# GLOBE Observer vs The Shark Trust

The clearest difference is rating: The Shark Trust at 5.0 against GLOBE Observer's 3.1. The Shark Trust also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 34%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). GLOBE Observer's advantage is ratings volume (91 vs 5) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

The Shark Trust holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GLOBE Observer has 91 ratings behind it against 5, 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 67% of The Shark Trust's.

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, The Shark Trust every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | GLOBE Observer | The Shark Trust |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-shark-trust/id1597701543/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **91** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 33.9% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Shark Trust](https://appshunter.io/developer/918121148) |

## 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


### The Shark Trust

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-shark-trust/id1597701543)

Contribute to shark conservation by reporting sightings and eggcases. This app centralizes five citizen science projects, helping you identify marine life and track your discoveries. Engage with a community of ocean enthusiasts and collect virtual shark cards.

**Highlights:** Five citizen science shark reporting projects, Community map of local reports, Collectible shark cards, Eggcase identification tool, User profile and logbook, Shark and ray entanglement reporting

**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 The Shark Trust free?

The Shark Trust is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GLOBE Observer or The Shark Trust?

The Shark Trust is rated higher. GLOBE Observer averages 3.1 out of 5 from 91 ratings, while The Shark Trust averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do GLOBE Observer or The Shark Trust have ads?

Neither GLOBE Observer nor The Shark Trust shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GLOBE Observer or The Shark Trust?

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, and The Shark Trust every 2 weeks. Most recently, GLOBE Observer was updated on October 24, 2026 and The Shark Trust on October 24, 2026.

---

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