# GLOBE Observer vs Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON at 100% against GLOBE Observer's 34%. Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.1). GLOBE Observer's advantage is ratings volume (86 vs 10). 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.

Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GLOBE Observer has 86 ratings behind it against 10, 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 100% of Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON's.

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GLOBE Observer | Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751/reviews) | **[4.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-observer-spotteron/id1475663669/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **86** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 33.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [SPOTTERON Gmbh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1378099707) |

## What reviewers say

### GLOBE Observer

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

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


### Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-observer-spotteron/id1475663669)

This app empowers citizens to monitor local weather and water conditions, contributing to climate change research. Users can document environmental observations, weather impacts, water levels, and water quality to help build a sustainable future.

**Highlights:** Environmental observations, Weather documentation, Water level measurement, Water quality monitoring, Photo documentation, Educational curriculum integration

**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 Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON free?

Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GLOBE Observer or Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON?

Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON is rated higher. GLOBE Observer averages 3.1 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON averages 4.7 from 10 ratings.

### Do GLOBE Observer or Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON have ads?

Neither GLOBE Observer nor Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GLOBE Observer or Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON?

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, and Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON every 4 months. Most recently, GLOBE Observer was updated on October 15, 2026 and Coastal Observer | SPOTTERON on October 11, 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.*