# Rachio vs Hillsborough CA Mobile App

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hillsborough CA Mobile App at none against Rachio's 5. Hillsborough CA Mobile App also leads on ads (none vs shown). Rachio's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months). 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. Hillsborough CA Mobile App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, Hillsborough CA Mobile App every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rachio | Hillsborough CA Mobile App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (158K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rachio/id864325098/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **158K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 57.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 163 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RACHIO, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864325101) | [Town of Hillsborough, California](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826869146) |

## 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


### Hillsborough CA Mobile App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hillsborough-ca-mobile-app/id6748659708)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rachio free?

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

### Is Hillsborough CA Mobile App free?

Hillsborough CA Mobile App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Rachio or Hillsborough CA Mobile App have ads?

Rachio shows ads; Hillsborough CA Mobile App does not.

### Which is updated more often, Rachio or Hillsborough CA Mobile App?

Rachio ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hillsborough CA Mobile App every 6 months. Most recently, Rachio was updated on October 18, 2026 and Hillsborough CA Mobile App on September 30, 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.*