# Fishi vs SF Journal

The clearest difference is monetization model: SF Journal at free with in-app purchases against Fishi's subscription. SF Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). Fishi's advantage is ratings volume (593 vs 13) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fishi sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and SF Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SF Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fishi has 593 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Fishi's written reviews are positive against 67% of SF Journal's.

Fishi ships an update every 3 weeks, SF Journal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fishi | SF Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (593 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fishi-aquarium-manager/id6450653339/reviews) | **[4.8 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-journal/id6753732321/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **593** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 56.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 347 MB | 360 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rafael Mirza](https://appshunter.io/developer/1572990563) | [Jeffrey Bemelmans](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836784862) |

## What reviewers say

### Fishi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fishi-aquarium-manager/id6450653339)

Manage and track all your exotic pets and their habitats. Discover new species, monitor environmental conditions, and receive care reminders to ensure your animals thrive. Perfect for both new and experienced pet keepers.

**Highlights:** Pet tracking, Species discovery, Habitat health monitoring, Water parameter tracking, Feeding reminders, Maintenance alerts, Care condition insights

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fishi 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Sub Fishi | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Fishi Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Fishi  Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Fishi Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 📊 Excellent parameter tracking and logging capabilities
- 🐠 Comprehensive fish and plant database with detailed information
- 🚀 Responsive developers who implement feature requests quickly
- 💜 Regular updates and continuous app improvements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive paywall strategy limiting core functionality
- 🔒 Paywall appears after initial setup (misleading onboarding)
- ❌ Limited free fish species available (mostly cichlids)
- 🚫 Cannot add multiple fish without premium subscription
- 📱 Inconsistent feature availability between free and paid tiers

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when adding certain fish species
- Parameter tracking not displaying all logged measurements (nitrate/nitrite)
- Betta fish warning incorrectly suggests multiple bettas needed
- Deleted species cannot be re-added (locked permanently)
- Free trial popup repeatedly appears and requires device restart

**Requested features**

- Multi-user/collaborative tank management for couples and families
- Plant species tracking and health monitoring
- Initial tank cycle tracking feature
- Advanced filtering system for fish discovery (multiple tags simultaneously)
- Ability to edit dates on logged events


### SF Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-journal/id6753732321)

This app serves as an unofficial companion for a popular space exploration game. It offers a centralized hub for managing exploration progress, tracking missions, and accessing lore. The interface is designed for long gaming sessions, providing essential game context without needing to switch away from the game.

**Highlights:** Star system exploration with planet details, Galaxy map for organized exploration, Resource and crafting material lookup, Character skill and progression planning, Mission and quest tracking, Lore recap timeline

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starfield Journal | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fishi free?

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

### Is SF Journal free?

SF Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Fishi or SF Journal?

SF Journal is rated higher. Fishi averages 4.6 out of 5 from 593 ratings, while SF Journal averages 4.8 from 13 ratings.

### Do Fishi or SF Journal have ads?

Fishi shows ads; SF Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Fishi or SF Journal?

Fishi ships an update every 3 weeks, and SF Journal every 2 days. Most recently, Fishi was updated on October 30, 2026 and SF Journal on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*