What Dive with Buddy does

Dive with Buddy, Inc. (operating as Book with Buddy, Buddy, and Buddy for Business) is a US-incorporated, remote-first software company founded in 2020 by Alexis Jabbour and Tamas Szilagyi. It operates a dual-sided vertical marketplace for the dive and water-adventure industry, with a consumer-facing social dive log mobile app (iOS and Android) and a business-facing reservation platform (BookWithBuddy.com / Buddy for Business). The platform connects recreational and professional divers with dive shops, instructors, divemasters, liveaboards, marine tour operators, and tourism boards.

The technology stack consists of native iOS and Android applications, a web booking marketplace, a business management dashboard, a website booking widget that integrates with Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, and Shopify, and integrations with Stripe for payment processing, Google Maps Platform for location services, and Scubapro LogTRAK for dive-computer data import. Social login via Facebook and Twitter and social sharing to Instagram and Facebook are supported. Proprietary features include the Buddy Radar (real-time and future-route buddy matching with filters for certification level and dive type), a global user-contributed dive site directory, instructor/divemaster log validation, a real-time booking calendar with conflict avoidance, dynamic form fields customized by activity type, and a Discover Feed for community content.

The business model is primarily transaction-based: Dive with Buddy charges a commission, typically 8–12% of booking value based on individual agreements, plus standard Stripe processing fees of approximately 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Ancillary revenue includes the GoPro Escapes sponsored trip program and brand collaborations (Insta360, Costa del Mar). Go-to-market combines product-led growth via the consumer app, sales-led onboarding for dive operators, and partnership-driven acquisition through regional tourism boards. The company appears bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Dive with Buddy

Legal name

Dive with Buddy, Inc.

Website

https://bookwithbuddy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Dive with Buddy operates a dual-sided vertical marketplace for water-based adventures, combining a consumer social dive-log app with a business reservation platform that connects individual divers to dive shops, instructors, liveaboards, marine tour operators, and tourism boards worldwide on an 8–12% commission model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dive Booking Marketplace

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA), Dive & Snorkel Guides / Dive Masters (Boat-Based & Shore-Based) (THAAALAC), Diving & Snorkeling Retail (Scuba Gear) (CRAMAIAF), Fishing & Angling Charters / Guides (THAAALAD)

Keywords

• Scuba dive logging
• Dive booking marketplace
• Marine tourism platform
• Buddy matching app
• Dive operator software

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Platform Commission on Bookings: Buddy charges a commission on bookings processed through the platform. Commission is typically 8-12% based on business agreement. Additionally, Stripe charges approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for payment processing.
2. GoPro Escapes Program: Partnered program featuring curated dive trips sponsored by GoPro, likely generating revenue through partnerships and featured content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dive with Buddy operates a dual-sided platform serving the scuba diving and marine tourism market. The consumer side is the Buddy App — a social dive log, buddy matching, and in-app booking application for individual divers. The business side is Buddy for Business (BookWithBuddy.com) — a reservation system and marketplace where dive shops, instructors, liveaboards, and marine tour operators list and manage activities. The platform connects divers with operators through real-time availability, handles payment processing via Stripe, and distributes listings through the Buddy App, BookWithBuddy.com, and embedded booking widgets on operator websites.

Product overview

Dive with Buddy operates as a dual-sided platform consisting of two interconnected products: (1) the Buddy App — a consumer-facing social dive log, community, and booking app for divers — and (2) Buddy for Business / BookWithBuddy.com — a back-end reservation system and marketplace for dive shops, instructors, and marine operators. The ecosystem also includes a website embedding widget for business operators, the GoPro Escapes destination program, the Buddy Explorer creator/ambassador program, a Tourism Partner Program for regional onboarding, and a publicly available company handbook (Buddy Guidebook). The platform is expanding from scuba diving into broader water-based adventures including yachting, snorkeling, jet skiing, and fishing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buddy App (Dive with Buddy App) Social dive log and community mobile application for recreational and professional divers, available on iOS and Android. Includes automatic dive computer sync, certification wallet, Buddy Radar proximity matching, gear library with reviews, and in-app booking for tours and courses.
• Buddy for Business Reservation system and booking management platform for dive shops, instructors, liveaboards, and marine tour operators. Provides activity listing, visual calendar management, customer manifest handling, team assignment, Stripe payment processing, multi-location support, and distribution through the Buddy App and BookWithBuddy.com.
• BookWithBuddy.com Public-facing consumer marketplace website where divers discover and book water activities. Integrated with the Buddy App for real-time availability and with Buddy for Business for operator listings.
• Website Booking Widget

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ScubaprocoreTechnology or IntegrationScubapro integration via LogTRAK allows dive data from Scubapro dive computers to sync directly into Buddy draft logs automatically. Divers can then add buddies, dive shop tags, gear used, photos, and notes before publishing to the Discover Feed or personal logbook.
• GoProcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGoPro Escapes is a featured program on the platform showcasing curated dive trips sponsored by GoPro. Creates content and trip opportunities for divers featuring GoPro equipment.
• Insta360minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partner participating in Buddy Explorer challenges and giveaways. Divers can win Insta360 gear by logging dives and tagging the partner.
• Costa del MarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partner in the challenges and giveaways program. Partnered with Buddy to sponsor dive logging challenges with gear rewards.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationRequired payment processing partner for all Buddy for Business transactions. All businesses must connect a Stripe account to accept payments and receive payouts. Stripe handles payment processing, currency conversion, and fund transfers to business bank accounts.
• Tourism Boards (Regional)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with regional tourism boards to onboard dive operators onto the platform, promote destinations, and arrange press trips. Tourism boards help get local operators listed while Buddy provides marketing support and content creation for the region.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb Experiences: Airbnb Experiences is a large-scale marketplace for bookable activities hosted by individuals and operators, including water and diving experiences. It competes with Buddy's marketplace reach and benefits from Airbnb's enormous demand-side traffic.
• Peek: Peek is a leading software and marketplace platform for bookable experiences, serving operators and consumers across tours, activities, and water adventures. It is comparable to Buddy for Business on the operator SaaS side while also running a consumer marketplace.
• GetYourGuide: GetYourGuide is a major global marketplace for tours, activities, and experiences, including diving and marine experiences. It overlaps with Buddy's operator marketplace and benefits from substantial venture capital, brand recognition, and a global supply network.
• Viator: Viator, a Tripadvisor company, is the largest global marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions, including scuba diving experiences. It competes with Buddy by offering broader inventory, larger SEO reach, and global marketing budgets, though without dive-vertical depth.

Others

• Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor operates the largest travel reviews and attractions platform, with an activity-booking layer that surfaces diving and marine experiences. It is thematically comparable as a discovery and booking destination but does not focus on the dive-vertical community or operator SaaS workflow that defines Buddy.

Direct peers

• Diviac: Diviac is a dive-focused trip planning and dive log platform with a community of divers and operator partnerships. It mirrors Buddy's combination of social logging and dive travel discovery, particularly strong in European markets.
• Diveboard: Diveboard is a social dive log platform with trip planning and a global dive-site database. It competes head-to-head with the consumer side of Buddy (logging, community, dive site directory) and shares the same niche user base of recreational and professional divers.
• PADI Travel: PADI Travel is the dive-industry's flagship booking marketplace, operated by the largest scuba certification agency. It directly overlaps with Buddy's core booking value proposition for divers and is the most cited comparator in the dive vertical.

Emerging players

• Komoot: Komoot is a route planning and community platform for outdoor activities (hiking, cycling) with an adjacent marketplace. It shares Buddy's mobile-first, community-driven, vertical-specialized playbook and represents how a niche outdoor platform can scale globally.
• AllTrails: AllTrails is a mobile-first trail discovery and logging platform with a large global community and a premium subscription tier. It shares Buddy's product-led growth model, mobile-first community logging, and vertical specialization in outdoor recreation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@divewithbuddy
• Facebookfacebook.com/divewithbuddy
• Instagraminstagram.com/divewithbuddy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dive with Buddy