Trivertix and Ranchbot, side by side
Both show you how much water is in a tank without a drive to check it. They get the reading to you in different ways, and that difference decides which one fits your place.
The short answer
Trivertix is the better pick for a tank near a building, because its radio needs no satellite or cellular plan. Ranchbot is the better pick for a tank miles from anywhere, because satellite reaches it.
Choose Trivertix when
- The tank is within about a mile of a building with power.
- You want to read your level with no subscription.
- Cell coverage at the tank is poor, and you would rather not pay for a satellite plan.
- The house has Wi-Fi for the app.
Choose Ranchbot when
- The tank is miles from the nearest building.
- You want troughs, pumps, flow and rainfall in one system.
- You want a product thousands of ranchers already use.
How they compare
| Trivertix | Ranchbot | |
|---|---|---|
| How readings travel | LoRa radio to a receiver in your house, then your own Wi-Fi | Satellite or cellular (3G/4G) from the tank |
| Where it works | Tanks within about a mile of a building with power, more with a clear line of sight | Anywhere in the United States, by its own account |
| Connection plan | None for the radio link | A Service and Access Plan is required |
| Reading your level | On the receiver's display with no subscription, and in the app with a monthly plan | Through its MyRanchbot platform, which the plan covers |
| Price | Announced at launch | Not listed on its site. Its February 2025 press release put the Trough Direct at $549 plus $0.75 a day. |
| Power | Solar panel and rechargeable batteries | Solar on the Water Monitor. A battery lasting up to 4 years on the lite model. |
| Install | Yourself, in a few minutes | Yourself, in 10 to 15 minutes |
| Also measures | Water and air temperature | Troughs, rainfall, flow, line pressure and pumps, with other products in its range |
| App | iPhone, Android and web | The MyRanchbot platform |
| Based in | Austin, Texas | Fort Worth, Texas |
Sources: Ranchbot home page, Ranchbot FAQs, Ranchbot water level monitors, Ranchbot press release, February 4, 2025.
Why the connection decides it
A satellite or cellular monitor carries its own modem, so it reports from anywhere its network reaches. That reach is what the service plan pays for.
A LoRa monitor has no modem and no plan. Its radio only has to reach your house, and your Wi-Fi does the rest. The trade is distance: about a mile, and more with a clear line of sight.
See how Trivertix worksQuestions about the two
Is Trivertix a Ranchbot alternative?
For a tank within about a mile of a building with power, yes. It reports the same thing, the level in the tank, with no satellite or cellular plan. For a tank farther out, Ranchbot's satellite connection reaches where our radio does not.
Does Trivertix use satellite or cell service?
No. It uses LoRa radio between the tank and a receiver in your house, and your home Wi-Fi from there. It has no SIM card.
What does each one cost?
Trivertix announces its price at launch, and reading the level on the receiver's display needs no subscription. Ranchbot does not list prices on its site. Its February 2025 press release put the Trough Direct at $549 plus $0.75 a day.
Can I use both?
Yes. Nothing stops you from running Trivertix on the tanks near the house and a satellite monitor on the far pastures.
Be first in line.
The waitlist hears the price and the launch date before anyone else.