# Practical Fishkeeping vs ShopNotes Magazine

The clearest difference is monetization model: Practical Fishkeeping at free with in-app purchases against ShopNotes Magazine's subscription. Practical Fishkeeping also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3). ShopNotes Magazine's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Practical Fishkeeping sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ShopNotes Magazine sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Practical Fishkeeping holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 23 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 33% and 33% positive.

Practical Fishkeeping ships an update every 5 months, ShopNotes Magazine every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Practical Fishkeeping | ShopNotes Magazine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/practical-fishkeeping/id547923062/reviews)** | [4.3 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shopnotes-magazine/id6443653778/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **31** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 49 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Warners Group Publications PLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/586192010) | [Active Interest Media, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/419605844) |

## What reviewers say

### Practical Fishkeeping

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/practical-fishkeeping/id547923062)

Access expert advice on keeping tropical, marine, and freshwater fish. Discover the latest aquarium equipment reviews, fish species guides, and aquascaping tips. This app provides comprehensive resources for both aspiring and experienced fishkeepers.

**Highlights:** Expert fishkeeping advice, Aquarium equipment reviews, Fish species guides, Tropical marine tank advice, Freshwater and cold water tank advice, Aquascaping tips

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PFK 1M Auto-Renewable Sub | $3.99 | per month |
| Practical Fishkeeping Subscription | $7.99 | per 2 months |
| Practical Fishkeeping Subscription | $17.99 | per 3 months |
| Practical Fishkeeping Subscription | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| Practical Fishkeeping Summer Sale Subscription | $31.99 | per year |
| PFK - Annual Backissues | $38.99 | per year |
| PFK 12M Auto-Renewable Sub | $69.99 | per year |
| PFK: Practical Fishkeeping | $3.99 | one-time |
| March 2025 (pp:1110457) | $5.99 | one-time |
| February 2026 (pp:1136699) | $5.99 | one-time |
| August 2023 (id:704742) | $5.99 | one-time |
| April 2023 (id:823926) | $5.99 | one-time |


### ShopNotes Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shopnotes-magazine/id6443653778)

This digital publication is for woodworking enthusiasts, offering insights into techniques, shop projects, and tools. Explore the heart of woodworking with detailed articles and guides.

**Highlights:** Woodworking techniques, Shop projects, Tool reviews, Jigs and guides, Digital magazine format

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription 1 year | $19.99 | per year |
| Issue #135 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue Nr. 135 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue Nr. 136 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #136 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #137 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #141 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #140 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #142 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #138 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue #139 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue 154 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue 150 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue 145 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Issue 144 | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Practical Fishkeeping free?

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

### Is ShopNotes Magazine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Practical Fishkeeping or ShopNotes Magazine?

Practical Fishkeeping is rated higher. Practical Fishkeeping averages 4.8 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while ShopNotes Magazine averages 4.3 from 23 ratings.

### Do Practical Fishkeeping or ShopNotes Magazine have ads?

Neither Practical Fishkeeping nor ShopNotes Magazine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Practical Fishkeeping or ShopNotes Magazine?

Practical Fishkeeping ships an update every 5 months, and ShopNotes Magazine every 4 months. Most recently, Practical Fishkeeping was updated on October 18, 2026 and ShopNotes Magazine on October 13, 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.*