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WATERDROP VS AQUASANA

Waterdrop vs Aquasana: under-sink and whole-house filters compared

Waterdrop and Aquasana both sell under-sink and whole-house filters. They differ most on what is certified and what upkeep costs. This page sets Waterdrop’s WD-10UA and WD-WHF3T-PG against Aquasana’s Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow and Rhino. Prices are US list prices checked November 6, 2026. Both Aquasana models were on 50% off sales on October 30, and both showed full price on November 6.

By Comparison Updated

Skip to the prices The products compared

The bottom line

Under the sink, choose Aquasana’s Claryum for lead or PFOA/PFOS claims and Waterdrop’s WD-10UA for chlorine taste at far lower cost. For the whole house, Waterdrop’s WD-WHF3T-PG costs less to own, and Aquasana’s Rhino has the 10-year tank warranty. Neither whole-house filter has a contaminant-reduction certification.

Our reviews rest on published sources, not hands-on testing. Our method

Porsche also cofounded Superhuman Chambers, which sells hyperbaric chambers · About the author.

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The products compared

These links go to each brand’s own store and earn us no commission. Prices are dated US snapshots.

In this article

Waterdrop vs Aquasana: the four filters side by side

Compare like with like: each brand has an under-sink filter and a whole-house filter in our lineup. The Waterdrop WD-10UA and Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow go under the kitchen sink111. The Waterdrop WD-WHF3T-PG and Aquasana Rhino go on the main water line1723. A whole-house filter and an under-sink filter do different jobs, so don’t set the $58.99 filter against the $1,998 one.

Prices are US list prices on each maker’s page, before tax and shipping, checked November 6, 2026. Sale prices are shown as sales. Three-year costs use regular prices and leave out installation, as the maker pages don’t price it117. The under-sink comparison and the whole-house comparison go deeper on each pair.

Waterdrop WD-10UA, Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow, Waterdrop WD-WHF3T-PG and Aquasana Rhino compared on price, NSF/ANSI listings, flow, filters, cost and terms. Prices checked Nov 6, 2026
QuestionWaterdrop WD-10UAAquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max FlowWaterdrop WD-WHF3T-PG 3-Stage Whole HouseAquasana Rhino
Best forChlorine taste at your existing faucetLead or PFOA/PFOS claims under NSF/ANSI 53A whole-house filter rated at 15 GPMA whole-house tank with a 10-year warranty
JobUnder-sink, feeds the faucet you already have11Under-sink, with its own faucet1Whole house, on the main water line23Whole house, on the main water line. Sized for up to 2.5 bathrooms and 4 or fewer people17
US price$58.99 list on Nov 6, 2026. A $39.99 price needed a checkout code when last seen Oct 231112$449.99 regular price. $224.99 in a 50% off sale on Oct 30, 2026, with no end date printed1$369.99 on Nov 6, 2026, with no sale label23$1,998 regular price. $999 in a 50% off sale on Oct 30, 2026, with no end date printed17
Price and where to buy$58.99US price, checked Check price at Waterdrop for Waterdrop WD-10UA $449.99US price, checked Check price at Aquasana for Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow $369.99US price, checked Check price at Waterdrop for Waterdrop WD-WHF3T-PG 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter System $1,998US price, checked Check price at Aquasana for Aquasana Rhino Whole House Water Filter
NSF/ANSI listingIAPMO W-11590: NSF/ANSI 42-2022 for WD-10UA with WD-RF10 (aesthetic chlorine, taste and odor). W-13936: NSF/ANSI/CAN 372-2022 for lead content, not lead removal1516WQA lists AQ-6300M with AQ-C3M-R under NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, with the Chrome model in its footnotes. A separate NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 listing covers lead-free materials710IAPMO W-13936 lists it under NSF/ANSI/CAN 372-2022 for lead content, not filtration. Waterdrop states no NSF/ANSI 42 or 53 certification1623No contaminant-reduction certification. Aquasana’s data sheet says an independent NSF/ANSI 42 test covered free chlorine and that WQA hasn’t certified it for reductions. The tank’s NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 is for materials safety only1718
Published resultsNone. Heavy-metal and mercury claims come with no lab, standard or percentage1112Lead 99.6% (pH 8.5), PFOA/PFOS 99.7%, chlorine 97.3%, chloramine 91%, cysts 99.995%, from Aquasana’s data sheet2Chlorine 97.7%, which Waterdrop calls the initial result from an unnamed third-party lab23Free chlorine down more than 97.4% overall in a test to 1,000,000 gallons. The last two samples were 92% to 93%18
Flow0.75 GPM in the IAPMO row. Waterdrop’s FAQ separately cites 2.0 gpm at 60 psi11150.72 GPM in the WQA rows and data sheet2715 GPM, per Waterdrop237.0 GPM rated, 14.6 GPM peak. The data sheet lists a 23 psi pressure drop in its chlorine test1718
Filter lifeWD-RF10: Waterdrop says 12 months. IAPMO lists 11,000 gallons1315AQ-C3M-R: 800 gallons or about 6 months67Each filter rated 100,000 gallons. The WF20PG replacement is rated up to 12 months2324Tank: 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years. Pre-filter every 2 months, post-filter every 617192122
Filters per year$30.99, one WD-RF1013$183.98, two $91.99 sets6$119.04, one WF20PG. Waterdrop doesn’t say how many cartridges it holds24$147.96: two $36.99 pre-filter 3-packs and two $36.99 post-filters. Aquasana’s page doesn’t say how many post-filters come in one order, so this assumes one2122
Three-year cost at regular prices$151.96 before installation1213$1,001.93 ($776.93 at the Oct 30 sale price)16$727.11 before installation2324$2,441.88 ($1,442.88 at the Oct 30 sale price), before installation172122
InstallCold-water line with push-to-connect fittings. Waterdrop doesn’t say whether a plumber is needed1112Brass tee on the cold line, and its faucet goes through a hole at least 1/2 in wide. Aquasana says no plumber is needed13Main water line. Waterdrop says no plumber is needed, and gives no connection size or pressure range23Main line, 3/4 in or 1 in. Aquasana strongly recommends a licensed plumber, and the manual gives 1 to 4 hours1719
Warranty1 year on manufacturing defects111 year. Filters are excluded, and the warranty text doesn’t say whether the faucet is covered41 year on manufacturing defects23Tank: 10 years or 1,000,000 gallons. Filter housings and the kit: 12 months20
Returns30 days. No restocking fee if it’s like new, otherwise 10%. You pay return shipping unless it’s defective. Amazon orders don’t qualify1490 days on direct purchases. The whole system goes back, and you pay shipping and insurance. The policy doesn’t say whether an installed system qualifies530 days, with the same terms as the WD-10UA. The policy doesn’t say whether an installed system qualifies142390 days on direct purchases, with the same terms as the Claryum. The policy doesn’t say whether an installed system qualifies517

These links go to each brand’s own store and earn us no commission.

Waterdrop or Aquasana: which brand for which job

Each suits a different need, and this isn’t a ranking. For drinking water at one tap, the brands split on certification: Aquasana’s Claryum has NSF/ANSI 53 claims for lead and PFOA/PFOS, and Waterdrop’s WD-10UA has an NSF/ANSI 42 listing for chlorine taste and odor815. For the whole house, neither brand has a contaminant-reduction listing, so the choice comes down to cost, flow, upkeep and warranty171823. Both brands’ under-sink filters sit in best under-sink water filters, beside the APEC, iSpring and Waterdrop reverse osmosis systems. If you’d rather not install anything, see best water filter pitchers.

  • Chlorine taste at the faucet you already have: Waterdrop WD-10UA. It’s $58.99, and one $30.99 cartridge a year puts three years at $151.96 before installation1213. The catch: IAPMO lists it for aesthetic chlorine, taste and odor, and its lead listing covers the product’s lead content, not lead removal1516.
  • Lead, PFOA/PFOS or chloramine at its own tap: Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow. WQA lists it under NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, and Aquasana’s data sheet gives a percentage for each tested contaminant279. The catch: filters run $183.98 a year, so three years is $1,001.93 at the regular price, and it needs its own faucet hole16.
  • A whole-house filter on a tighter budget: Waterdrop WD-WHF3T-PG. It’s $369.99 and rated at 15 GPM, with three years at $727.11 before installation2324. The catch: its one test figure is a 97.7% initial chlorine result from an unnamed lab, and the warranty is 1 year23.
  • A whole-house filter with a 10-year tank warranty: Aquasana Rhino. The tank is rated for 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years, and Aquasana publishes a chlorine data sheet for it171820. The catch: it’s $1,998 at the regular price, three years comes to $2,441.88 before installation, and Aquasana strongly recommends a plumber1719. If you need reverse osmosis for fluoride or lower dissolved solids, see the tankless reverse osmosis comparison.

NSF/ANSI certifications: what each standard covers here

The Waterdrop WD-10UA appears in two IAPMO R&T listings1516. W-11590 lists WD-10UA with WD-RF10 under NSF/ANSI 42-2022 for aesthetic chlorine, taste and odor, at 0.75 GPM and 11,000 gallons15. W-13936 lists it under NSF/ANSI/CAN 372-2022, which concerns the lead content of the product, not lead removal from water16. Waterdrop’s heavy-metal and mercury claims come with no standard or lab1112.

WQA lists Aquasana’s AQ-6300M with AQ-C3M-R under three performance standards79. NSF/ANSI 42 includes aesthetic chlorine and chloramine, 53 includes lead, PFOA, PFOS and cysts, and 401 includes microplastics79. A separate NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 listing covers lead-free materials10. The percentages in the table come from Aquasana’s own data sheet, not from the WQA rows2.

The whole-house filters have no listing for what they remove. IAPMO W-13936 includes the WD-WHF3T-PG only under NSF/ANSI/CAN 372, for lead content, and Waterdrop states no NSF/ANSI 42 or 53 certification1623. Aquasana’s Rhino data sheet reports an independent NSF/ANSI 42 chlorine test and says WQA hasn’t certified the Rhino for contaminant reduction18. Its NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 certification covers the tank’s materials safety only1718.

Match the standard to the contaminant in your water report before you buy. None of these four lists fluoride, nitrate or arsenic reduction. The certification guide explains what each standard does and doesn’t prove.

Filter life, replacement cost and three-year cost

Upkeep separates the brands more than the purchase price does. Waterdrop’s WD-RF10 is $30.99 a year, and its WF20PG whole-house replacement is $119.04 for up to 12 months1324. Aquasana’s Claryum needs two $91.99 sets a year, or $183.986. The Rhino needs six pre-filters and two post-filters a year, $147.96 at regular prices. That assumes one post-filter per $36.99 order, which Aquasana’s page doesn’t state192122.

Over three years at regular prices, the WD-10UA comes to $58.99 + 3 × $30.99 = $151.961213. The Claryum is $449.99 + 3 × $183.98 = $1,001.9316. The WD-WHF3T-PG is $369.99 + 3 × $119.04 = $727.11, and the Rhino is $1,998 + 3 × $147.96 = $2,441.88172324. At the Oct 30 sale prices, the Claryum would be $776.93 and the Rhino $1,442.88.

Gallon ratings can shorten these intervals. Aquasana rates a Claryum set for 800 gallons or six months, about 4.4 gallons a day6. Each WD-WHF3T-PG filter is rated 100,000 gallons, and Waterdrop doesn’t say how many cartridges the $119.04 replacement includes, so its yearly cost may be higher2324. Aquasana’s manuals also call for new housings every five years, and Aquasana doesn’t price them319.

Flow rate and installation

Flow is where the whole-house filters differ most. Waterdrop rates the WD-WHF3T-PG at 15 GPM, an unqualified maker rating with no bathroom count, while Aquasana rates the Rhino at 7.0 GPM, or 14.6 GPM peak, for up to 2.5 bathrooms1723. The Rhino’s data sheet lists a 23 psi pressure drop in its chlorine test without giving the test flow rate18. Waterdrop publishes no pressure-drop figure23. Under the sink the two are close, at 0.75 GPM for the WD-10UA and 0.72 GPM for the Claryum215.

The under-sink pair install differently. The WD-10UA feeds your existing faucet, so there’s no extra hole11. The Claryum comes with its own faucet and needs a hole at least 1/2 in wide, and Aquasana’s manual recommends a professional if you have to drill one3. Both take cold water only, and the Claryum asks for 20 to 80 psi1312.

Both whole-house filters go on the main line, and neither maker prices installation. Waterdrop says no plumber is needed but publishes no connection size or pressure range23. Aquasana strongly recommends a licensed plumber, and its manual lists extra parts some homes need, such as a pressure-reducing valve, a check valve and grounding clamps19. Budget for installation on both.

Warranty and returns

Both under-sink filters and Waterdrop’s whole-house filter carry a 1-year warranty41123. Aquasana excludes filters from the Claryum’s warranty, and its text doesn’t say whether the faucet is covered4. The Rhino’s tank is covered for 10 years or 1,000,000 gallons, but its housings and kit get 12 months, and you pay labor and shipping on a claim20.

Aquasana gives 90 days on purchases made directly from it. You send back the whole system and pay shipping and insurance5. Waterdrop gives 30 days on orders within the continental US, with no restocking fee if the item is like new and 10% otherwise. You pay return shipping unless it’s a quality defect, and Amazon and other third-party orders don’t qualify14. Neither policy says whether an installed system can come back514.

Aquasana’s 50% off sales and how we count them

Aquasana’s pages showed the Claryum at $224.99 and the Rhino at $999 on October 30, 2026, each marked 50% off its MSRP in a Fall Sale117. No end date was printed for either. The Rhino had also been $999 on October 13 and back at $1,998 on October 16, so its price has moved more than once17. On November 6 Aquasana’s pages showed $449.99 for the Claryum and $1,998 for the Rhino, with no sale price. Confirm the price on Aquasana’s page.

The sale prices aren’t in the three-year totals above, which use regular prices. Waterdrop showed no sale on the WD-WHF3T-PG, and its $39.99 price for the WD-10UA needs a checkout code111223. If a Waterdrop price drops within 30 days of an order shipped and sold by waterdropfilter.com, Waterdrop refunds the difference14. The Black Friday deals page lists current dated sales.

Keep reading

Water filters: our picks and whyWaterdrop WD-10UA reviewAquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow reviewWaterdrop WD-WHF3T-PG reviewAquasana Rhino reviewAquasana Claryum vs Waterdrop WD-10UA under-sink filtersBest under-sink water filters: six compared, filter-only and reverse osmosisBest whole-house water filters: four comparedWater filter certifications, explainedWhat a water filter costs to own over three yearsBest water filter pitchers (2026): Brita, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw and AquaTru comparedBlack Friday 2026 deals with dated pricesBest water filters for PFAS (2026)AquaTru Classic vs CarafeWaterdrop G3P600 vs G3P800 vs iSpring RO500AK-BN

Sources

  1. Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow, Chrome (SKU 100391705) Aquasana · manufacturer
  2. AQ-6300M Performance Data Sheet Aquasana · manufacturer
  3. AQ-6200, AQ-6300 and AQ-6300M Owner's Manual Aquasana · manufacturer
  4. Claryum 2, 3 and 3+ Stage 1-Year Limited Warranty Aquasana · manufacturer
  5. Refunds, Returns & Cancellations Aquasana · manufacturer
  6. Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Filter Replacements (AQ-C3M-R) Aquasana · manufacturer
  7. WQA Aquasana AQ-6300M: NSF/ANSI 42 Water Quality Association · certifier
  8. WQA Aquasana AQ-6300M: NSF/ANSI 53 Water Quality Association · certifier
  9. WQA Aquasana AQ-6300M: NSF/ANSI 401 Water Quality Association · certifier
  10. WQA Aquasana AQ-6300M: NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 Water Quality Association · certifier
  11. Under Sink Water Filter | Direct Connect Filtration System (WD-10UA) Waterdrop · manufacturer
  12. Direct Connect Filtration System store listing (variants, prices, description) Waterdrop · manufacturer · price read from the store’s product data
  13. Replacement Undersink Water Filter WD-RF10, WD-RF15, WD-RF17 store listing Waterdrop · manufacturer · price read from the store’s product data
  14. Service Policy (returns, warranty, price match and shipping) Waterdrop · manufacturer
  15. IAPMO W-11590: WD-10UA with WD-RF10, NSF/ANSI 42-2022 IAPMO R&T · certifier
  16. IAPMO W-13936: NSF/ANSI/CAN 372-2022 listing, Waterdrop (includes WD-10UA and WD-WHF3T-PG) IAPMO R&T · certifier
  17. Rhino Whole House Water Filter (SKU 100365488) Aquasana · manufacturer
  18. Rhino (WH-1000) Performance Data Sheet Aquasana · manufacturer
  19. Rhino (WH-1000) Owner's Manual Aquasana · manufacturer
  20. Rhino (WH-1000) 10 Year Limited Warranty Aquasana · manufacturer
  21. 20" Pre-Filter Replacement - 3 Pack Aquasana · manufacturer
  22. Post-Filter Replacement Aquasana · manufacturer
  23. Waterdrop 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter System with Carbon Filter & Sediment Filter (WD-WHF3T-PG) Waterdrop · manufacturer
  24. Replacement WD-WF20PG for WD-WHF3T-PG Whole House 3-stage Home Filtration System Waterdrop · manufacturer

How this was written. Written from the sources listed above, checked . It is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before acting on anything here if you have a health condition or take medication.

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