# Pool Doctor vs Veterinary Notebook

The clearest difference is price: Veterinary Notebook at $1.99 against Pool Doctor's $19.99. Pool Doctor's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.5). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Pool Doctor costs $19.99 and Veterinary Notebook $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pool Doctor ships an update every 2 months, Veterinary Notebook every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and May 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pool Doctor | Veterinary Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | **[4.4 (134 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-doctor/id375459618/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **134** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 7 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Gazzini Ventures](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503581197) | [Summer Youngberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1766803882) |

## What reviewers say

### Pool Doctor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-doctor/id375459618)

This powerful digital tool helps pool professionals and enthusiasts maintain their pools. Input your chemical readings, and it will provide precise instructions on what chemicals to add and why, supporting various pool types and units of measurement.

**Highlights:** Chemical level adjustment (chlorine, pH, alkalinity, etc.), Supports regular, salt-water, and bromine pools, Multiple unit of measurement options, Customizable ideal ranges and chemicals, Saves reading and treatment records, Langelier Index calculation, Shock calculator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🎯 Accurate chemical calculations and recommendations
- 💡 Customizable pool parameters and chemical selection
- 📊 Helpful for pool maintenance beginners
- 🔄 Multiple unit conversions (lbs, oz, kg, metric)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- ❌ Email functionality doesn't work
- ⚠️ Inaccurate recommendations for some pool types
- 🔧 Settings don't persist or sync across devices
- 💸 Price increased from free to $20

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after entering readings
- Phone keyboard won't close, preventing navigation
- Entered values change automatically (pH decreases, chlorine increases)
- Chemical settings don't save or remember user preferences
- Recommendations ignore user-specified chemical concentrations

**Requested features**

- Customizable input field order to match test kit order
- Support for Baquacil pool products
- Cyanuric acid reading support
- Ability to select specific chemical types (liquid vs powdered chlorine)
- Salt level adjustment based on salt water generator (SWG) ranges


### Veterinary Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/veterinary-notebook/id6736726768)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pool Doctor free?

Pool Doctor costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Veterinary Notebook free?

Veterinary Notebook costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Pool Doctor or Veterinary Notebook have ads?

Neither Pool Doctor nor Veterinary Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pool Doctor or Veterinary Notebook?

Pool Doctor ships an update every 2 months, and Veterinary Notebook every 3 months. Most recently, Pool Doctor was updated on October 7, 2026 and Veterinary Notebook on May 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*