HYDROS App vs Smart Reef
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HYDROS App
Easily monitor and control your aquarium's vital parameters like temperature, pH, and salinity. Manage all your connected devices, including ATOs, lights, and pumps, with a user-friendly interface. Quick setup with preset configurations means no coding is required to get your system running.
- Monitor temperature, ORP, pH, salinity
- Control ATO, lights, heaters, pumps
- User-friendly interface
- Quick setup with presets
- Manage multiple devices and aquariums
- Set schedules and create modes
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Use the CoralVue HYDROS App to control and monitor HYDROS aquarium devices from your smartphone or tablet. The user-friendly interface allows you to easily monitor your aquarium's temperature, ORP, pH, alkalinity levels, salinity, and more. With just one tap, you can control your ATO, lights, heaters, pumps, skimmer, calcium reactor, RO/DI units, etc. Setup is quick and easy! With 18+ different preset configurations and growing, it will take only minutes to get all of your equipment set up and running, with no coding required. SUPPORTED DEVICES: -HYDROS Control X2, X4, XS, XD, X3, X4, XP8, X10 -HYDROS Kraken -HYDROS Minnow -HYDROS Launch -HYDROS WaveEngine, WaveEngine LT -IceCap Gyre Dual Pump WiFi Controller DISCOVER MORE: -Intuitive interface features multiple view options such as tile, text, or graph -Adjust your view settings to light mode, dark mode, or auto, which will automatically adjust to your mobile device's settings -Ability to manage multiple HYDROS devices and aquariums from one single-screen -Monitor and control WiFi outlets -Set schedules and create modes -Archive controller settings STAY CONNECTED We welcome you to join our HYDROS community at forum.coralvuehydros.com where you can ask questions, learn more about your HYDROS devices, and connect with other aquatic hobbyists like yourself.
Smart Reef
Manage your marine aquarium with this app. It provides device management, alerts for issues, and detailed historical data. A central dashboard offers a clear overview of your aquarium's status and device operations.
- Device management
- Aquarium alerts
- Measurement history
- Operational status dashboard
- Planned job journal
- Preset sharing
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Functionality: • device management • alerts when any problems occur in the aquarium • presentation of measurements and the operational status of devices • device operation and measurements history • clear, collective dashboard with information on device operation • modern table of parameters measured in the aquarium • unique journal of planned jobs and aquarium task history integrated with devices Devices may be connected via a Wi-Fi network and your home router. Dashboard sharing, loading and sharing of presets with other users and many more useful features. Supported devices: • Thermo control - temperature controller • Thermo view - temperature monitor • TDS meter - reverse osmosis water monitor • Salinity guardian - salinity monitor • pH meter - pH monitor • Level sensor - water/liquid level meter • Level keeper - automatic water refill system • Smart pump - dosing pump • Power switcher - timing programmer / device switch • Reef flare - smart LED lamp • Smart roller • Smart tester • Dosing pumps • kH keeper
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: HYDROS App at 62% against Smart Reef's 4%. HYDROS App also leads on rating (4.1 vs 1.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 11). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Smart Reef sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. HYDROS App asks for nothing beyond the download.
HYDROS App holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of HYDROS App's written reviews are positive against 4% of Smart Reef's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HYDROS App | Smart Reef |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (17 ratings) — better | 1.6 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.3% of reviews — better | 3.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 19 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 14.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CV Industries LLC | Reef Factory sp. z o.o. |
Customer experience
HYDROS App
Smart Reef
In-app purchases
HYDROS App
No in-app purchases
Smart Reef
- Warranty 3 years$12.99
- Warranty 3 years$17.99
- Warranty 3 years$19.99
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- Warranty 3 years2 variants$24.99
- Warranty 3 years$29.99
- Warranty 3 years2 variants$34.99
- Warranty 3 years2 variants$39.99
- Warranty 3 years$49.99








