# Aquarist's Notes vs ReefBay

The clearest difference is ads: Aquarist's Notes at none against ReefBay's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aquarist's Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ReefBay sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Aquarist's Notes ships an update every 6 days, ReefBay weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aquarist's Notes | ReefBay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (474 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reefbay/id6478054386/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **474** |
| Positive reviews | — | 82.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 16 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ludek Slouf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1664390856) | [Toolit Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1331221462) |

## What reviewers say

### Aquarist's Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aquarists-notes/id6451252680)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $9.99 | per year |


### ReefBay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reefbay/id6478054386)

Manage your saltwater aquarium with this app. Track water parameters, log inhabitants, and get task reminders. Connect with a community of hobbyists, explore a marketplace, and access guides for a thriving reef tank.

**Highlights:** Local marketplace for buying/selling, Explore coral and fish listings, Personalized tank profiles, Water parameter tracking, Community forums and support, Task reminders for maintenance, Aquarium guides and resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ReefBay DeepDive | $4.99 | per month |
| ReefBay DeepDive | $4.99 | per month |
| ReefBay DeepDive | $29.99 | per year |
| ReefBay DeepDive | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 📊 Comprehensive parameter tracking with visual graphs
- 🌐 Active community for sharing and learning
- 🛒 Integrated marketplace for buying/selling coral and equipment
- 💬 Social hub connecting reef keepers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Coral identification feature is inaccurate
- 🎨 Inconsistent UI presentation and design
- ❌ Navigation dead ends and UI issues
- 📧 Excessive email notifications despite unsubscribing
- 🔐 Account deletion/data loss concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Coral ID misidentifies corals as fish
- App stopped working after update
- Cannot click create button due to text overlap
- Account mysteriously deleted
- Unsubscribe function not working for emails

**Requested features**

- Add ammonia and nitrite to water parameter tracking
- Improve coral identification accuracy
- Enhance UI consistency and presentation
- Better email notification management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aquarist's Notes free?

Aquarist's Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ReefBay free?

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

### Do Aquarist's Notes or ReefBay have ads?

ReefBay shows ads; Aquarist's Notes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Aquarist's Notes or ReefBay?

Aquarist's Notes ships an update every 6 days, and ReefBay weekly. Most recently, Aquarist's Notes was updated on October 15, 2026 and ReefBay on October 27, 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.*