 5 from 158K ratings, while Ember averages 3.3 from 7.5K ratings.

### Do Rachio or Ember have ads?

Rachio shows ads; Ember does not.

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

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ember every 2 months. Most recently, Rachio was updated on October 19, 2026 and Ember on October 18, 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.*