Comparison

Dalton vs Deep Frontier Dive Tools

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

Head to head
About

Dalton

This app calculates critical dive gas parameters like MOD, EAD, and END, showing all derivations. It offers advanced planning tools for dive profiles and bottom time, with sharing capabilities and home/lock screen widgets for quick access. All core gas calculations are free, with advanced features available via a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • MOD calculation
  • Equivalent Air Depth (EAD)
  • Equivalent Narcotic Depth (END)
  • Best Mix calculation
  • Gas Properties at depth
  • Return Number calculation (Pro)
  • Dive Profile Advisor (Pro)
  • Bottom Time Calculator (Pro)
Read full description

Know your gas. Trust your numbers. Dalton is the gas calculator that shows its work. Every result is verified against PADI Nitrox Tables, TDI Trimix Tables, and Shearwater manuals. Every formula is published with step-by-step derivations and source citations. No black boxes. GAS CALCULATIONS - MOD (Maximum Operating Depth): Find the safe depth limit for any gas mix based on your ppO2 tolerance - Equivalent Air Depth: Calculate nitrogen loading equivalents for nitrox decompression planning - Equivalent Narcotic Depth: Determine narcotic effects at depth for trimix planning - Best Mix: Find the optimal oxygen percentage for your target depth - Gas Properties: Calculate density, partial pressures, and breathing resistance at depth DIVE PLANNING - Return Number (Dalton Pro): Gas volume required for safe ascent — rule of thirds, fourths, or custom reserve fractions. The overhead environment gas management tool most divers do on paper or skip entirely - Dive Profile Advisor (Dalton Pro): Plan multi-level dives with gas switches and depth segments - Bottom Time Calculator (Dalton Pro): Determine available bottom time based on gas supply and consumption Dalton Pro tools require a one-time in-app purchase. All gas calculation tools are free. FORMULA REFERENCE Tap any result to see the full formula derivation with source citations. Dalton is the only mobile gas calculator that publishes every formula it uses. Teach the math. Show the math. SHARE YOUR CALCULATIONS Share any result as a URL with a QR code. Recipients with Dalton installed open the calculation directly in the app. Everyone else sees a web preview with the full results. Dalton Pro tool links show a result summary before the in-app purchase prompt -- useful for team briefings where not everyone has the app. Export formula cards as branded images. Send your gas plan to a buddy, post it in the group chat, or print it for the dive briefing whiteboard. One calculation, shared with the entire team in seconds. HOME SCREEN AND LOCK SCREEN WIDGETS - Quick Launch: A 2x2 grid that opens MOD, Best Mix, EAD/END, or Gas Properties with a single tap. No navigating through menus at the fill station - Quick MOD Reference: Pre-computed MOD for your selected gas mix, available on home screen and lock screen in circular, rectangular, and inline formats. Glance at your lock screen and see your MOD without opening the app - Both widgets are free - All values are pre-computed inside Dalton. No calculation logic runs in the widget extension SAFETY-FIRST DESIGN - Three-tier safety warnings tied to recognized physiological thresholds - Gas-density guidance from Anthony and Mitchell research: preferred below 5.2 g/L, caution from 5.2 to below 6.2 g/L, danger at 6.2 g/L and above - Configurable safety limits with ppO2 range from 1.2 to 1.6 bar - Standard gas mix presets: Air, EAN32, EAN36, and common trimix blends - Full gas range: air, nitrox, and trimix including hypoxic blends to 300m - All calculations work offline; anonymous crash and release-health diagnostics may be sent when online - No subscriptions, no ads, no account creation Every calculation is verified. Every result is reliable. A Tools for Divers, LLC product

About

Deep Frontier Dive Tools

Features
Read full description

Deep Frontier Dive is a decompression planner for trained technical divers. Plan open-circuit and CCR dives with two validated models, complete gas planning, and the contingencies that matter — on iPhone and iPad, fully offline, in metric units. TWO DECOMPRESSION MODELS • Bühlmann ZHL-16C with gradient factors — presets or fully custom GF low/high • VPM-B and VPM-B/GFS with conservatism levels 0–4 • Cross-validated against published reference schedules OPEN CIRCUIT AND CCR • Open-circuit plans with automatic gas switches at sensible depths — ppO2 hard-capped at 1.6, lean deco mixes at 1.4 • CCR plans with bottom and deco setpoints and diluent control • Full open-circuit bailout schedules from your carried bailout gases — never assumed, always checked, with clear warnings when coverage or volume falls short GAS PLANNING • Per-cylinder consumption from your bottom and deco SAC rates • Reserve strategies including rule of thirds • Minimum gas / rock bottom for a two-diver problem at depth • Lost-gas contingencies: every deco gas lost, replanned, and checked against the remaining volumes DIVE DAYS • Repetitive dives with surface intervals • Tissue and bubble state carried from dive to dive • Cumulative CNS and daily OTU totals WARNINGS THAT MATTER ppO2, END, gas density, isobaric counterdiffusion (rule of fifths), CNS and OTU — flagged as caution or danger before you get wet. GAS TOOLS MOD, best mix, EAD, END, gas density and equivalent air-density depth, SAC calculator, and partial-pressure blending worksheets. BUILT FOR THE FIELD • Altitude diving support • Three configurable ascent-rate phases: bottom to deco, during deco, deco to surface • Salt and fresh water • Saved plans — editable, duplicable, never locked • Runtime tables with depth, duration, runtime, gas and ppO2 for every level • Depth-profile chart with stops and gas-switch markers • Works completely offline. No account, no ads, no tracking. FREE AND PRO Open-circuit Bühlmann planning, the gas plan and saved plans are free forever. A single one-time purchase — Deep Frontier Dive Tools Pro — unlocks CCR planning, VPM-B, lost-gas contingencies, dive days and the gas tools. No subscription. IMPORTANT This app is a planning tool for trained technical divers. It is not a substitute for formal training, a dive computer, or your own judgement. Decompression planning involves inherent uncertainty: always validate schedules against your training and agency procedures, plan adequate reserves, and dive entirely at your own risk.

Screenshots

Dalton4 screens
Deep Frontier Dive Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Dalton at fortnightly against Deep Frontier Dive Tools's every 2 months. Deep Frontier Dive Tools's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Dalton sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Deep Frontier Dive Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dalton ships an update fortnightly, Deep Frontier Dive Tools every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Dalton versus Deep Frontier Dive Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDaltonDeep Frontier Dive Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTools for Divers, LLCChristoph Heinrich Fischer

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Dalton

One-time1
  • Dalton Pro$14.99
1 purchases

Deep Frontier Dive Tools

One-time1
  • Deep Frontier Dive Tools Pro$12.99

Questions

Is Dalton free?
Dalton is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Deep Frontier Dive Tools free?
Deep Frontier Dive Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Dalton or Deep Frontier Dive Tools have ads?
Neither Dalton nor Deep Frontier Dive Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dalton or Deep Frontier Dive Tools?
Dalton ships an update fortnightly, and Deep Frontier Dive Tools every 2 months. Most recently, Dalton was updated on October 24, 2026 and Deep Frontier Dive Tools on October 28, 2026.

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