# washedup vs Essential Reef

The clearest difference is update cadence: Essential Reef at every 2 days against washedup's monthly. washedup's advantage is ratings volume (32 vs 7). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for washedup against 5.0 for Essential Reef. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 7 respectively.

washedup ships an update monthly, Essential Reef every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | washedup | Essential Reef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/washedup/id6759820053/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-reef/id6765518560/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **32** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 78 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WashedUp PBC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1880927136) | [Essential Reef](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895977098) |

## What reviewers say

### washedup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/washedup/id6759820053)

This social app helps you make real-life plans and meet new people in Los Angeles. Post or join activities like hikes or comedy shows, and form small groups to coordinate and meet up. It's designed for expanding your social circle and experiencing your city.

**Highlights:** Create or join real-life activities, Form small groups (3-8 people), Private group chats for coordination, Gender-specific hangout options, Discover local events in LA, No swiping or algorithms

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Essential Reef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-reef/id6765518560)

Connect with fellow reef aquarium enthusiasts, track your tank's parameters and livestock, and buy or sell corals, fish, and dry goods in a dedicated marketplace. Features include community forums, direct messaging, and detailed tank logging tools.

**Highlights:** Community forums and direct messaging, Marketplace for corals, fish, and dry goods, Tank parameter logging and charting, Livestock tracking and growth recording, Dosing schedule and logging, Data export to CSV

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is washedup free?

washedup is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essential Reef free?

Essential Reef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, washedup or Essential Reef?

Essential Reef is rated higher. washedup averages 4.9 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Essential Reef averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do washedup or Essential Reef have ads?

Neither washedup nor Essential Reef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, washedup or Essential Reef?

washedup ships an update monthly, and Essential Reef every 2 days. Most recently, washedup was updated on October 24, 2026 and Essential Reef on October 28, 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.*