# Subsurface vs Garmin Dive™

The clearest difference is rating: Garmin Dive™ at 4.8 against Subsurface's 4.5. Garmin Dive™ also leads on ratings volume (852 vs 48). Subsurface's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 50%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Garmin Dive™ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Dive™ has 852 ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Subsurface's written reviews are positive against 50% of Garmin Dive™'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Subsurface ships an update every 2 months, Garmin Dive™ every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subsurface | Garmin Dive™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subsurface-mobile/id1093217161/reviews) | **[4.8 (852 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-dive/id1461262794/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 48 | **852** |
| Positive reviews | **63.3% of reviews** | 49.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 52 MB | 505 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dirk Hohndel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1093217160) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## 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


### Garmin Dive™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-dive/id1461262794)

This app serves as a comprehensive diving logbook and planning tool. It automatically records dive data, tracks gas consumption, and supports various diving disciplines. Users can also discover dive sites, manage gear, and share experiences with a community.

**Highlights:** Automatic dive logging, Gas consumption tracking, Support for multiple dive types, Interactive dive site maps, Gear and service tracking, Real-time diver monitoring

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Automatic dive logging
- 👍 Versatile for different sports
- 💡 Integrated with Garmin ecosystem
- 🚀 Ease of use
- 👍 Detailed dive information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with dive computer
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 🔒 Requires internet connection
- 🐛 Cannot recover deleted dives
- 🐛 Dive numbers not automatically updated

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot save dive logs
- Dive sites not found in the app
- Randomly missing dive logs
- Photos not displayed chronologically
- Sync issues with Mk2i device

**Requested features**

- Dive planner in the app
- Export dive data to other apps
- Ability to combine short dives
- Import dive logs from other software
- More detailed statistics and analytics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subsurface free?

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

### Is Garmin Dive™ free?

Garmin Dive™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Subsurface or Garmin Dive™?

Garmin Dive™ is rated higher. Subsurface averages 4.5 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Garmin Dive™ averages 4.8 from 852 ratings.

### Do Subsurface or Garmin Dive™ have ads?

Neither Subsurface nor Garmin Dive™ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Subsurface or Garmin Dive™?

Subsurface ships an update every 2 months, and Garmin Dive™ every 6 weeks. Most recently, Subsurface was updated on October 14, 2026 and Garmin Dive™ on October 19, 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.*