Waterllama Alternative: When Water Reminder - DropWise Fits Better

Waterllama at a Glance

According to its App Store listing, Waterllama offers smart reminders, more than 10 challenges, over 50 hydration tips and 140 collectible characters. You can log more than 150 popular beverages and create your own, use the Apple Watch app and widgets for the Home Screen, Lock Screen and Control Center, track calories, and get a daily goal based on weight, activity and weather. It also has charts and monthly recaps, streaks, Apple Health sync, Shortcuts and Siri support, and is localized into 22 languages.

Waterllama is free to download with in-app purchases; the US listing shows purchase options from $0.99 to $19.99 as of November 2, 2026.

Water Reminder - DropWise at a Glance

DropWise tracks water and other drinks on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with an estimated hydration value and calories for each drink type, custom drinks and saved portions. Reminders use your own interval and active hours, including schedules that run past midnight, with adjustable sounds, a 15-minute snooze and quiet hours.

You can log drinks from Apple Watch, use watch face complications, interactive widgets, Live Activities and Dynamic Island, and Siri Shortcuts. Animated mascot companions, streaks, badges and challenges keep it light, and daily, weekly and monthly charts, a history calendar and monthly recaps show your habits. Records can be exported as CSV or PDF. Basic water tracking is free; Premium adds weather-based smart goals, the full drink catalog, custom drinks, history editing, monthly statistics, all mascots, themes and exports; on the US App Store, Premium is $4.99 per month, $9.99 per year or $24.99 lifetime as of November 2, 2026.

Side-by-Side Comparison (as of November 2, 2026)

Based on each app's US App Store listing on that date. Features and prices change, so check the current listings.

• Ratings: Waterllama has 4.9 from more than 164,000 ratings. DropWise is newer, with a 5.0 rating from 7 ratings.
• Awards: Waterllama won a 2022 App Store Award and was a 2022 Apple Design Award finalist.
• Beverages: Waterllama lists 150+ beverages plus custom drinks. DropWise covers common drinks with estimated hydration per type; the full catalog and custom drinks are Premium.
• Characters and games: Waterllama has 140 characters and 10+ challenges. DropWise has animated mascots, badges and challenges.
• Apple Watch: both apps include one. DropWise lists watch face complications.
• Widgets: both apps offer widgets. Waterllama lists Control Center; DropWise lists Live Activities and Dynamic Island.
• Reminders: both apps send reminders. DropWise lists schedules past midnight, snooze and quiet hours.
• Export: DropWise exports records as CSV or PDF with Premium. Waterllama's listing does not mention export.
• Weather-based goals: both apps list them; in DropWise they are part of Premium.
• Privacy label: Waterllama lists only Data Not Linked to You. DropWise lists Data Used to Track You and Data Linked to You, because Firebase Analytics and Meta advertising measurement run if you allow tracking in the App Tracking Transparency prompt.

About the Privacy Difference

We want to be clear about this point. DropWise's App Store label includes Data Used to Track You and Data Linked to You. That measurement only starts if you tap Allow in the iOS App Tracking Transparency prompt; if you choose Ask App Not to Track, the app keeps working, including Premium. Your name, weight, height, water logs and Apple Health data are not sent to our servers, Firebase or Meta, and the app shows no ads. Details are in the DropWise privacy policy.

Waterllama's label does not include tracking. If a label with no tracking at all is your top priority, that is a point in Waterllama's favour.

Who Should Switch, and Who Should Stay

DropWise suits you if you want fine control over when reminders arrive, including late or overnight schedules, if you like checking progress in Live Activities and Dynamic Island, if you want to export your history as CSV or PDF with Premium, or if you want a lifetime Premium option ($24.99 on the US store as of November 2, 2026).

Waterllama is the better choice if its characters and challenges are what keep you drinking, if you want the widest beverage list, or if you want a privacy label with no tracking. It is a polished, award-winning app with a very large community.