Comparison

DiveCore vs FreeDive Ultra

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

Head to head
About

DiveCore

This app transforms your Apple Watch Ultra into a comprehensive dive computer, offering real-time decompression data, freediving modes, and estimated dive routes. It analyzes your dives with on-device AI and logs them automatically, with advanced photo editing for underwater shots.

Highlights
  • Real-time decompression model
  • Freediving modes (CWT, STA, DYN)
  • Estimated dive route tracking
  • On-device AI dive analysis
  • Automatic dive logging
  • Underwater photo editing
  • No-fly timer with Live Activity
Features
Read full description

DiveCore — Dive Computer for Apple Watch Ultra DiveCore uses your Apple Watch Ultra's depth sensor, compass, and accelerometer to show your dive on your wrist. It syncs with the iPhone companion app and uses on-device AI to help you review your dives. [ Core Features ] Dive Computer (Apple Watch Ultra) - Bühlmann ZHL-16C with adjustable Gradient Factors - Real-time 16-tissue compartment decompression model - No-decompression limit (NDL) and decompression ceiling - Automatic safety stop countdown (3 min @ 3-6 m, credited with shallow deco stop time) - Ascent rate alarm + haptic warnings - PPO2 oxygen limit alarm - Auto water lock - HealthKit workout session integration - 30Hz smooth digital compass Freediving Mode - Depth disciplines (CWT / CWTB / FIM), static apnea (STA), dynamic apnea (DYN / DNF) - Automatic dive detection for depth, manual timer with lap entry for pool disciplines - Dive count, max depth, surface interval, heart rate, and a per-session log - A session spans many dives: surfacing starts the rest timer, and you end the session yourself - Freedive mode runs no decompression model and no gas or NDL alarms - It cannot detect shallow-water blackout. Never freedive alone, and always dive with direct, trained supervision Estimated Dive Route - Surface GPS at entry and exit; underwater path estimated from compass, motion and depth, then drift-corrected with the exit fix - 3D route view on iPhone with insights (speed, activity, pattern, current drift) This is not real underwater GPS tracking. It is a sensor-fusion estimate based on the diver's magnetic heading and motion, with both endpoints corrected by surface GPS fixes. No-Fly Timer (Live Activity) - DAN/UHMS guideline tiers (12h single no-deco / 18h repetitive or multi-day / 24h decompression), never shortened by a later dive - Lock-screen + Dynamic Island countdown AI Analysis (XAI — Explainable) - 100% on-device, no external API calls - Dive score (0-100) with itemized breakdown, stress zones and personal baseline Dive Log + Share - iCloud automatic sync across devices - Auto-recorded: water temp, gas mix, SAC, tank pressure, algorithm, no-fly time - Infographic share card; entry/exit points open in Apple Maps DiveCore Studio (Photo Editor) - Underwater color correction, depth-based red channel restoration, AI dehaze - Dive log watermark Watch Display Customization - Technical bottom bar (incl. heading), Minimal card slots and MAX ring field iPhone Companion - Detailed dive log with depth profile chart - PADI RDP dive planner, AI report, dive site location, statistics, iCloud backup [ Required Hardware ] - Apple Watch Ultra (1st generation or later) - iPhone with iOS 18+ - iCloud account + Apple Sign-In [ Accessibility ] - VoiceOver support and Dynamic Type - 14 languages [ Subscription Terms ] - DiveCore Pro (choose one; all unlock the full feature set): - Yearly: $29.99/year (KRW 44,000) - includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers - Monthly: $4.99/month (KRW 7,700) - no free trial - 1-Day Pass: $2.99 (KRW 3,300) - 24-hour access, non-renewing (does not auto-renew) - Prices may vary by storefront and currency. - Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase - Yearly and Monthly auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - If not cancelled at least 24 hours before the trial ends, you will be charged automatically - Manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your device's App Store account settings - Terms of Use (EULA): https://furyus.dev/terms - Privacy Policy: https://furyus.dev/privacy IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION DiveCore is a supplementary tool for trained, certified divers. It is not a replacement for proper training, dive tables, or a backup dive computer. Always dive within the limits of your training and certification, follow your primary dive computer, and carry a redundant device. Diving carries inherent risks, including serious injury or death.

About

FreeDive Ultra

This app automatically tracks freedives on Apple Watch Ultra, recording depth, time, and temperature. It offers GPS mapping of your route, recovery timers with heart rate, and detailed session analysis on your iPhone. Log conditions, add notes, and review dive profiles.

Highlights
  • Automatic dive tracking
  • GPS route mapping
  • Real-time depth, time, temperature
  • Recovery timer with heart rate
  • Dive spot saving and navigation
  • Detailed dive profile charts
  • Session logging and notes
Features
Read full description

FreeDive Ultra is the only app built exclusively for freediving and spearfishing on Apple Watch Ultra, with open water, pool and dry apnea modes. THE DIVE Tap once and every dive is tracked: depth, dive time and water temperature, second by second. Live Dive shows as you descend, Recovery when you surface, with your surface interval and live heart rate. Choose what each shows: more values, or fewer in bigger numbers. ZERO TOUCH, BY DESIGN You never touch the screen. The Digital Crown moves between screens. The Action Button acts on whichever screen you are looking at: set your heading on the compass, cycle to the next dive spot, drop a marker on your route, save a length in the pool, or start and stop a STA hold. NAVIGATE THE WATER Save a GPS pin with a turn of the Crown. The Route screen tracks your path as you go and shows how far you have travelled, with every marker you dropped on the Action Button laid along it. Curate up to 10 dive sites on iPhone and all of them reach your watch. Cycle through them with the Action Button, and navigate to any one with live direction and distance on the dial. For spearos and freedivers alike, that is the difference between finding the mark again and searching for it. LIVE SHARE Send a web link and anyone can follow your session live: where you are, how deep you went, how long you held. Press the Action Button to send them a short message from your watch. POOL AND DRY TRAINING Pool mode logs every rep and its distance automatically, in DYN, DYNB, DNF or STA, with Dive, Rest, Breathe Up and STA alerts. In Train, run guided pool workouts on your watch: static CO2 and O2 tables you can adjust, or build your own. For dry apnea, take a breath hold test, then follow CO2 and O2 tables built from your max, or make your own, with voice cues through each round. Equalise teaches equalizing by depth, with a mouthfill calculator and dry drills on land. BACK ON LAND Sessions sync to iPhone and iPad on their own. At a glance: dive count, max depth, longest dive, session time, plus calories and heart rate in Apple Fitness. See your route on a map with total distance, entry and exit points, and every location you saved. Add photos and video, log visibility, current and surface conditions, write notes, and rate the session. Session Charts show heart rate, depth and water temperature across the whole session. Every dive gets its own profile, descent and ascent rates, and surface heart rate. YOUR LOGBOOK ON THE WEB Every dive, map and note on a big screen, and you can edit them there too. Sign in at app.freediveultra.com DEPTH Depth reading is capped at 6 metres while we work with Apple on the full 40m entitlement. Every other feature works identically at any depth. FREE VS PRO The free tier is a real dive watch: automatic tracking, real-time depth and dive time, surface recovery with live heart rate, pool, dry apnea and equalization training, your dive list on iPhone, iCloud backup, demo dives and UDDF import. No subscription, no time limit, no catch. Pro adds the rest. On the watch: session overview, descent and ascent speed, compass, Route, dive spot navigation, saved locations, 8 haptic alarms, Live Share, and automatic stealth mode that dims the display and silences haptics the moment you go under. Tune it with session timeout, custom surface screens and Crown sensitivity. Plus pool alerts, a Default Discipline and guided pool workouts. On iPhone, Pro opens every open water and pool session in full, and every dive inside it. Share a whole session or a single dive as a card or a video, sized for Instagram and TikTok, or replay a dive as a 3D Flyover. Export in UDDF, the standard dive log software reads. 7-day free trial. Built by a freediver, for freedivers and spearos. Tap once, and dive. freediveultra.com Discord: discord.gg/uFrdEeypRr Support: support@freediveultra.com Privacy: freediveultra.com/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

DiveCore4 screens
FreeDive Ultra4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: DiveCore at none against FreeDive Ultra's shown. DiveCore also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 82%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 10 days). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. DiveCore sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and FreeDive Ultra sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DiveCore ships an update every 5 days, FreeDive Ultra every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
DiveCore versus FreeDive Ultra: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiveCoreFreeDive Ultra
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better81.8% of reviews
Number of ratings—5 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB61 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperJuseong KimALEXIS EDWARD ARGENT

Customer experience

DiveCore

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

FreeDive Ultra

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral18.2%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

DiveCore

Subscriptions2
  • DiveCore Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • DiveCore Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • DiveCore Pro 1-Day Pass$2.99
2 purchases

FreeDive Ultra

Subscriptions2
  • FreeDive Ultra Pro Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • FreeDive Ultra Pro Annual7 Days trial$25.991 Year

Questions

Is DiveCore free?
DiveCore is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FreeDive Ultra free?
FreeDive Ultra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do DiveCore or FreeDive Ultra have ads?
FreeDive Ultra shows ads; DiveCore does not.
Which is updated more often, DiveCore or FreeDive Ultra?
DiveCore ships an update every 5 days, and FreeDive Ultra every 10 days. Most recently, DiveCore was updated on October 31, 2026 and FreeDive Ultra on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons