SYNA vs ReefBeat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SYNA
Control your Maxspect integrated controller wirelessly. Manage multiple Maxspect devices, including the Ethereal LED Lighting System, directly from your mobile device.
- Wireless control
- Integrated controller management
- Maxspect device synchronization
- Ethereal LED Lighting System control
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This is the app to control the Maxspect ICV6 integrated controller. It provide wireless control of multiple Maxspect devices such as the Maxspect Ethereal LED Lighting System.
ReefBeat
Control and monitor all your smart aquarium devices from a single interface. Manage lighting, water pumps, and dosing systems for a seamless aquarium experience.
- Unified control for smart aquarium devices
- Manage ReefLED lighting
- Control ReefWave pumps
- Operate ReefDose dosing system
- User-friendly interface
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ReefBeat App provides a user-friendly single fully featured interface for all of Red Sea's smart aquarium devices including ReefLED lighting, ReefWave pumps and the ReefDose supplement dosing system.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ReefBeat at 2.6 against SYNA's 1.5. ReefBeat also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 13) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). SYNA's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ReefBeat holds the better App Store score, 2.6 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ReefBeat has 1.8K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 16% and 17% positive.
SYNA ships an update every 6 weeks, ReefBeat fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.
| Parameter | SYNA | ReefBeat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.5 (13 ratings) | 2.6 (1.8K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.0% of reviews | 16.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 1.8K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 324 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Maxspect | RedSea |
Customer experience
SYNA
ReefBeat
User reviews
SYNA
From 13 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Hardware performs as expected
- 👍 Some users are satisfied with the app's functionality
Room to improve
- 🐛 App constantly freezing
- 🐛 Unable to access controller
- 🐛 Interface and program flexibility lacking
- 🐛 App won't connect to app/router
- 🐛 Controller constantly disconnects from WiFi
ReefBeat
From 1.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to set up and use
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🔋 Reliable device connectivity
- 💡 Useful monitoring and control features
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- 🐛 App crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable device pairing
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 👎 Poor customer support
Bugs and requests
SYNA
Reported bugs
56 issues- App constantly freezing
- Unable to access controller
- App won't connect to app/router
- Controller disconnects from WiFi
- App keeps crashing
Show 51 moreShow fewer
- Connection issues with controller
- App is clunky
- Not optimized for newer iPhones
- Buttons outside of screen
- App locks up
- Control screen buttons missing on iPad
- App doesn't respond after value change
- App is unusable after update
- New version is partially unusable
- Hours and percentages not visible
- App broken by update
- Confusing, slow, and buggy
- Feed button off the page
- Percentage for lights disappeared
- Timers for setting lights don't work
- App doesn't respond well after update
- Device garbage, app garbage
- Controls are limited
- App abandoned
- Cannot use app
- App needs improvement
- Firmware update required via SD card
- Unpolished, needs more control options
- Binary on/off controls
- App is painful to use
- Tutorial video has errors
- Update wiped out settings
- App not optimized for iPhone X/Xs
- Cannot click buttons
- Firmware updates needed
- No cloud functionality for remote access
- Bad update, older version better
- App doesn't work on iPad
- Cannot adjust pump settings on iPad
- Preset and advanced buttons hidden
- Poorly tested updates
- Buttons outside of screen
- Cannot manually change flow types
- No transmit button
- Only automatic settings
- Disaster compared to previous version
- Cannot adjust schedule times
- Pop-up empty for time setting
- Cannot use app with router
- Network name incorrect, cannot change
- Connection fails most of the time
- Documentation non-existent
- App not easy to use
- No answers from support
- Photoperiod doesn't work on iPhone 6
- Wifi-Setup crashes after entering password
Requested features
14 requests- Add pulse mode for low percentages
- Option to select OGC preset mode
- Allow firmware updates over the app
- Add a feed button on the main app page
- Allow selection of pumps for feed mode
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Enable remote activation of feed mode
- Add scheduling capabilities
- Improve control options
- Add help/documentation for the app
- Improve app to be easier to use
- Add Spanish language option
- Mimic moonlight with lower than 1% light
- Allow grouping of lamps for separate adjustment
- Improve Wi-Fi settings to avoid constant switching
ReefBeat
Reported bugs
3 issues- App forgets aquarium settings
- Devices randomly disconnect from WiFi
- Firmware updates fail to install properly
Requested features
4 requests- Improved app stability and reliability
- More customization options for lighting and dosing
- Integration with other smart home platforms
- Better notification and alert system
In-app purchases
SYNA
No in-app purchases
ReefBeat
No in-app purchases
