The strongest Aquarimate alternatives are Reef Trak and NextUpReef for reef keepers who want controller data or AI analysis, Fishkeeper for a free app with a species library, and Fish Tank Tracker for an offline log with no account and no subscription. The right one depends on why you’re leaving Aquarimate: the upfront price, the yearly charge for sync, or features it doesn’t have.
Aquarimate is a capable app, so it’s worth being clear about what you’d give up before you move years of records.
Why do people look for an Aquarimate alternative? #
The usual reasons:
- There’s no free way to try it. At the time of writing, the US App Store lists Aquarimate as a $9.99 paid app, so you pay before you see whether you like it.
- Syncing costs extra every year. The standard app keeps data on one device. Aquarimate Live, which stores data in the cloud so your phone and computer share it, costs $9.99 a year.
- It does more than some people want. Expense tracking, wish lists, food and supplement records and a species library are great if you use them, and clutter if you only want to log nitrate.
- Other apps now offer features it doesn’t. Several newer apps offer AI analysis or imports from controllers such as HYDROS and Alkatronic.
What does Aquarimate do well? #
To be fair to it, Aquarimate has been maintained since 2012 and does things no alternative here matches. It runs natively on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. Its Aquaribase library covers freshwater and saltwater species plus equipment and supplements. According to its App Store release notes, it imports results from Hanna’s Marine Master multiparameter tester and supports Apex, Trident and Trident NP controllers. It timestamps tests so you can log several a day, and includes measurement converters and backup and restore.
If you depend on the desktop apps or the Hanna Marine Master import, you may be better off staying.
Aquarimate alternatives compared #
Prices are correct at the time of writing; check each store listing before you buy.
| App | Upfront cost | Ongoing cost | Multi-device sync | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquarimate (for reference) | $9.99 | Optional Live sync, $9.99/year | With Live | Species library, desktop apps |
| Reef Trak | Free core | $9.99 one-time upgrade (per its developer) | Yes, with a web portal | Controller imports |
| NextUpReef | Free core | Pro: $4.99/month or $39.99/year | Account-based | AI photo logging, Reef Score |
| Fishkeeper | Free | None listed | Account-based | Livestock library, store label scanning |
| Fish Tank Tracker | Free for one tank | None; optional one-time Pro | No, one phone | Offline, no account |
| A spreadsheet | Free | None | If saved to the cloud | Any column you want |
Reef Trak: switch if you want controller data in one place #
Reef Trak imports read-only data from Apex Fusion, HYDROS, Alkatronic, Mastertronic and AquaWiz, and keeps it beside your manual tests, dosing logs, livestock, equipment and ICP results. It runs on iOS, Android and the web, and its developer lists a free core with a $9.99 lifetime upgrade. For a reef keeper who wants Aquarimate’s breadth plus more controller brands, it’s the closest match.
Stay with Aquarimate if you want native desktop apps rather than a web portal, or you use the Hanna Marine Master import.
NextUpReef: switch if you want AI help #
NextUpReef gives you free parameter logging, a Reef Score and Stability Score, charts and reminders. Its Pro plan, at $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year after a 30-day trial, adds an AI advisor, photo logging that reads values from a picture of your test kit, Apex integration and multiple tanks.
Stay with Aquarimate if one-off pricing matters to you. Over a few years, a NextUpReef subscription costs more than Aquarimate plus Live.
Fishkeeper: switch if you mainly keep freshwater or ponds #
Fishkeeper is free, made with UK retailer Maidenhead Aquatics, and handles unlimited aquariums and ponds. It has a livestock library of fish, invertebrates and plants, parameter graphs with ranges you set, and maintenance notifications. It’s available on the App Store and Google Play.
Stay with Aquarimate if you want your data without an account. Fishkeeper requires one.
Fish Tank Tracker: switch if you want simple, private logging #
Fish Tank Tracker is the opposite of Aquarimate’s everything-included approach. It logs ten parameters with notes on every test, charts each one against an optimal band, and runs recurring maintenance reminders for tasks tied to your equipment. It also keeps a water change log, an equipment list and a livestock journal with photos, costs and health notes. Data stays in a local database on your phone with no account, no ads and no subscription. The free tier covers one tank with a month of history. A one-time Pro purchase adds unlimited tanks and history, trend analysis and CSV export.
Stay with Aquarimate if you need desktop access, sync, a species library, GH as its own field, or expense tracking. Fish Tank Tracker has none of those, and its target bands use reef numbers for every tank type.
A spreadsheet: switch if you’d rather own a plain file #
A spreadsheet gives you every column you could want and no vendor to depend on. You lose reminders and quick entry at the tank. Our spreadsheet vs app comparison has a layout you can copy.
Which Aquarimate alternative fits you? #
| Your reason for leaving | Best alternative |
|---|---|
| You want controller data from brands beyond Apex | Reef Trak |
| You want AI analysis of your readings | NextUpReef |
| You want a free app and keep freshwater or ponds | Fishkeeper |
| You want no account, no subscription and no cloud | Fish Tank Tracker |
| You want full control and custom fields | A spreadsheet |
For a wider look at reef options, including Apex Fusion, see our best reef tank tracking apps. Freshwater keepers should also read best freshwater aquarium apps.
How do you move your tank history to a new app? #
Few aquarium apps import another app’s data, so plan on a partial move:
- Decide what history you need. For most tanks, the last one to three months of core readings is enough to set a baseline. Older data rarely changes a decision.
- Save a copy of your Aquarimate data using its backup feature before you cancel anything, so you can go back to it.
- Check whether the new app lets you set a test’s date. Not all do. Fish Tank Tracker, for example, stamps each test with the time you save it, so entering old readings would put them on today’s date. In that case, keep old history in a spreadsheet and start fresh.
- Re-enter livestock with their original dates if the new app has a purchase or add date field, since that history helps when you’re tracing a problem back.
- Recreate your maintenance tasks with the same intervals, and set the first due date to when each task is actually due, not today.
- Run both apps for a couple of weeks if you can, so nothing falls through the gap.
Frequently asked questions #
Is Aquarimate free? #
Not on the US App Store at the time of writing, where it’s listed as a $9.99 paid app. Its optional Aquarimate Live cloud sync is a separate $9.99 yearly subscription.
Can I use Aquarimate without a subscription? #
Yes. The standard app stores data on your device and doesn’t need a subscription or an account. You only need Aquarimate Live if you want the same data on several devices at once.
Which aquarium apps work on a computer? #
Aquarimate has native Mac and Windows apps. Reef Trak has a web portal, and Apex Fusion runs in a browser if you own an Apex controller. A spreadsheet works anywhere.
What is the best free alternative to Aquarimate? #
For freshwater or ponds, Fishkeeper is free with unlimited tanks but needs an account. For one tank with no account, Fish Tank Tracker’s free tier covers ten parameters, charts and reminders. For reef tanks, NextUpReef and Reef Trak both have free cores with paid upgrades.