# Dive Plan vs Buddy

The clearest difference is rating: Buddy at 4.3 against Dive Plan's 1.8. Buddy also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 37%) and monetization model (freemium vs paid). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dive Plan sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buddy has 49 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Dive Plan's written reviews are positive against 77% of Buddy's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dive Plan | Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dive-plan/id496279549/reviews) | **[4.3 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-social-dive-app/id1588860327/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **49** |
| Positive reviews | 36.7% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 2 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [AXIS Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/472646203) | [Dive with Buddy, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588860329) |

## What reviewers say

### Dive Plan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dive-plan/id496279549)

This app serves as a digital decompression table and logbook for divers. It helps calculate non-stop dive times and log dives, compatible with major diving organizations' tables. It supports both air and enriched air (nitrox) tanks.

**Highlights:** Digital decompression tables, Dive logbook, Compatibility with major diving organizations, Supports air and nitrox tanks, Practice for dive certification exams, General dive planning guide

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dive Plan Pro - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Dive Plan Pro - Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| Nitrox EANX Mode | $2.99 | one-time |
| Dive Plan Pro Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |


### Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-social-dive-app/id1588860327)

This app is a comprehensive companion for divers, offering features to log dives, manage gear, and connect with a community of ocean enthusiasts. It provides tools for both free and premium users to enhance their underwater adventures and discover new diving experiences.

**Highlights:** Dive Log recording and validation, Buddy network and activity feed, Gear management, Offline access to certifications, Buddy Radar for finding dive buddies, Discover feed for underwater content

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buddy Radar: Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Buddy Radar: Annual | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🌍 Connects divers globally
- 🗺️ Great for logging dives
- 📸 Ability to add photos/videos
- 🤝 Facilitates meeting new dive buddies

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buddy radar not working
- 📉 Low user count in some areas
- 💸 Social features feel like a money grab
- 🤷‍♂️ Missing advanced features
- 🔌 No import/export of data

**Reported bugs**

- Buddy radar not working
- App crashes and becomes unresponsive
- Login issues (email not found)
- Draft dives appearing in public searches
- Deleted drafts still appearing publicly

**Requested features**

- Open to dive status to link people
- Ability to import/export data
- Direct data download from dive computers
- Support for technical diving features (e.g., double tanks, trimix volumes)
- Inclusion of smaller certification organizations (GUE, UTD)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dive Plan free?

Dive Plan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Buddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dive Plan or Buddy?

Buddy is rated higher. Dive Plan averages 1.8 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Buddy averages 4.3 from 49 ratings.

### Do Dive Plan or Buddy have ads?

Neither Dive Plan nor Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dive Plan or Buddy?

Dive Plan ships an update monthly, and Buddy monthly. Most recently, Dive Plan was updated on October 23, 2026 and Buddy on October 24, 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.*