Comparison

Reef Buddy vs AquariumNotes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reef Buddy

Easily log, monitor, and analyze your saltwater aquarium's critical parameters. Get smart insights and personalized advice to maintain a healthy reef tank. Syncs across devices and offers guidance for manual test results.

Highlights
  • Log critical aquarium parameters
  • Monitor KH, salinity, pH, Ca, Mg, and more
  • Analyze data with automated insights
  • Sync data across iPhone and iPad
  • Guidance for manual test kit results
  • Personalized advice with premium subscription
Features
Read full description

Reef Buddy – Track Your Reef Tank With Confidence Reef Buddy is the reef tracker and water test log built for saltwater tank and saltwater aquarium keepers. Log water tests, monitor parameter trends, and understand what is changing in your reef before small swings become real problems. Track Every Essential Reef Parameter Record KH, salinity, pH, Ca, Mg, NO₂, NO₃, PO₄, SiO₂, temperature, and more. Keep a clear aquarium log with visual trends for the values reef keepers watch most. Smart Insights for Saltwater Aquariums Get automated insights from your measurements so you can react earlier, keep your reef tank stable, and make better maintenance decisions. Sync Across Devices All your data is safely stored and automatically synced across your iPhone and iPad. Manual Test Help Enter results from your favorite test kits faster with guided steps designed for reef routines, regular water tests, and day-to-day reef journaling. Unlock Premium with Shrimpy Shrimpy, your reef assistant, unlocks powerful features: • Expert analysis of your tank data • Personalized advice • Photo analysis of your aquarium • Ability to ask questions and get reefing tips Why Reef Keepers Choose Reef Buddy • Built for reef tanks and saltwater aquariums • Clean tracking without unnecessary clutter • Compatible with major test kits, including Red Sea, Salifert, Hanna, and more Subscription Info Shrimpy Premium is available as a monthly or yearly subscription. Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage your subscription anytime in your Apple account settings. Terms & Privacy Policy: https://reef-buddy.app

About

AquariumNotes

Features
Read full description

AquariumNotes is a simple aquarium management app designed to help you keep track of your tanks and livestock. Manage aquarium information, livestock records, water parameters, and maintenance logs in one place. Suitable for planted tanks, tropical fish, shrimp tanks, medaka, and marine aquariums. ■ Aquarium Management • Manage multiple aquariums • Record tank information • Save photos for each aquarium ■ Livestock Management • Register fish, shrimp, and aquatic plants • Record introduction dates and notes • Organize livestock with photos ■ Water Parameters • pH • GH • KH • NO₂ • NO₃ Track water conditions over time. ■ Maintenance Logs • Water changes • Cleaning • Filter maintenance • Other maintenance activities Keep a complete history of your aquarium care. AquariumNotes is built to help aquarists stay organized and enjoy their hobby. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://lexnov.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Reef Buddy4 screens
AquariumNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Reef Buddy at none against AquariumNotes's shown. AquariumNotes's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Reef Buddy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and AquariumNotes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, AquariumNotes monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Reef Buddy versus AquariumNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReef BuddyAquariumNotes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (19 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings19 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developermaxime marinelYusuke Morimoto

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Reef Buddy

Subscriptions4
  • Reef Buddy Pro Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Reef Buddy Pro3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Reef buddy pro month$3.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Reef buddy pro annual3 Days trial$44.991 Year
3 purchases

AquariumNotes

Subscriptions3
  • PremiumMember/1Month$2.991 Month
  • PremiumMember/6Month$9.996 Months
  • PremiumMember/1Year$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Reef Buddy free?
Reef Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AquariumNotes free?
AquariumNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reef Buddy or AquariumNotes have ads?
AquariumNotes shows ads; Reef Buddy does not.
Which is updated more often, Reef Buddy or AquariumNotes?
Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and AquariumNotes monthly. Most recently, Reef Buddy was updated on September 20, 2026 and AquariumNotes on September 23, 2026.

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