WaterGuru

What WaterGuru does

WaterGuru is a privately held consumer hardware company headquartered in San Francisco, California, that designs and sells automated pool and spa water chemistry monitoring systems under the SENSE brand. Founded in 2011 (with one source citing 2013) and operating with 51–100 employees, the company targets residential pool and spa owners, lodging and property management firms, pool service companies, and pool builders primarily in the United States. Its flagship SENSE 3 device is an in-skimmer monitor that uses patented optical sensor technology to read proprietary chemistry pads manufactured in the United States, measuring five water chemistry parameters — Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid, and Calcium Hardness — plus pump flow and water temperature. Readings, alerts, and customized chemical dosing advice are delivered through a mobile app, Apple Watch, and Alexa or Siri integrations.

The company's core technology is protected by 12 patents and more than 10 years of R&D, distinguishing it from competitor systems that rely on ORP-based estimation rather than actual ppm measurement. WaterGuru operates a razor-and-blade revenue model: a one-time hardware sale of the SENSE 3 at $399 (or $428 for above-ground pool/spa configurations with required accessories), followed by recurring purchases of proprietary C2+ and C5+ cassettes priced at $69–$76 per 3-pack and replaced monthly or bi-monthly, plus complementary Pool Breeze and Leisure Time pool and spa chemicals sold through its direct e-commerce storefront. Distribution is hybrid: a D2C storefront at waterguru.com for residential buyers and a dedicated B2B portal at b2b.waterguru.com for lodging, property managers, pool service companies, and pool builders. The company claims 50,000+ customers, charges no app subscription fee, and does not ship internationally. It has additionally introduced the TREAT managed-service offering — a 90-day white-glove service bundled with a smart treatment device and ongoing chemical and cassette dependencies — representing an early move into recurring managed services beyond pure hardware sales.

Name

WaterGuru

Legal name

WaterGuru, Inc.

Website

https://www.waterguru.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

WaterGuru designs and sells automated pool and spa water chemistry monitoring systems under the SENSE brand, using patented optical sensors and proprietary chemistry cassettes. The company primarily serves U.S. residential pool owners, with a growing B2B segment serving lodging, property managers, and pool service firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Pool Water Monitoring

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electric Housewares & Fans (3634)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Testing & Chemical Balancing (HSAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equipment Installation & Upgrades (Automation, Covers, Sanitizers) (HSAIALAJ), Pool & Spa Chemicals (Chlorination, pH Control, Algaecides) (CRAJAKAL), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Pool water monitoring
• Smart pool chemistry
• Automated water testing
• Spa chemistry sensors
• Pool maintenance devices

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. SENSE Hardware Device Sales: WaterGuru sells SENSE hardware devices (SENSE 1, SENSE 2, SENSE 3) as one-time purchases. The SENSE 3 is priced at $399 (in-ground pool) with adapters and accessories available separately. There is no mandatory app subscription — the device works without ongoing fees.
2. Cassette and Supplies (Replenishment Supplies): Recurring revenue from proprietary cassette refills (C5+, C2+, and Combo packs at $69–$76 per 3-pack) and accessories (adapters, float rings, mesh bags). Cassettes must be replaced monthly (C5+) or bi-monthly (C2+). The Terms of Service require customers to purchase genuine WaterGuru replenishment supplies, creating a locked recurring consumables revenue stream.
3. Pool and Spa Chemicals: WaterGuru sells pool and spa chemicals (chlorine tablets, liquid chlorine, pH balancers, shock treatments, algaecides, clarifiers, etc.) through its e-commerce storefront, generating additional transaction revenue. Brands include Pool Breeze and Leisure Time.
4. WaterGuru TREAT Introductory Service: WaterGuru offers a TREAT smart device service with a 90-day white-glove service including chemical refills, service visits, and unlimited smart cassettes, followed by optional continued use with required WaterGuru chemicals and cassettes for ongoing operation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WaterGuru designs, sells, and supports the SENSE line of automated pool and spa water chemistry monitors, anchored by the SENSE 3 solar-powered smart monitor that measures Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid, Calcium Hardness, pump flow, and water temperature using a patented optical sensor and proprietary chemistry pads. The company also sells recurring C5+ and C2+ measurement cassettes, the TREAT smart water treatment device with a 90-day white-glove service, and complementary Pool Breeze and Leisure Time pool and spa chemicals through its e-commerce stores.

Product overview

WaterGuru is a smart pool and spa water monitoring company offering the SENSE product line—a family of automated water chemistry monitoring systems. The core offering consists of three generations of smart monitoring devices: SENSE 3 (current flagship, solar-powered), SENSE 2 (battery-powered with Float Ring), and SENSE 1 (original, basic). These devices work with proprietary cassette consumables (C5+, C2+, and Combo packs) that contain chemical test pads for measuring pool water parameters. Accessories include Float Rings for spas/above-ground pools, Skimmer Adapters (Square and Circular) for different pool configurations, and Mesh Bags for sensor protection. WaterGuru also sells complementary pool and spa chemicals (Pool Breeze and Leisure Time brands) through its e-commerce store. All SENSE devices connect to the WaterGuru mobile app and integrate with Alexa, Apple Watch, and Siri for voice-controlled monitoring. The system requires no subscription fees and provides automated daily testing with expert-level treatment advice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SENSE: Smart digital pool water monitoring system that measures pH, Free Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid, Calcium Hardness, pump flow, and water temperature using patented optical technology.
• TREAT

Products and services

• WaterGuru SENSE 3 Solar-powered smart pool and spa water monitoring system that uses patented optical technology to measure Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid, Calcium Hardness, pump flow, and water temperature daily, and sends automated readings plus customized treatment advice to a smartphone app with no subscription fee required.
• WaterGuru SENSE 2 Battery-powered smart pool water tester using patented optical technology to measure Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid, and Calcium Hardness; works with pools, spas, swim spas, endless pools, and infinity pools and includes a Float Ring for hot tubs and above-ground pools.
• WaterGuru SENSE 1 Original digital pool water tester using patented optical technology to measure Free Chlorine and pH only, plus water temperature and flow; does not support hot tubs or spas.
• WaterGuru TREAT Smart water treatment device that automatically measures and dispenses free chlorine and acid to maintain pool water chemistry, offered with a 90-day white-glove service including chemical refills, service visits, and unlimited smart cassettes, followed by optional continued use with required WaterGuru chemicals and cassettes and a 3-year premium warranty.
• WaterGuru C5+ Cassette 3-Pack Replacement cassette for SENSE S2/S3 devices providing 3 months of measurements (32 days per cassette); measures Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid with 10% longer life than standard C5 cassettes and non-averaged measurements.
• WaterGuru C2+ Cassette 3-Pack Replacement cassette for SENSE S2/S3 devices providing 6 months of measurements (64 days per cassette); measures Free Chlorine and pH only with 10% longer life than the standard C2 cassette for extra on-demand readings.
• WaterGuru C2+/C5+ Combo 3-Pack Combination pack containing 2 C2+ cassettes (measuring Free Chlorine and pH only, 64 days each) and 1 C5+ cassette (measuring all five parameters, 32 days), providing 5 months of measurements for alternating between basic and full parameter testing.
• Pool Breeze Pool Chemicals Brand of pool chemicals sold through WaterGuru's chemical store, including pH Decreaser, pH Increaser, Calcium Hardness Increaser, Power 73 Shock Treatment, Stabilizer, Total Alkalinity Increaser, Phosphate Remover, Chlorinating Tablets, Chlorinating Granules, and algaecides.
• Leisure Time Spa Chemicals Brand of hot tub and spa chemicals sold through WaterGuru's spa chemical store, including pH Balance Plus, Jet Clean, Spa Down, Spa Up, Renew Granular, Filter Clean, Defender, Metal Gon, Foam Down, Enzyme, and Cover Care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34% reduction in chemical costs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aiper: Aiper is a competitor in pool monitoring and pool cleaning robotics; WaterGuru explicitly cites Aiper as using ORP-based measurement versus its chemistry-based ppm approach. Both target residential pool owners with smart, app-connected devices and compete directly on accuracy, ease of use, and connected features.
• Crystal Monitor: Crystal Monitor offers automated swimming pool water monitoring equipment. WaterGuru calls it out directly as an ORP-based competitor versus its patented chemistry-based ppm technology, making it a head-to-head technical competitor in the same product category.
• pHin: pHin is a smart, app-connected residential pool and hot tub water monitor that competes directly with WaterGuru SENSE on automated chemistry monitoring, mobile alerts, and chemical dosing recommendations for pool owners.
• Sutro: Sutro is a smart pool and spa water monitoring device that automatically measures water chemistry and sends results to a phone app, comparable to WaterGuru's SENSE product line on functionality, target customer, and pricing.
• Ondilo (ICO): Ondilo ICO is a connected water quality monitor for pools and spas that measures multiple parameters and integrates with pool automation systems, targeting the same residential use case as WaterGuru SENSE though with a European footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Pentair: Pentair is a leading global pool equipment manufacturer with a broad portfolio including automation and monitoring platforms (e.g., IntelliConnect); it is a broader incumbent whose pool automation and chemistry-management offerings compete in the same end market as WaterGuru.
• Hayward Holdings: Hayward is a major pool equipment manufacturer offering automation systems, variable-speed pumps, and water chemistry controls, relevant to WaterGuru because it bundles pool monitoring and automation into a broader pool equipment ecosystem for the same residential customers.
• Fluidra: Fluidra is a global pool and wellness equipment company with a wide portfolio including smart pool controllers, chemical dosing systems, and connected pool devices—making it a broad incumbent competing for the same connected-pool opportunity that WaterGuru targets.
• Zodiac Pool Systems: Zodiac Pool Systems (part of Fluidra) makes robotic cleaners, pumps, filters, and pool automation hardware for residential pools, an incumbent set of pool equipment vendors whose automation products overlap with WaterGuru's smart monitoring use case.

Others

• ChlorKing: ChlorKing specializes in commercial pool chemical automation and dosing systems; while focused on commercial rather than residential pools, it is adjacent in the pool chemistry automation category that WaterGuru's TREAT product line is expanding into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/waterguru-1194271663998439
• Instagraminstagram.com/getwaterguru

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WaterGuru