Comparison

Aquael BT vs Reefability

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

Head to head
About

Aquael BT

Control your aquarium's lighting, filtration, and heating remotely. Create custom light cycles, adjust filter flow, and monitor temperature from anywhere in the world. Features include shared access and PIN protection for settings.

Highlights
  • Remote aquarium device control
  • Customizable lighting modes and spectra
  • Programmable sunrise/sunset cycles
  • Adjustable filter flow and precise heating
  • Feeding mode for controlled food placement
  • Shared access for collaborative management
  • PIN protection for settings
Features
Read full description

Full control of your AQUAEL BT devices — now also with the Wi-Fi Gateway BT hub and access from anywhere. Turn your aquarium into a smart, always-connected ecosystem. The AQUAEL BT app lets you control lighting, filtration, and heating with a single tap — whether you’re standing by the tank or on the other side of the world. Pair devices in seconds and fine-tune every parameter to give your fish ideal conditions. What’s new: - Remote control via Aquael Cloud – create a cloud account and connect the Wi-Fi Gateway BT to control BT devices from anywhere and receive push notifications about aquarium status (local BLE range up to 10 m; Wi-Fi range depends on the router). - Stability and performance improvements. Key features: - Two lighting modes – FIXED (steady light) or Day & Night (smooth day-night transitions). - Four ready-made spectra – PLANT, SUNNY, MARINE, and CUSTOM, each fully adjustable. - Programmable sunrise–sunset cycles that mimic natural light. - Flow adjustment – set and schedule filter output. - Precise heating – monitor and correct temperature remotely. - Feeding mode – slows the flow with one click so food stays in the feeding zone. - Wide compatibility – Ultra Slim BT and Leddy Smart BT lamps, Hyper Max BT and Ultramax BT filters, Flow Heater BT heaters, and future BT models. - Multilingual interface – automatically detects your phone’s language (8 versions). - Shared access – invite family members or coworkers to manage the aquarium together. - PIN protection – safeguard key settings against accidental changes. Wi-Fi Gateway BT Acts as a secure bridge between AQUAEL BT devices and the cloud. Once configured, you can monitor parameters and receive notifications from anywhere with an internet connection. Keep your underwater world in perfect condition — effortlessly and from anywhere — with AQUAEL BT.

About

Reefability

This AI-powered app offers scientific precision for managing coral reef aquariums. It analyzes microbiome health, water chemistry, and light optimization, and can identify issues from tank photos. It provides tools for hobbyists and professionals to maintain thriving reef ecosystems.

Highlights
  • AI-driven analysis of reef tank health
  • Smart photo diagnostics for issue identification
  • Evidence-based solutions and recommendations
  • Ecosystem stability insights
  • Professional tools for reef stores and professionals
  • Integrated parameter monitoring
Features
Read full description

The reef app that sees your whole tank. Reefability connects your chemistry, livestock, light, flow, microbiome and dosing, so every answer takes your entire reef into account. Built for reef tanks only, by reefers who did the research first. Reefability was the first AI-powered reef aquarium app, and it has now been rebuilt from the ground up as Reefability Symbiosis. YOUR TANK, BUILT RIGHT Guided tank setup, drawn live as you go, with the true water volume after sand and rock Cycling mode and Quarantine mode, each with the tools that stage needs Farm and grow-out tanks, plus connected systems that share one body of water REEF MAP Turn one front photo into a 3D model of your real rockwork Place your lights and pumps, then tap any spot for estimated PAR and flow Every coral is graded against the light and flow where it actually sits CHEMISTRY AND NUTRIENTS Log readings by voice, by photo of your test kit, or from your controller Upload ICP and DOC lab reports and see risks and trends on the same charts Ideal ranges that follow your tank, so a soft coral reef isn't held to SPS numbers See whether your filtration keeps up with your bioload, and which method does the work DOSING 400+ supplements from 27 brands, with strengths taken from each maker's label Dose suggestions based on your latest test and your water volume Connected dosers, bottle tracking and reminders Captiv8, Triton, Red Sea and Modern Reef dosing methods LIVESTOCK AND CORALS Add animals by name, by photo, or by scanning your store receipt Care sheets for 500+ species, with bioload and tankmate warnings before you buy Coral Growth: a photo every two weeks tracks size, pace and color over time Compatibility reports that show what to expect before you add an animal PESTS AND MICROBIOME Identify pests from photos, pin them on your 3D tank, and follow them until they're gone A microbiome care score, with guided recovery after medication or a deep clean SAFETY PLANS Weather and air quality alerts for your area, turned into prep lists sized for your tank Smoke warnings if your skimmer pulls in outdoor air Know how many hours your pumps will run on backup power PEOPLE AROUND YOUR REEF Sitter mode: give a sitter a simple code, daily tasks and a help button Experts: book a video call with a reef expert who sees your tank data ahead of time Reefers: share your tank, ask the community and join testing challenges FOR STORES, FARMS AND MAINTENANCE COMPANIES Team mode: manage staff with their own access codes, assign tasks per tank, and keep client tank details and routes in one place REEFER AI An assistant that reads your entire tank, not just one number Charts on demand when numbers need a picture Talk out loud when your hands are wet, and leave voice notes CONNECTED Works with reef controllers and test devices, including Neptune Apex, GHL, Red Sea, CoralVue Hydros, Aquarino, Jabao, Focustronic, Aquawiz and Xepta. Available in multiple languages.

Screenshots

Aquael BT4 screens
Reefability4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Aquael BT at 100% against Reefability's 34%. Aquael BT also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 9). Reefability's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (34 vs 6). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Reefability sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Aquael BT asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Aquael BT holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reefability has 34 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Aquael BT's written reviews are positive against 34% of Reefability's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aquael BT ships an update every 3 weeks, Reefability every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Aquael BT versus Reefability: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAquael BTReefability
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6 ratings) — better3.0 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better34.4% of reviews
Number of ratings634 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.015.0.0
Further details — not scored
Size166 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAQUAEL SP Z O OReefability

Customer experience

Aquael BT

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Reefability

All ratings34 ratings
Positive47.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive34.4%
Neutral12.5%
Negative53.1%

In-app purchases

None

Aquael BT

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Reefability

Subscriptions4
  • 1-Month2 Months trial$9.991 Month
  • Controller plan (monthly)$11.991 Month
  • 12-Month$34.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Controller plan (annual)$49.991 Year
One-time5
  • Day pass$1.99
  • 5 tank rebuilds$2.99
  • Week pass$4.99
Show 2 more
  • 15 tank rebuilds$6.99
  • Month pass$12.99

Questions

Is Aquael BT free?
Aquael BT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Reefability free?
Reefability is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Aquael BT or Reefability?
Aquael BT is rated higher. Aquael BT averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Reefability averages 3.0 from 34 ratings.
Do Aquael BT or Reefability have ads?
Neither Aquael BT nor Reefability shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aquael BT or Reefability?
Aquael BT ships an update every 3 weeks, and Reefability every 2 days. Most recently, Aquael BT was updated on October 8, 2026 and Reefability on October 15, 2026.

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