# GLOBE Observer vs Field Guide to Clouds

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Field Guide to Clouds at 86% against GLOBE Observer's 34%. Field Guide to Clouds also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.1). GLOBE Observer's advantage is chart position (#206 vs unranked) and ratings volume (86 vs 12). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Field Guide to Clouds holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GLOBE Observer has 86 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of GLOBE Observer's written reviews are positive against 86% of Field Guide to Clouds's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GLOBE Observer | Field Guide to Clouds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751/reviews) | **[4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/field-guide-to-clouds/id1121399187/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **86** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 33.9% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#206** | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [University Corporation for Atmospheric Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/666875788) |

## What reviewers say

### GLOBE Observer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751)

**Currently charting:** #206 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Contribute to real scientific research by making environmental observations. Document clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, and trees using your mobile device. Your data supports scientists worldwide, including NASA and NOAA.

**Highlights:** Make environmental observations, Document clouds, Map mosquito habitats, Record land cover, Measure tree height, Contribute to scientific research

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for citizen science
- 💡 Educational and informative
- 👍 Easy to use (for some)
- 👍 Meaningful environmental measurements
- 👍 Fun and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Login/update issues
- 🐛 Account creation problems
- 🐛 Observations not submitting
- 🐛 Poor UI/UX design

**Reported bugs**

- Checking for updates loop
- 504 error on account creation
- Fails after step 5 in account creation
- Robot verification loop
- App crashes on opening

**Requested features**

- Improve UI/UX design
- Add dark mode
- Better translation
- Notifications for satellite flyovers
- Integrate with WorldView or Google Earth


### Field Guide to Clouds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/field-guide-to-clouds/id1121399187)

Identify clouds with this portable guide. Learn their formation, names, and weather implications. Test your knowledge with interactive quizzes. Available in English and Spanish.

**Highlights:** Cloud identification, Cloud formation details, Weather prediction insights, Interactive quizzes, Bilingual support (English/Spanish)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GLOBE Observer free?

GLOBE Observer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Field Guide to Clouds free?

Field Guide to Clouds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GLOBE Observer or Field Guide to Clouds?

Field Guide to Clouds is rated higher. GLOBE Observer averages 3.1 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Field Guide to Clouds averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.

### Do GLOBE Observer or Field Guide to Clouds have ads?

Neither GLOBE Observer nor Field Guide to Clouds shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GLOBE Observer or Field Guide to Clouds?

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, and Field Guide to Clouds every 2 months. Most recently, GLOBE Observer was updated on September 29, 2026 and Field Guide to Clouds on September 15, 2026.

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