Comparison

AquaticLog vs Smart Reef

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AquaticLog

Manage your aquarium with this comprehensive platform. Track water parameters, schedule maintenance, log livestock, and document your tank's progress with photos and videos. Connect controllers for automatic data import and sync across devices.

Highlights
  • Water parameter tracking
  • Smart reminders for maintenance
  • Livestock management
  • Equipment and dosing logs
  • Controller integration
  • Photo and video diary
  • Community features
Features
Read full description

AquaticLog is the complete companion for every aquarium you keep. Whether you run a single planted tank, a peaceful community aquarium, or a full-blown reef, AquaticLog helps you keep your water stable, your livestock thriving, and your routine on track. ONE ACCOUNT, EVERY DEVICE Your log is stored in your AquaticLog account, not on your phone. Sign in on a new iPhone, an iPad, or the web at aquaticlog.com and everything is already there. Aquarists have trusted AquaticLog with their records for over 13 years. Swipe between aquariums right from the main tank view. Keep one or several tanks visible on your iPhone Home Screen with configurable widgets. WATER PARAMETERS Log pH, temperature, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, salinity, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and more. Watch every reading on clear trend charts so you can catch a swing before it ever reaches your fish or corals. Connect a Neptune Apex, Hydros, AquaWiz or Seneye and supported readings flow in automatically every hour. Select and delete multiple inaccurate or duplicate readings from a parameter’s history in one step. LIVESTOCK AND PLANTS Build a detailed record of every fish, coral, invertebrate, plant and amphibian you own. Snap a photo the moment you add a new fish or coral, or pick one from your library. Track sex, temperament, diet, difficulty and reef-safety, and move inhabitants between tanks as your collection grows. MAINTENANCE MADE SIMPLE Schedule water changes, dosing, feeding, testing and equipment cleaning. Smart reminders make sure nothing slips, and a single tap logs the job as done. End a repeating schedule on a date or after a set count, and see your maintenance time per day and week. DOSING AND FEEDING Set up dosing and feeding programs, track supplements, and keep a precise history of exactly what went into your tank and when. Re-dose additives, repeat feedings and repeat water changes in one tap, prefilled with your last amounts. WATER CHANGES AND RO/DI Record every water change and keep an eye on your RO/DI output so your source water stays dialed in. PHOTO TIMELINE Document growth and coloration over time and share your progress or ask for help on the community forum. ADVANCED TESTING Log ICP water analyses and PAR light readings to fine-tune even the most demanding reef. Track test-kit reagents: every logged test counts one down, and the app warns you before a kit runs dry. EQUIPMENT Keep a full inventory of pumps, lights, filters and more, with ratings and reviews to guide your next upgrade. Browse the product catalog by category or brand, see how many tanks run each product, and add one to your tank or shopping list straight from its page. A spending report totals what you've paid per store across livestock and equipment, filterable by tank and date range (Pro). EXPLORE AND CONNECT Search public tanks by what actually lives in them — look for a torch coral in the 15-30 gallon range and see how other nano reefs are scaped. Filter by tank style (mixed reef, SPS, LPS, soft coral, planted, macro algae, fish only), size, water type and recent activity, and open any tank to see its photos, parameters, gear and livestock. Browse a growing database of species and products, read and write reviews, like and comment on photos, and earn achievements as you go. Make your tank public to share its link, or copy a snapshot of its parameters, livestock and gear when asking for advice. Available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and Brazilian Portuguese. Start for free — new accounts log water parameters without limits for their first 30 days — then upgrade to Pro for advanced tracking and tools. The yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial. Get a daily AI suggestion based on your aquarium’s inhabitants, readings and care history. Privacy Policy: https://www.aquaticlog.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Smart Reef

Manage your marine aquarium with this app. It provides device management, alerts for issues, and detailed historical data. A central dashboard offers a clear overview of your aquarium's status and device operations.

Highlights
  • Device management
  • Aquarium alerts
  • Measurement history
  • Operational status dashboard
  • Planned job journal
  • Preset sharing
Features
Read full description

Functionality: • device management • alerts when any problems occur in the aquarium • presentation of measurements and the operational status of devices • device operation and measurements history • clear, collective dashboard with information on device operation • modern table of parameters measured in the aquarium • unique journal of planned jobs and aquarium task history integrated with devices Devices may be connected via a Wi-Fi network and your home router. Dashboard sharing, loading and sharing of presets with other users and many more useful features. Supported devices: • Thermo control - temperature controller • Thermo view - temperature monitor • TDS meter - reverse osmosis water monitor • Salinity guardian - salinity monitor • pH meter - pH monitor • Level sensor - water/liquid level meter • Level keeper - automatic water refill system • Smart pump - dosing pump • Power switcher - timing programmer / device switch • Reef flare - smart LED lamp • Smart roller • Smart tester • Dosing pumps • kH keeper

Screenshots

AquaticLog4 screens
Smart Reef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AquaticLog at 71% against Smart Reef's 4%. AquaticLog also leads on rating (4.2 vs 1.6) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Smart Reef's advantage is iOS requirement (14.6 vs 18.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AquaticLog sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Smart Reef sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AquaticLog holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AquaticLog has 401 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of AquaticLog's written reviews are positive against 4% of Smart Reef's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AquaticLog ships an update weekly, Smart Reef every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
AquaticLog versus Smart Reef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAquaticLogSmart Reef
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (401 ratings) — better1.6 (19 ratings)
Positive reviews70.5% of reviews — better3.8% of reviews
Number of ratings401 — better19
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.114.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLonnex IncReef Factory sp. z o.o.

Customer experience

AquaticLog

All ratings401 ratings
Positive80.5%
Neutral3.2%
Negative16.2%
Written reviews217 reviews
Positive70.5%
Neutral5.1%
Negative24.4%

Smart Reef

All ratings19 ratings
Positive10.5%
Neutral5.3%
Negative84.2%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive3.8%
Neutral11.5%
Negative84.6%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

AquaticLog

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly Membership7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime Membership$149.99
8 purchases

Smart Reef

One-time8
  • Warranty 3 years$12.99
  • Warranty 3 years$17.99
  • Warranty 3 years$19.99
Show 5 more
  • Warranty 3 years2 variants$24.99
  • Warranty 3 years$29.99
  • Warranty 3 years2 variants$34.99
  • Warranty 3 years2 variants$39.99
  • Warranty 3 years$49.99

Questions

Is AquaticLog free?
AquaticLog is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smart Reef free?
Smart Reef is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AquaticLog or Smart Reef?
AquaticLog is rated higher. AquaticLog averages 4.2 out of 5 from 401 ratings, while Smart Reef averages 1.6 from 19 ratings.
Do AquaticLog or Smart Reef have ads?
Neither AquaticLog nor Smart Reef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AquaticLog or Smart Reef?
AquaticLog ships an update weekly, and Smart Reef every 3 months. Most recently, AquaticLog was updated on September 21, 2026 and Smart Reef on September 26, 2026.

Other comparisons