What is DiveBuddy.com?

DiveBuddy.com is an online community for scuba divers. Members can find dive buddies, explore community-maintained dive sites, share underwater photos, participate in forum discussions, keep a digital dive log, store certification cards, and use free scuba calculators.

Who can use DiveBuddy?

DiveBuddy is intended for people who are at least 18 years old. The site is built for scuba divers and people learning about the sport who want to connect with others, plan dives, and share dive-related content.

Is DiveBuddy free?

Yes. You can create a free membership and use most community features at no cost. DiveBuddy Pro is an optional paid subscription that removes ads and unlocks additional features such as unlimited photo uploads, unlimited direct messaging to non-buddies, and dive log import/export.

How do I create an account?

Go to Sign Up, and enter your email and password. You will receive a 6-digit verification code by email. Enter that code to verify your address. After verification, DiveBuddy creates your member profile, assigns a username based on your email, and takes you to complete your profile.

I didn't receive my verification code. What should I do?

Check your spam or junk folder first. Make sure you entered the correct email address. You can tap Resend Code on the verification step, but there is a short cooldown between resend attempts. On the website, signup is protected by Google reCAPTCHA, which may occasionally block automated or suspicious attempts.

How is my username chosen at signup?

Your username is generated automatically from your email address when your account is created. If that username is already taken, the system adds a short random suffix to make it unique. You can change your username later from Edit Profile, but searchable fields like username and full name can only be changed once every 24 hours.

Can I use DiveBuddy on my phone?

Yes. DiveBuddy is available on the web at divebuddy.com and as native mobile apps for iOS and Android. Sign in with the same account on any device.

What information on my profile is public?

Most profile information you add—such as location, experience level, photos, forum posts, and dive log entries you choose to share—is visible to other members or the public depending on the feature. Your email address, password, certification records, certification card images, and payment details are private and are not shown on your profile to other members.

How do I find a dive buddy?

Open Buddy Search from the main navigation and browse members near you or near a dive destination. Use Map View or List View to explore results, then review member profiles for experience and other details they have chosen to share. When you find someone you would like to dive with, send a buddy request or a direct message to connect.

How does Buddy Search work?

Buddy Search lets you browse members near a map location in Map View or List View. Move the map to an area you are interested in, then switch between views as needed. DiveBuddy Pro members can also filter results by age, gender, scuba experience, and relationship status. On supported screens, you can share a link to your current map search. Your browse preferences are saved on your device.

How do buddy requests work?

From a member profile, tap Add Buddy to send a request. The other member receives a notification and can accept or decline from their Buddy List. Active buddies appear on your Buddy List for easy access.

What is the Buddy List?

Your Buddy List shows incoming requests (New), requests you sent (Sent), and accepted dive buddies (Active). Open it from your account menu to accept or decline requests and manage your buddy connections.

How do I send a private message to another member?

From a member profile, use the Message action to open a quick message dialog, or open the full Messages page from your account menu for all conversations. You can also open a conversation by tapping a message notification. Blocked or inactive members cannot receive messages.

Are there limits on who I can message?

You can always message your active dive buddies without restriction. Messaging members who are not on your buddy list is rate-limited on free accounts. DiveBuddy Pro includes unlimited direct messages to non-buddies. Blocked relationships prevent messaging in either direction.

Is it safe to dive with someone I met on DiveBuddy?

DiveBuddy helps divers find each other, but we do not verify certifications, conduct background checks, or guarantee the conduct of members. You are responsible for your own dive safety. Meet in a public setting first when possible, verify training and experience, plan conservatively, and follow safe diving practices. Use report and block tools if someone behaves inappropriately. See our Terms of Use for important liability information.

How do I block or unblock someone?

Open the member profile menu and choose Block. When a block is in place, you cannot view each other's profiles or photos, comment or react on each other's content, exchange messages, or accept buddy requests. You can unblock the same way from the profile menu. Dive site comments are not affected by member blocks because dive sites are community resources.

How do I report inappropriate content or a member?

Use the Report option on member profiles, photos, forum topics, dive sites, and comments. You can include an optional reason. Each member can submit one report per item. Moderators review reports and may remove content, ignore reports, or take action on accounts that violate the Terms of Use.

Will someone know if I blocked them?

DiveBuddy does not send a notification when you block someone. Restricted actions typically show a generic message rather than stating that a block exists.

Where can I find dive sites in an area I'm interested in?

Open Dive Sites from the main navigation and browse sites near a map location in Map View or List View. Each dive site page includes ratings, comments, photos, and a list of members who have logged dives there.

How do I browse dive sites by location?

Dive Sites lets you explore sites near a map location in Map View or List View. Move the map to an area you are interested in, then switch between views as needed. Sort preferences are saved on your device.

Can I add a dive site that is not listed?

Yes. Dive sites on DiveBuddy are community-managed. Any member can add a new site from the Dive Sites area. After submission, the site becomes available for ratings, comments, photos, and dive log entries.

Can I edit an existing dive site?

Yes. Members can contribute updates to dive site details. Some fields may be locked when other members have already logged dives at that site, to keep historical records accurate. Dive site names can only be changed once every 24 hours because name changes affect site search indexing.

Why can't I edit certain dive site attributes?

When other members have logged dives at a community dive site, Dive site name and Water type (Fresh vs Salt) are locked for regular members. This helps keep dive log history and site identity consistent for everyone who has already logged dives there. You can still update other details such as description, map location, address, depth, visibility, and entry type. Admins and Moderators can edit locked fields. The dive site name also has a separate 24-hour cooldown after each name change, because name changes affect search indexing.

How do dive site ratings work?

You can rate a dive site from 1 to 5 stars. Each member may submit one rating per site, and ratings cannot be changed after they are saved. Average ratings are shown on dive site listings and detail pages.

What is the difference between community dive sites and my custom dive sites?

Community dive sites are shared locations on the public Dive Sites map that any member can view, rate, and comment on. Your dive log custom dive sites are personal sites you create for your own dive log—useful for places not yet on the community map. They are managed separately from the public dive site directory.

How do I see who has dived at a site?

On a dive site detail page, open the members list ("Who's Been Here") to see members who have logged dives at that location. This can help you find divers familiar with the site.

How do I get notified about new comments on a dive site?

Subscribe to comment notifications on the dive site page. When someone comments, you receive an in-app notification. You can also control how often comment-related emails are sent from Edit Account under notification and email preferences.

What happens when duplicate dive sites are merged?

Administrators can merge duplicate community dive sites. The surviving site keeps the combined history where possible, and links to the old site redirect to the merged site. Merges cannot be undone, so duplicates should be reported to moderators when you find them.

I'm new to diving. How do I ask questions that experienced divers can answer?

Visit the Forum and browse existing topics first. When posting a new topic, choose a category that fits your question, write a clear title, and include useful details such as your certification level, equipment details, location, and what you have already tried. Public forum threads let the whole community help, and your question may help future divers too.

What is the difference between the forum and direct messages?

The forum is for public scuba-related discussions that any member can read and reply to. Direct messages are private conversations between two members. Use the forum when your question could help others; use messages for personal coordination with a specific diver.

Can I comment on photos and dive sites?

Yes. Most photos and dive sites support comments and replies. Forum topic photos are an exception—discussion for those stays on the forum topic itself rather than on the photo page.

How do I start a forum topic?

Go to the Forum and create a new topic. Choose a category, enter a descriptive title, and write your opening post. Topic titles are searchable across the site. After posting, you can subscribe to notifications for replies on that topic.

How do I control notifications and email digests?

In-app notifications appear when someone comments, replies, reacts, sends a buddy request, or messages you. Open Notifications from the header to review them. To change email frequency for events and messages, go to Edit Account and adjust newsletter, notification digest, and message email settings.

How does content get featured on the home page?

Signed-in members see a Featured section on the home page with highlighted photos, forum topics, dive sites, and related content. Items may be featured by administrators or automatically when they reach certain positive reaction thresholds. Featured items eventually expire and are removed from the grid.

How do I upload photos?

Go to Photos and choose Upload. On mobile you can take a new photo or pick from your gallery; on the web you can select files from your device. Choose a category, add an optional caption, and submit. Profile and cover photos use fixed aspect-ratio cropping.

Is there a limit on how many photos I can upload?

Free members can upload up to 100 public photos on their account. DiveBuddy Pro includes unlimited photo uploads. Photos attached to dive sites do not count toward your personal photo limit.

What image formats and sizes are supported?

DiveBuddy accepts JPEG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC/HEIF images. HEIC files are converted to JPEG during processing. The maximum upload size is 18 MB per file. After upload, the site generates thumbnail, medium, and large versions for display.

Why is my profile or cover photo cropped?

Profile photos use a square (1:1) crop so they display consistently across the site. Cover photos use a wide (4:1) crop. The uploader may use face detection to center your profile thumbnail. Certification card images use their own aspect ratio for readable C-cards.

How do I store my scuba certification cards?

Open Certifications from your account menu to add certification records and upload images of your C-cards. Your certifications are private—other members cannot view them from your profile. Only you can access your certification records and card images when logged in to your account.

Why don't my photos show up in site search?

Site search indexes public photo captions, but excludes private photos, profile photos, topic photos, and dive log photos. Topic discussions are searchable by topic title instead. If you recently changed a caption, remember that caption edits are limited to once every 24 hours.

What is the digital dive log?

The dive log lets you record dives with site, date, depth, time, gas mix, weights, notes, and photos. You can view statistics, a dive map, and per-dive detail pages. Link dives to community dive sites or to personal sites.

Can I import dives from another app or file?

Dive log import is a DiveBuddy Pro feature. Supported formats include UDDF, CSV, XML, and JSON. The import wizard helps map fields, convert units, and match dive sites before you confirm. Files can contain up to 500 dive records and must be under 25 MB. See Dive Log Import/Export Help for step-by-step details.

Can I export my dive log?

Yes, with DiveBuddy Pro. Export your dives to CSV, optionally including photo attachments. You can export your full log or filter by date range. After you request an export, the download link is available for 24 hours.

What scuba calculators are available?

DiveBuddy provides free calculators including SAC/RMV, maximum operating depth, equivalent air depth, EANx, weight, altitude, tank volume, turn pressure, lift bag, and calories. Open Calculators from the More menu to use them in your browser or app.

How does site search work?

Use the search bar in the header to find members, dive sites, photos, and forum topics by keywords. Search understands common shortcuts—for example, queries like "edit profile" or "upload photo" may suggest navigation to those pages. Certain photo types are excluded from results.

Why can't I change my username, caption, or topic title again?

Usernames, full names, photo captions, forum topic titles, and dive site names can each be edited only once every 24 hours. This limit keeps site search indexing efficient. Other profile fields can usually still be edited during the cooldown.

What is included in DiveBuddy Pro?

DiveBuddy Pro includes an ad-free experience on the web, a verified member badge on your profile, unlimited photo uploads, unlimited direct messages to non-buddies, unlimited buddy search results, member filters by age, gender, scuba experience, and relationship status, and dive log import and export. Pro status syncs across devices when you use the same account.

How do I subscribe, manage, or cancel Pro?

On the web, subscribe through the Upgrade page via Stripe checkout and manage billing through the Stripe customer portal. On iOS or Android, subscribe through the app store purchase flow and manage the subscription in your Apple or Google account settings. On iOS, the subscriber can also enable Share with Family so up to five family members can use Pro on their own DiveBuddy accounts (see the Family Sharing FAQ). Use Manage Subscription in your account settings to reach the right portal for how you subscribed.

I subscribed on one device. Will Pro work on my other devices?

Yes, as long as you sign in with the same DiveBuddy account. Web (Stripe) subscriptions sync automatically when you log in. Mobile subscriptions are tied to your Apple or Google account on that device—use Restore Subscription on a new phone or tablet if Pro does not appear right away. Apple Family Sharing is separate: each family member keeps their own DiveBuddy account and must use Restore Subscription on iOS to activate Pro from a shared App Store subscription.

Can my family share one DiveBuddy Pro subscription on iOS?

Yes, on iPhone and iPad when the subscription supports Apple Family Sharing. One family member pays through the App Store and turns on Share with Family for DiveBuddy Pro in their Apple subscription settings. Each person still needs their own DiveBuddy account. Family members open DiveBuddy Pro Membership on iOS and tap Restore Subscription to activate Pro on their account. Allow up to an hour after sharing is first enabled. Family Sharing applies to App Store subscriptions only—not web (Stripe) or Google Play.

Why do I see ads on DiveBuddy?

Free web members may see non-targeted display ads on some pages. DiveBuddy Pro removes ads on the web.

How do I change my email or newsletter preferences?

Open Edit Account to update newsletter subscription, notification email frequency (daily, weekly, or never), and message email frequency (hourly, daily, or never). To change your login email address, use the Change Email page from your account settings.

How do I delete my account?

You can delete your account from the Delete Account page in your account settings. This permanently removes your profile, photos, certifications, topics, and dive logs. Comments and dive site contributions you made may remain but will show as posted by an Inactive Member. Deletion cannot be undone.

Why does my other device show old information?

DiveBuddy caches lists and some data on each device to load faster. Changes made on one device may not appear on another until that device refreshes expired cache or you use Refresh Local App Data in Edit Account to clear stored list data.

Why was my account suspended?

Accounts may be suspended for violating the Terms of Use, abusive behavior, spam, or other reasons at DiveBuddy's discretion. Suspended accounts cannot log in or create a new account.

Why did my batch photo upload fail completely?

When uploading multiple photos at once for a forum topic or dive log, the batch is processed as a single operation. If any file fails validation or processing, the entire batch is rolled back so you do not end up with a partial upload. Check file size (max 18 MB), format, and try again.

Why didn't I get a notification when someone rated my dive site?

Dive site star ratings do not generate notifications by design. You will still see updated averages on the dive site page. Comment and reply notifications work normally for dive sites when you are subscribed.