# Reef Buddy vs Reef.Tools

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reef Buddy at 60% against Reef.Tools's 0%. Reef Buddy also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (19 vs 2). Reef.Tools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reef Buddy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Reef.Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reef Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reef Buddy has 19 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Reef Buddy's written reviews are positive against 0% of Reef.Tools's.

Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, Reef.Tools daily. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reef Buddy | Reef.Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reef-buddy-reef-tank-tracker/id1593580822/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reeftools/id6739948464/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 44 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [maxime marinel](https://appshunter.io/developer/595076846) | [Ivena LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787597398) |

## What reviewers say

### Reef Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reef-buddy-reef-tank-tracker/id1593580822)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reef Buddy Pro Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Reef Buddy Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Reef buddy pro month | $3.99 | per month |
| Reef buddy pro annual | $44.99 | per year |


### Reef.Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reeftools/id6739948464)

This app simplifies reef tank maintenance with science-backed tools. It offers a precision dosing calculator for over 30 elements, customizable schedules, and insights into water chemistry. Compare your tank's parameters to natural ocean values.

**Highlights:** Precision dosing calculator for 30+ elements, Customizable dosing schedules, Reef chemistry insights, Support for multiple brands and custom targets, Comparison to natural ocean parameters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reef Buddy free?

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

### Is Reef.Tools free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reef Buddy or Reef.Tools?

Reef Buddy is rated higher. Reef Buddy averages 4.1 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Reef.Tools averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Reef Buddy or Reef.Tools have ads?

Neither Reef Buddy nor Reef.Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reef Buddy or Reef.Tools?

Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and Reef.Tools daily. Most recently, Reef Buddy was updated on September 20, 2026 and Reef.Tools on June 7, 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.*