# Spool Buddy vs SpoolMate

The clearest difference is rating: SpoolMate at 5.0 against Spool Buddy's 4.3. Spool Buddy's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spool Buddy sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and SpoolMate sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SpoolMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spool Buddy | SpoolMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-buddy/id6752347588/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spoolmate/id6759874466/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Martian Code Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099214691) | [Chris TeSelle](https://appshunter.io/developer/445300197) |

## What reviewers say

### Spool Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-buddy/id6752347588)

Effortlessly manage your 3D printing filament inventory. Track brands, colors, and usage with a simple, fast interface. Syncs seamlessly across Apple devices without requiring logins or network calls.

**Highlights:** iCloud syncing, No logins or network calls, Track brands, colors, and modifiers, Search and filter by properties, Usage and inventory tracking, Optimized for iOS and macOS

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |


### SpoolMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spoolmate/id6759874466)

Track your 3D printing filament inventory with this app. Easily monitor remaining filament, log usage after prints, and receive low-stock notifications to ensure you always have enough material for your projects.

**Highlights:** Track filament levels, Log filament usage, Low-stock notifications, Support for common materials, Print history per spool, One-tap reordering

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| SpoolMate+ | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spool Buddy free?

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

### Is SpoolMate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spool Buddy or SpoolMate?

SpoolMate is rated higher. Spool Buddy averages 4.3 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while SpoolMate averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Spool Buddy or SpoolMate have ads?

SpoolMate shows ads; Spool Buddy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Spool Buddy or SpoolMate?

Spool Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and SpoolMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Spool Buddy was updated on September 24, 2026 and SpoolMate on October 1, 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.*