# Nitrox Buddy vs Buddy

The clearest difference is rating: Nitrox Buddy at 4.9 against Buddy's 4.3. Nitrox Buddy also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 77%) and ratings volume (490 vs 49). Buddy's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nitrox Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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.

Nitrox Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nitrox Buddy has 490 ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Nitrox Buddy's written reviews are positive against 77% of Buddy's.

Nitrox Buddy ships an update every 7 months, Buddy monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nitrox Buddy | Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (490 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nitrox-buddy/id572411073/reviews)** | [4.3 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-social-dive-app/id1588860327/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **490** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | **95.8% of reviews** | 76.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 6 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Gereon Steffens](https://appshunter.io/developer/493030228) | [Dive with Buddy, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588860329) |

## What reviewers say

### Nitrox Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nitrox-buddy/id572411073)

This application serves as a straightforward calculator for nitrox and enriched air divers. It quickly computes essential dive data such as Maximum Operating Depth (MOD), Equivalent Air Depth (EAD), Best Mix, and Partial Pressure of Oxygen (PPO2). It supports both imperial and metric units and offers a companion watch app for on-the-go calculations.

**Highlights:** Calculate MOD, EAD, Best Mix, PPO2, Imperial and metric unit support, Sea and fresh water options, Selectable max oxygen content, Selectable max partial pressure, Companion watch app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Quick calculations
- ✅ Accurate results
- 💡 Free to use
- 🎯 Essential for Nitrox divers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📱 Ugly iPad icon
- ⚠️ MOD calculation limited to 40% O2 in older versions
- ⚠️ MOD calculation limited to 50% O2 in older versions
- ⚠️ Needs to work with older iOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- iPad icon is ugly
- MOD limit of 50% O2 despite 100% O2 setting (resolved)
- MOD limit of 40% O2 (older version)
- Does not work with older iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add MOD 1.5 option
- Allow MOD calculation up to 100% O2 and indicate max exposure duration
- Change color for inappropriate mixes (e.g., 50% at 40m)
- Support older iOS versions (5 & 6)


### 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 Nitrox Buddy free?

Nitrox Buddy 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, Nitrox Buddy or Buddy?

Nitrox Buddy is rated higher. Nitrox Buddy averages 4.9 out of 5 from 490 ratings, while Buddy averages 4.3 from 49 ratings.

### Do Nitrox Buddy or Buddy have ads?

Neither Nitrox Buddy nor Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nitrox Buddy or Buddy?

Nitrox Buddy ships an update every 7 months, and Buddy monthly. Most recently, Nitrox Buddy was updated on November 6, 2026 and Buddy on November 3, 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.*