# Hanna Lab vs Smart Reef

The clearest difference is rating: Hanna Lab at 4.0 against Smart Reef's 1.5. Hanna Lab also leads on review sentiment (45% vs 4%) and in-app purchases (none vs 11). Smart Reef's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 5 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Hanna Lab holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 23 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Hanna Lab's written reviews are positive against 4% of Smart Reef's.

Hanna Lab ships an update every 5 months, Smart Reef every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hanna Lab | Smart Reef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanna-lab/id913755813/reviews)** | [1.5 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-reef/id1480355166/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **23** |
| Positive reviews | **45.5% of reviews** | 3.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanna Instruments, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/913755816) | [Reef Factory sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1367901113) |

## What reviewers say

### Hanna Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanna-lab/id913755813)

Transform your mobile device into a professional-grade pH meter or data management system. Connect with compatible Hanna Instruments probes and meters to conduct precise measurements, store data securely, and access it via the cloud.

**Highlights:** pH meter functionality with Bluetooth probes, Data management with compatible meters, Hanna Cloud compatibility for data sync, Live measurements and trend graphs, Data export in PDF and CSV formats, Calibration and logging features

**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 Hanna Lab free?

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

### Is Smart Reef free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hanna Lab or Smart Reef?

Hanna Lab is rated higher. Hanna Lab averages 4.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Smart Reef averages 1.5 from 23 ratings.

### Do Hanna Lab or Smart Reef have ads?

Neither Hanna Lab nor Smart Reef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hanna Lab or Smart Reef?

Hanna Lab ships an update every 5 months, and Smart Reef every 3 months. Most recently, Hanna Lab was updated on September 25, 2026 and Smart Reef on October 20, 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.*