Comparison

Thalos vs Puffin

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

Head to head
About

Thalos

This comprehensive dive app offers a robust dive logbook, detailed dive site information with emergency plans, and multiple dive calculators. It includes features for instructors to manage students and courses, and a social feed for divers to connect and share experiences. The app works fully offline, ensuring critical data is always accessible.

Highlights
  • Offline dive logbook
  • Dive site database with emergency plans
  • 9 essential dive calculators
  • Instructor module for course management
  • Social feed and community features
  • Emergency mode for critical access
Features
Read full description

Thalos is the all-in-one dive app built for serious divers and instructors. Whether you're planning a deep technical dive or running an open water course, Thalos has everything you need — and it works fully offline when it matters most. DIVE LOGBOOK Log every dive with depth, time, gas, conditions, marine life sightings, buddy signatures, and photos. Full version history keeps your records safe. Organize dives into trips and track your personal certifications. DIVE SITES & EMERGENCY PLANS Access 510+ dive sites with detailed emergency action plans, nearest hyperbaric chambers, and emergency contacts — all stored locally so they're available even without signal. 9 DIVE CALCULATORS • Bühlmann ZHL-16C decompression planner with gradient factors • Gas planner and gas blending • SAC rate, turn pressure, weight calculator • Dive tables, unit converter, altitude diving EMERGENCY MODE One tap gets you to emergency procedures and critical contacts. Works 100% offline. INSTRUCTOR MODULE Manage students, run courses with 26 built-in templates, track skill sign-offs, generate paperwork (liability waivers, medical forms, training dives), and issue certifications. SOCIAL FEED & TANK TAPS Share your dives, follow other divers, and give Tank Taps — the diver's way of saying nice dive. COMMUNITY Discover and post dive classes, trips, and dive centers. Instructors can manage enrollments directly in the app. SUBSCRIPTION Thalos requires a subscription after a 1-month free trial. $2.99/month or $19.99/year. Terms of Use: https://blackflagdivecenter.github.io/Thalos/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://blackflagdivecenter.github.io/Thalos/privacy.html

About

Puffin

Features
Read full description

Keep your dive history in one logbook you can open anywhere. Import computer logs, add dives manually, and review depth, gas, and site details when you need them. • Your dives, organized — browse your catalog with depth sparklines and quick access to every entry • Import from your computer — bring in Shearwater .db, UDDF, and dctool-supported logs; share from Shearwater on iPhone • Every dive, full detail — date, depth, duration, site, location, notes, and gas profiles • Trips as sessions — group dives, merge or split sessions, and auto-group by geolocation • See where you dived — map dive sites, filter by location, and set geo when logging Sign in with email, Apple, or Google. View logbook and session statistics with category filters. Try guest mode with bundled sample dives before you create an account. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Thalos4 screens
Puffin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Puffin at none against Thalos's 2. Thalos's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Thalos sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Puffin asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thalos ships an update daily, Puffin every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Thalos versus Puffin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThalosPuffin
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB74 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJOHN WALLIS YOUNGBLOODRobin Derrida

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Thalos

Subscriptions2
  • Thalos1 Month trial$2.991 Month
  • Thalos1 Month trial$19.991 Year
None

Puffin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Thalos free?
Thalos is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Puffin free?
Puffin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Thalos or Puffin have ads?
Neither Thalos nor Puffin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Thalos or Puffin?
Thalos ships an update daily, and Puffin every 3 weeks. Most recently, Thalos was updated on October 13, 2026 and Puffin on October 24, 2026.

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