# Shearwater Cloud vs DiveBuddy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DiveBuddy at 100% against Shearwater Cloud's 26%. DiveBuddy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.6) and update cadence (daily vs every 5 weeks). Shearwater Cloud's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (104 vs 3). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DiveBuddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Shearwater Cloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

DiveBuddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shearwater Cloud has 104 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Shearwater Cloud's written reviews are positive against 100% of DiveBuddy's.

Shearwater Cloud ships an update every 5 weeks, DiveBuddy daily. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shearwater Cloud | DiveBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shearwater-cloud/id1185701505/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/divebuddy/id6754206325/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **104** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 25.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 333 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Shearwater Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164234361) | [Dive Buddy LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1847082147) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### DiveBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/divebuddy/id6754206325)

Connect with fellow scuba divers, find dive buddies, and discover new dive sites. This app offers essential scuba calculators, a digital dive log, and a platform to store certifications and share underwater photos. Engage in community forums and discussions to enhance your diving experience.

**Highlights:** Find dive buddies, Scuba calculators, Digital dive log, Community dive sites, Store certifications, Share underwater photos, Scuba forums

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DiveBuddy Pro - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| DiveBuddy Pro - Annually | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shearwater Cloud free?

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

### Is DiveBuddy free?

DiveBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

DiveBuddy is rated higher. Shearwater Cloud averages 2.6 out of 5 from 104 ratings, while DiveBuddy averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Shearwater Cloud or DiveBuddy have ads?

Neither Shearwater Cloud nor DiveBuddy shows ads.

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

Shearwater Cloud ships an update every 5 weeks, and DiveBuddy daily. Most recently, Shearwater Cloud was updated on October 13, 2026 and DiveBuddy on October 8, 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.*
