# pH vs Smart Reef

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: pH at none against Smart Reef's 11. pH also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (7.1 vs 14.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Reef sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. pH asks for nothing beyond the download.

pH ships an update monthly, Smart Reef every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pH | Smart Reef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[1.6 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-reef/id1480355166/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **19** |
| Positive reviews | — | 3.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.1** | 14.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [taskit](https://appshunter.io/developer/830597040) | [Reef Factory sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1367901113) |

## What reviewers say

### pH

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ph-meter/id830597037)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Reef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-reef/id1480355166)

Manage your marine aquarium with this app. It provides device management, alerts for issues, and detailed historical data. A central dashboard offers a clear overview of your aquarium's status and device operations.

**Highlights:** Device management, Aquarium alerts, Measurement history, Operational status dashboard, Planned job journal, Preset sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Warranty 3 years | $12.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $17.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $19.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $24.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $29.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $34.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $39.99 | one-time |
| Warranty 3 years | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pH free?

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

### Is Smart Reef free?

Smart Reef is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do pH or Smart Reef have ads?

Neither pH nor Smart Reef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, pH or Smart Reef?

pH ships an update monthly, and Smart Reef every 3 months. Most recently, pH was updated on September 14, 2026 and Smart Reef on June 11, 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.*