# Subsurface vs Shearwater Cloud

The clearest difference is rating: Subsurface at 4.5 against Shearwater Cloud's 2.6. Subsurface also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 26%). Shearwater Cloud's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Subsurface holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 104 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Subsurface's written reviews are positive against 26% of Shearwater Cloud's.

Subsurface ships an update every 2 months, Shearwater Cloud every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subsurface | Shearwater Cloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subsurface-mobile/id1093217161/reviews)** | [2.6 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shearwater-cloud/id1185701505/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 48 | **104** |
| Positive reviews | **63.3% of reviews** | 25.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 52 MB | 333 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dirk Hohndel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1093217160) | [Shearwater Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164234361) |

## What reviewers say

### Subsurface

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subsurface-mobile/id1093217161)

This application allows divers to manage their dive logs on their mobile devices. It supports editing dive data and downloading new information from compatible dive computers. Optional cloud synchronization is available for seamless data transfer with desktop versions.

**Highlights:** Mobile dive log management, Edit dive data, Download from Bluetooth LE dive computers, Optional cloud synchronization, Open-source and free

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shearwater Cloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shearwater-cloud/id1185701505)

Connect your mobile device to your dive computer to download, manage, and analyze dive logs. Update firmware and utilize cloud storage for accessible and secure dive data across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** Download dive logs via Bluetooth LE, Analyze depth, decompression, and temperature, Cloud storage for dive logs, Firmware updates for dive computers, Cross-device accessibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔄 Reliable dive data synchronization with computers
- ☁️ Cloud storage functionality for accessing dives across devices
- 📊 Clear display of dive statistics and information
- 🔌 Easy Bluetooth connectivity (when working)
- ⚡ Functional core logging features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎨 Outdated, unattractive user interface design
- 📱 Poor iPad optimization and landscape mode issues
- 🐢 Extremely slow performance and lag
- 🔗 Frequent Bluetooth connectivity failures
- 💥 App crashes on launch and during use

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup with latest iOS versions
- Bluetooth connection causes app to freeze or crash
- Dives fail to download or sync completely
- Dive numbers display incorrectly compared to computer
- Data loss when updating app or firmware

**Requested features**

- Modern, native-looking user interface redesign
- GPS/geolocation integration for dive sites
- Ability to manually add or import dives
- Photo attachment capability for dives
- Dive planner functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subsurface free?

Subsurface is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shearwater Cloud free?

Shearwater Cloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Subsurface or Shearwater Cloud?

Subsurface is rated higher. Subsurface averages 4.5 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Shearwater Cloud averages 2.6 from 104 ratings.

### Do Subsurface or Shearwater Cloud have ads?

Neither Subsurface nor Shearwater Cloud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Subsurface or Shearwater Cloud?

Subsurface ships an update every 2 months, and Shearwater Cloud every 5 weeks. Most recently, Subsurface was updated on September 18, 2026 and Shearwater Cloud on September 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*