# SharkSmart vs Vygo

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Vygo at 68% against SharkSmart's 27%. Vygo also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). SharkSmart's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

SharkSmart ships an update weekly, Vygo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SharkSmart | Vygo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (283 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **283** | — |
| Positive reviews | 27.0% of reviews | **68.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 49 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/476014891) | [Vygo Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1205249342) |

## What reviewers say

### SharkSmart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811)

Stay informed about shark activity in NSW before you swim. Get real-time alerts on tagged shark detections and drone sightings. Understand shark behavior and assess your personal risk for a safer beach experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time shark alerts, Drone and tagged shark detections, Interactive risk assessment, Shark and marine animal identification, Beach mitigation gear locations, Smartwatch compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📍 Real-time shark detection and tracking
- 🎯 Valuable safety information for ocean users
- 📊 Comprehensive shark tagging data
- 🏖️ Helpful for swimmers and surfers
- 👍 Good app concept and design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 📬 Excessive notifications from distant locations
- ⚙️ Notification settings not persisting
- 🐢 Slow loading times
- 🚫 Unable to add/save favorite beaches

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or when opening alerts
- Favorite beaches not saving or reverting to all beaches
- Search function not listing available beaches
- Map hanging when opening away from beaches
- Notifications not respecting location radius settings

**Requested features**

- Ability to name individual tracked sharks
- Shark size and weight information at tagging
- Historical shark movement patterns and migration data
- Deep links from notifications to specific beaches
- Time-series reporting for shark activity


### Vygo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vygo/id1208348597)

This app connects students with institutional support services like mentors and tutors. It provides tools to easily find and communicate with support staff, enhancing student success and well-being. Institutions can streamline and digitize their student support operations.

**Highlights:** Connect with mentors and tutors, Access institutional support services, Organize student support resources, Digitize student support operations, Enhance student retention and success

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SharkSmart free?

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

### Is Vygo free?

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

### Do SharkSmart or Vygo have ads?

Neither SharkSmart nor Vygo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SharkSmart or Vygo?

SharkSmart ships an update weekly, and Vygo every 2 months. Most recently, SharkSmart was updated on November 6, 2026 and Vygo on November 2, 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.*