# Reef Buddy vs ReefCtrl

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ReefCtrl at 100% against Reef Buddy's 60%. ReefCtrl also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, 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. ReefCtrl asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, ReefCtrl every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reef Buddy | ReefCtrl |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reef-buddy-reef-tank-tracker/id1593580822/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **19** | — |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 45 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [maxime marinel](https://appshunter.io/developer/595076846) | [Jayanth Vignesh Ramachandran](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896691974) |

## 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 |


### ReefCtrl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reefctrl/id6769832090)

Manage your reef aquarium with this intelligent platform. Monitor equipment, track water chemistry, and receive smart alerts. It integrates with Neptune Apex controllers and offers AI-powered assistance for hobbyists.

**Highlights:** Neptune Apex integration, Smart alerts and notifications, Water chemistry tracking, Dosing management, AI reef assistant, Equipment and livestock management

**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 ReefCtrl free?

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

### Do Reef Buddy or ReefCtrl have ads?

Neither Reef Buddy nor ReefCtrl shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reef Buddy or ReefCtrl?

Reef Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and ReefCtrl every 9 days. Most recently, Reef Buddy was updated on October 7, 2026 and ReefCtrl on October 4, 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.*