Comparison

Rachio vs Atomi Smart

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Automated watering schedules
  • Remote sprinkler control
  • Water and money saving
  • Weather-based adjustments
  • Smart home integration
  • Mobile app access
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Atomi Smart

Control your home appliances like lighting, plugs, and heaters remotely. Schedule device operation, customize settings, and receive notifications for peace of mind. Manage all your smart devices from anywhere, anytime.

Highlights
  • Remote device control
  • Scheduling and timers
  • Customizable lighting effects
  • Temperature monitoring
  • Real-time notifications
  • Device grouping
Read full description

The free Atomi Smart app brings you the convenience of home automation right at your fingertips. This means you can control your lighting, wall plugs, heaters, ceiling fans, and other home appliances using the same mobile application. No more searching for remotes or switching applications. Set schedules to fit your lifestyle and receive notifications, guaranteeing you peace of mind. Select the days and times that devices turn on or off for specific daily or weekly schedules. Browse through advanced lighting features to create the perfect ambience for any occasion. For heaters and smart fans, control and monitor the temperature for a comfortable environment throughout the year. Manage all your Atomi Smart products from anywhere in the world and at any time, providing instant convenience right away. What Can you do on the Atomi Smart app? - See if the smart device is on or off - Turn the smart device on or off - Set a timer or weekly schedule - Check how much time is left on the timer - Use built-in effects and customize certain features - Turn notifications on or off - Access the online user guide - Name your various devices for easy monitoring - Create “groups” to synchronize devices - …and more! Through countless features and functions, enjoy the benefits of smart home technology: real-time monitoring from anywhere, extra convenience, customization, and luxury. Control your devices the smart way with the Atomi Smart app.

Screenshots

Rachio4 screens
Atomi Smart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Atomi Smart at none against Rachio's 5. Atomi Smart also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). Rachio's advantage is review sentiment (58% vs 24%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Rachio against 4.8 for Atomi Smart. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rachio has 159K ratings behind it against 20K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Rachio's written reviews are positive against 24% of Atomi Smart's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, Atomi Smart every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Rachio versus Atomi Smart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRachioAtomi Smart
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (159K ratings) — better4.8 (20K ratings)
Positive reviews58.5% of reviews — better23.8% of reviews
Number of ratings159K — better20K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size163 MB198 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRACHIO, INC.Atomi Inc

Customer experience

Rachio

All ratings158,275 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral1.0%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews479 reviews
Positive58.5%
Neutral9.8%
Negative31.7%

Atomi Smart

All ratings19,777 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral2.7%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews143 reviews
Positive23.8%
Neutral16.8%
Negative59.4%

User reviews

Rachio

From 159K App Store ratings

What 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

Atomi Smart

From 20K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy setup
  • 🚀 Customizable lighting options
  • 🚀 Integrates with smart home devices
  • 👍 Durable construction
  • 👍 Attractive design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance
  • 🐛 Buggy app
  • 🔋 Power outage causes problems
  • 👎 Limited customization options

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

Atomi Smart

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Lights randomly disconnect from Wi-Fi
  • Schedules not working as expected
  • App crashes or becomes unresponsive
  • Temperature reading inaccuracies

Requested features

4 requests
  • More customizable color and scene options
  • Ability to control all lights simultaneously
  • Integration with Siri/HomeKit
  • Improved app interface and stability

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Rachio

One-time5
  • Tempest Integration$29.99
  • AirLink Integration$29.99
  • Heat Wave Boost$29.99
Show 2 more
  • Wire Status$29.99
  • Valve & Heat Monitoring Bundle$49.99
None

Atomi Smart

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Rachio free?
Rachio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Atomi Smart free?
Atomi Smart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Rachio or Atomi Smart?
Rachio is rated higher. Rachio averages 4.9 out of 5 from 159K ratings, while Atomi Smart averages 4.8 from 20K ratings.
Do Rachio or Atomi Smart have ads?
Rachio shows ads; Atomi Smart does not.
Which is updated more often, Rachio or Atomi Smart?
Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, and Atomi Smart every 3 months. Most recently, Rachio was updated on November 7, 2026 and Atomi Smart on November 5, 2026.

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