Comparison

Reef Buddy vs ReefKeep

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 • Start and continue conversations with Shrimpy for personalized 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

ReefKeep

Features
Read full description

ReefKeep is a modern, private tracker for saltwater and freshwater aquariums — built for hobbyists who want fast logging and proactive insights, not just prettier graphs. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Log 8 parameters in under a minute with a clean one-screen entry • Scan Hanna Checker readings with the camera — no more transcribing numbers • Track alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate, pH, salinity, temperature and any custom parameter you care about • See trends as native charts with your target ranges overlaid • Schedule recurring tasks (water changes, filter swaps, skimmer cleaning) with local reminders • Record livestock with timelines for spawning, fragging, moves and notes THE INSIGHTS ENGINE Other apps show you numbers. ReefKeep tells you what they mean. • Trend alerts — "Alkalinity has fallen 8% over your last 5 tests" • Correlation hints — "Alk and calcium are both dropping. Check your 2-part dosing." • Stale data warnings — "You haven't tested nitrate in 12 days" • Smart water-change recommendations based on your actual nitrate trajectory, not a fixed schedule Everything runs on your device. Nothing leaves your phone unless iCloud sync is enabled. ASK THE ON-DEVICE COACH With Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro and later), tap any insight and get a plain-language explanation grounded in your own tank's readings — all processed on-device, no accounts, no servers. BUILT FOR REEFERS • Dark mode first — matches how you actually use the app next to a lit tank • Dual units everywhere: L/gal, °C/°F, ppt/SG, dKH/meq/ppm • Multiple tanks (Pro) • iCloud sync across your iPhone and iPad — included, not an upgrade • Zero ads, zero tracking SDKs, zero account required PRO UNLOCKS • Unlimited tanks • Unlimited parameter history • Insights engine • CSV export for your records • Photo galleries • Apple Watch (coming soon) Monthly and yearly subscriptions, or a one-time lifetime unlock if you prefer to own your tools. ReefKeep is built by a small team that uses it on their own tanks. We're not trying to be everything for every hobby. We're trying to be the tool you open once a week without thinking, and the app that catches a problem before it costs you a fish. The app applies the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Reef Buddy4 screens
ReefKeep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ReefKeep at daily against Reef Buddy's every 2 weeks. ReefKeep also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, 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 ReefKeep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, ReefKeep daily. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Reef Buddy versus ReefKeep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReef BuddyReefKeep
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (19 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings19 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developermaxime marinelEnovira AB

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

ReefKeep

Subscriptions2
  • ReefKeep Pro - monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • ReefKeep Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • ReefKeep Lifetime Subscription$79.99

Questions

Is Reef Buddy free?
Reef Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReefKeep free?
ReefKeep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reef Buddy or ReefKeep have ads?
Neither Reef Buddy nor ReefKeep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reef Buddy or ReefKeep?
Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and ReefKeep daily. Most recently, Reef Buddy was updated on October 16, 2026 and ReefKeep on October 9, 2026.

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