There are some excellent dive log apps out there, and the best one depends on how you dive. Here is a fair, side by side look at AfterDive next to Subsurface, MacDive, Diviac and Deepblu, including where the others are stronger.
Most dive log apps fall into two camps: powerful tools built around your dive computer data, and lighter logs built around community. AfterDive sits in between, pairing rich logging and automatic SAC rate with AI insights and a living community. The table below lays it out honestly.
| AfterDiveInsight + community | Subsurface | MacDive | Diviac | Deepblu | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | FreeUnlimited logs & insights | FreeOpen source | PaidiPhone approx USD 10, Mac extra | Free | Free |
| Platforms | iOS & Android | Win, Mac, Linux, Android | macOS, iOS | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Automatic SAC rate & gas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Basic | Limited |
| Dive computer download | ✓12 Shearwater models via Bluetooth, iOS & Android | ✓Extensive | ✓100+ models | Limited | ✓Bluetooth |
| Conditions & marine life logging | ✓ | Basic | ✓ | Basic | ✓ |
| AI insights from your dives | ✓Unique | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Community & follow divers | ✓Tribe | ✕ | ✕ | Limited | ✓ |
| Marine life intelligence & site discovery | ✓iNaturalist + OBIS | ✕ | ✕ | Site database | Site info |
| Dive events & trips | ✓Pro: publish events & courses | ✕ | ✕ | Travel | Limited |
| User experience & design | Intuitive & modernAll levels, new to technical | Utilitarian | Polished, Apple native | Functional | Clean, social |
| Best for | Divers who want insight and community | Technical divers who want free, full data control | Apple users who log from a dive computer | Casual divers in the PADI world | Social divers with a Bluetooth computer |
Details current as of June 2026 and based on each app's public information. Features and pricing change, so check each app directly before deciding.
AfterDive is built around what your dives mean, not just what they recorded. Automatic SAC rate, rich conditions and marine life logging, and AI insights drawn from your own history, from your diver archetype to your air efficiency trend. Tribe connects you to a living community of divers, and the Explore map layers research grade marine data from iNaturalist and OBIS with real sightings from other divers, so you know a site before you get wet. Free to start, on iOS and Android, with Bluetooth dive computer sync live for Shearwater and more brands coming.
The power user's choice. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, integrates with a huge range of dive computers, and handles air, nitrox and trimix with full multi tank support. If you want complete control of your data and never want to pay, it is hard to beat. The trade off is a utilitarian interface and no community or marine life layer.
A beautifully made app for macOS and iPhone. It imports from over 100 dive computers, shows detailed profiles, tracks SAC and RMV, and manages gear with service reminders. Ideal if you live in the Apple ecosystem and log from a dive computer. There is no Android version, no social side, and it is paid.
A free logbook with a dive site database and travel features, now part of PADI. Convenient if you are already in the PADI world and want something simple. It has seen limited development in recent years and its export options are thin, so data portability is a weak point.
A social first logbook that syncs with Bluetooth dive computers, lets you share dives, discover sites and even connect with dive shops. A good fit for divers who want a community feel and own a compatible computer, though it goes less deep on personal analytics.
We are not going to pretend AfterDive does everything. AfterDive is on iOS and Android, and Bluetooth dive computer sync is live for Shearwater (12 models), with more brands rolling out. Other dive computers cannot sync yet, so for now you log those manually or with smart shortcuts. And the community is young, growing with every diver who joins.
So if direct dive computer download is your single must have right now, Subsurface or MacDive will serve you better today, and that is genuinely okay. AfterDive is for divers who want their logs to give something back: insight, intelligence and a community to share the water with.
Free to download, with unlimited logs, automatic SAC rate and AI insights included. Download and set up your account before 31 December 2026 to claim lifetime Founding Pro access, free.