Comparison

Pool Calc vs Pool Chem Calculator

Pool Chem Calculator packs 24 calculators and a service workspace into one app, and its $1.99 a month plan covers up to 100 pools. It is the cheapest multi-pool option we found. Pool Calc is priced higher for big routes, has no ads on any plan, and builds one ordered plan from a whole test instead of one calculator at a time.

Prices, features and ratings checked on 28 October 2026.
App Store rating as shown on 28 October 2026: 4.4 stars from 41 ratings on the US App Store.

The short answer

Pool Chem Calculator is hard to beat on price for a route. Pool Calc costs more past 5 pools, and in return gives a plan built from the whole test, no ads, a charted log, and a clean PDF report with your logo. Choose on what you'll use every day.

At a glance

From each app's own App Store page and website, checked on 28 October 2026. "Not listed" means we found no mention of it there, not that the feature is missing.
Feature	Pool Calc	Pool Chem Calculator
Free plan	One pool, every feature	One pool
Ads	None	Yes Contains advertising (removed with the subscription)
Price for 100 pools	$9.99/month or $79.99/year (Pro, unlimited)	$1.99/month
Calculators	One plan from a whole test, plus an effects calculator	Yes 24 calculators, including heat time and filter size
Ordered plan with waits between steps	Yes	Not listed
Any brand at any strength	Yes	Yes Choice of chemicals (reviewer)
Saturation index	Yes CSI gauge	Yes Saturation index calculator
Test history and charts	Yes	Not listed in the description
Maintenance calendar and reminders	Yes	Yes
Customers and routes	Yes Plus and Pro	Yes Service workspace with route maps
Invoices and estimates	No	Yes
Employees and live location	No	Yes Technician location while clocked in
Service report	Yes PDF with your logo	Yes Report builder
Chemical cost per client	Yes Plus and Pro	Inventory tracking
Account to sign up for	None	None needed to start
Backup	Yes Free iCloud backup	Yes Cloud backup with the subscription
Platforms	iPhone (iOS 18 or later)	iPhone, iPad (iOS 16.6 or later)

Pricing

Our app

Pool Calc

Free$0Every feature for one pool and its attached spa. No ads.
Plus$1.99 a month, $14.99 a year or $39.99 onceUp to 5 pools plus the pro tools. 1-week free trial on the yearly plan.
Pro$9.99 a month or $79.99 a yearUnlimited pools plus the pro tools. 1-month free trial on the yearly plan.

Prices on the App Store at launch. Pricing is per person, not per pool.

Calculator app with service tools

Pool Chem Calculator

Free$0Tracking for one pool. Contains advertising.
100 Pool Subscription$1.99/monthUp to 100 pools, removes ads, cloud backup.

Free with ads and one in-app purchase.

Prices as listed on 28 October 2026. Source

On price alone, Pool Chem Calculator wins for anyone with more than 5 pools: $1.99 a month for 100. Pool Calc doesn't try to match it. What Pool Calc offers instead is no ads at any level, a dose plan built from the whole test, and a free plan that includes the full log and backup.

One plan instead of many calculators

A list of calculators answers one question at a time. Pool Calc reads the whole test and answers in order: raise this first, then that, wait this long, then retest. Large doses are split, and acid and chlorine are never scheduled back to back. "Mark as added" logs each dose with its cost.

No ads on the free plan

Pool Chem Calculator's listing says it contains advertising, removed by the subscription. Pool Calc has no ads on any plan, including Free.

A report built for the client

On Plus or Pro, Pool Calc's stop screen holds readings, the dose plan, tasks, photos and notes, and Done produces a PDF with your logo that you send by text or email from your own phone. The visit log keeps every stop per pool.

What Pool Chem Calculator Users Complain About

Paraphrased from public reviews. Each one links to where it was posted and gives the month it was written.

An update changed the app. In August 2025, a pool company reviewer said their pool data appeared missing after an update and wrote "Your changes have completely ruined this app" (App Store review, August 2025). Another reviewer that month said the update removed features and added ads (App Store review, August 2025). The developer's replies point to the premium subscription for multiple pools.

Pool Calc approach: no ads on any plan. If a subscription ends, nothing is deleted: the main pool stays fully usable and the others become view and export only.
An account just to try it. A 2019 reviewer said the app required an account before they could try it (App Store review, June 2019). The current listing says no account is needed to start.

Pool Calc approach: no account at any point.

When Pool Chem Calculator is the better choice

You service a lot of pools and the lowest price matters most: $1.99 a month for up to 100.
You want invoices, estimates and employee tracking in a phone app.
You want single-purpose calculators such as heat time and filter size.
You don't mind ads on the free plan.

Questions people ask

Is Pool Chem Calculator free?

It's free for one pool with ads. The App Store listed a $1.99 a month subscription for up to 100 pools on 28 October 2026, which also removes ads.

Which is cheaper for a pool route, Pool Chem Calculator or Pool Calc?

Pool Chem Calculator. Its $1.99 a month covers up to 100 pools. Pool Calc Plus is also $1.99 a month but covers 5 pools, and unlimited pools need Pro at $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year. Compare what each includes for the work you do.

Is there a pool chemical app without ads?

Pool Calc has no ads on any plan, including Free. It is on the App Store at launch.

More comparisons

All comparisons

References

Pool Chem Calculator is a trademark of its respective owner. Pool Calc is not affiliated with it or with Gunter Business Solutions Inc. Information checked on 28 October 2026; prices and features change. Corrections: [email protected]