Comparison

BlueDive vs Reef

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

Head to head
About

BlueDive

Features
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BlueDive lets you record, organize, and relive every dive — on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. No account required. No data collected. Your logbook, your data. Key Features - Interactive map of all your dive sites - Dive Trips — automatically grouped by the time between dives, with photo covers and trip stats - Statistics dashboard with lifetime totals and personal bests - Dive calendar heatmap - Marine life sightings with a species catalogue linked to iNaturalist - Dive photos automatically matched to the right dive - Bluetooth sync with dive computers from 20+ brands via libdivecomputer, including Shearwater, Suunto, Scubapro, Mares, and Aqualung. Smart fingerprinting avoids duplicate downloads, quick reconnect to known computers, and automatic clock sync - Powerful search and filters — find dives by site, buddy, country, or tag; filter by year, depth, gas type, rating, country, dive type, tags, and marine life - Manual dive entry - Multiple divers in one logbook - Import from MacDive, BlueDive XML, Subsurface, Garmin FIT, and UDDF — format auto-detected, gear imported alongside dives - Export a dive as PDF, BlueDive XML, or UDDF; export your whole logbook as BlueDive XML or UDDF - Detailed dive profiles: depth, temperature, tank pressure, NDL, PPO2, decompression stops and ceiling - Optional online weather from Open-Meteo - Gear management with service tracking and gear groups - Tank templates for quick gas configuration - Certifications and diving insurance in one place - iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Database backup - Each dive keeps its original units and is shown in yours - Light and Dark mode with manual override - Widgets for the Home Screen and Mac desktop - Smart reminders for gear service, certification and insurance expiry, and dive milestones - Available in English, French (Canada), German, and Dutch, with an in-app language choice Designed by passionate divers.

About

Reef

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Every dive deserves a beautiful record. Reef is the simplest, cleanest scuba diving logbook for iOS — built for recreational divers who want their dive history to look as good as it felt underwater. LOG YOUR DIVES Depth, duration, water temp, visibility, air consumption, tank pressure, dive site and notes. Tap in at the surface while it's fresh. Works fully offline on liveaboards and remote reefs. TRACK YOUR STATS Total dives, deepest dive, longest bottom time and top dive sites by count. Watch your logbook grow with every trip. ATTACH PHOTOS Turn each dive entry into a visual story. Add photos straight from your camera roll to any log entry. DIVE BUDDY Log who you dived with. Build your buddy history across every trip and location. DIVE SITES & MAP Pin exactly where you dived on a map. Open your dive map anytime to see every logged site across the world — your personal underwater atlas. GEAR LOCKER Store all your dive equipment in one place. Track service intervals by dive count and time — Reef tells you when your BCD, regulator, wetsuit or mask is due for a service before it becomes a problem. CERTIFICATIONS Store all your dive certifications in one place. See at a glance which are valid, expiring soon or expired — always ready to show at the dive centre. No social network. No subscription required to log dives. Just a beautiful, private logbook — always in your pocket. Compatible with PADI, SSI, NAUI, CMAS and all major certification agencies. Terms of Use (EULA): https://reeflogbook.app/terms

Screenshots

BlueDive4 screens
Reef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BlueDive at none against Reef's 2. Reef's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Reef sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. BlueDive asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BlueDive ships an update every 10 days, Reef every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
BlueDive versus Reef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlueDiveReef
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB174 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSteve HouleAnton Usov

In-app purchases

None

BlueDive

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Reef

Subscriptions2
  • Reef Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Reef Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is BlueDive free?
BlueDive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Reef free?
Reef is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BlueDive or Reef have ads?
Neither BlueDive nor Reef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BlueDive or Reef?
BlueDive ships an update every 10 days, and Reef every 6 days. Most recently, BlueDive was updated on October 24, 2026 and Reef on October 24, 2026.

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