# Tropica vs Aquarist's Notes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tropica at none against Aquarist's Notes's 2. Aquarist's Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 13 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aquarist's Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Tropica asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tropica ships an update every 13 months, Aquarist's Notes every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tropica | Aquarist's Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tropica/id525450721/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **45** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 68 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tropica Aquarium Plants AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/525450724) | [Ludek Slouf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1664390856) |

## What reviewers say

### Tropica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tropica/id525450721)

This app helps both beginners and experienced hobbyists enhance their aquascaping. It allows you to track aquariums, get plant recommendations, and find inspiration with exclusive guides. It also offers helpful setup and maintenance advice for new aquarium owners.

**Highlights:** Track virtual aquarium collection, Plant recommendations, Favorite plant list, Aquascape inspiration and guides, Aquatic plants for home decor, Aquarium setup and maintenance guides, 90-day aquarium guide

**In-app purchases:** none


### Aquarist's Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aquarists-notes/id6451252680)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tropica free?

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

### Is Aquarist's Notes free?

Aquarist's Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Tropica or Aquarist's Notes have ads?

Neither Tropica nor Aquarist's Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tropica or Aquarist's Notes?

Tropica ships an update every 13 months, and Aquarist's Notes every 6 days. Most recently, Tropica was updated on October 29, 2026 and Aquarist's Notes on October 15, 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.*