# Instant USGS Earthquake Lite vs thEarthquake Tracker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Instant USGS Earthquake Lite at none against thEarthquake Tracker's 2. Instant USGS Earthquake Lite also leads on rating (3.4 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (11 vs 2). thEarthquake Tracker's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. thEarthquake Tracker sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Instant USGS Earthquake Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Instant USGS Earthquake Lite holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Instant USGS Earthquake Lite has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Instant USGS Earthquake Lite ships an update every 7 months, thEarthquake Tracker every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Instant USGS Earthquake Lite | thEarthquake Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instant-usgs-earthquake-lite/id1084809208/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thearthquake-tracker/id1090616122/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jufen Chang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1075589996) | [ThirdHalf.com, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/914115418) |

## What reviewers say

### Instant USGS Earthquake Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instant-usgs-earthquake-lite/id1084809208)

This app provides real-time earthquake alerts and NOAA radar imagery. It displays earthquake information with color-coded severity and allows users to view alerts on a map with various viewing options. The app also offers a 3D view for alerts and integrates with Apple Watch.

**Highlights:** Real-time earthquake alerts, Color-coded severity levels, Interactive map view, NOAA radar imagery, 3D view for alerts, Apple Watch integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### thEarthquake Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thearthquake-tracker/id1090616122)

Stay informed about seismic activity worldwide with real-time earthquake updates. Receive instant notifications when tremors occur, ensuring you're always aware of potential dangers.

**Highlights:** Real-time earthquake monitoring, Global coverage, Instant notifications, User-friendly interface

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| thEarthQuake Remove Advertising | $0.99 | one-time |
| thEarthquake Tip Jar | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Instant USGS Earthquake Lite free?

Instant USGS Earthquake Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is thEarthquake Tracker free?

thEarthquake Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Instant USGS Earthquake Lite or thEarthquake Tracker?

Instant USGS Earthquake Lite is rated higher. Instant USGS Earthquake Lite averages 3.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while thEarthquake Tracker averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Instant USGS Earthquake Lite or thEarthquake Tracker have ads?

Neither Instant USGS Earthquake Lite nor thEarthquake Tracker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Instant USGS Earthquake Lite or thEarthquake Tracker?

Instant USGS Earthquake Lite ships an update every 7 months, and thEarthquake Tracker every 3 months. Most recently, Instant USGS Earthquake Lite was updated on November 2, 2026 and thEarthquake Tracker on November 1, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*