# Rachio vs HomeAware ™

Rachio and HomeAware ™ both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of HomeAware ™'s written reviews are positive against 57% of Rachio's. HomeAware ™ also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). Rachio's advantage is ratings volume (159K vs 20). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Rachio against 5.0 for HomeAware ™. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rachio has 159K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Rachio's written reviews are positive against 100% of HomeAware ™'s.

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, HomeAware ™ fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rachio | HomeAware ™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (159K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rachio/id864325098/reviews) | **[5.0 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homeaware/id6480478470/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **159K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 57.4% of reviews | **100.0% 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 | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RACHIO, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864325101) | [Ubiety Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476753188) |

## 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


### HomeAware ™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homeaware/id6480478470)

This app provides real-time awareness of family members' arrivals and departures without constant monitoring or camera feeds. It offers personalized notifications for peace of mind, ensuring loved ones arrive safely. Designed with privacy in mind, it fosters connection without intrusion.

**Highlights:** Real-time family awareness, Personalized arrival/departure notifications, Privacy-respecting design, No camera feed required, Seamless integration into family life

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rachio free?

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

### Is HomeAware ™ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Rachio or HomeAware ™?

HomeAware ™ is rated higher. Rachio averages 4.9 out of 5 from 159K ratings, while HomeAware ™ averages 5.0 from 20 ratings.

### Do Rachio or HomeAware ™ have ads?

Rachio shows ads; HomeAware ™ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Rachio or HomeAware ™?

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, and HomeAware ™ fortnightly. Most recently, Rachio was updated on October 21, 2026 and HomeAware ™ on October 5, 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.*