GLOBE Observer vs Total Experience Learning
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GLOBE Observer
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.
- Make environmental observations
- Document clouds
- Map mosquito habitats
- Record land cover
- Measure tree height
- Contribute to scientific research
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The GLOBE Observer app enables you to make observations of your environment. GLOBE Observer is the app of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program. The GLOBE Program is an international science and education program that provides students and people of all ages worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, and contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment. By using the GLOBE Observer app, you contribute scientific data to your community, students and scientists worldwide, including researchers at NASA, NOAA, and other science research institutions. GLOBE Observer allows all users to contribute observations of clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, and trees. Trained and certified users can also use the app to submit additional environmental measurements from all GLOBE protocols. GLOBE Clouds allows observers to make regular observations of Earth’s cloud cover and compare them to satellite observations. With GLOBE Mosquito Habitat Mapper, users locate mosquito habitats, observe and identify mosquito larvae, and reduce the potential threat of mosquito borne disease. GLOBE Land Cover is designed to allow users to document what is on the land (trees, grass, buildings, etc.). GLOBE Trees asks users to estimate a tree’s height by taking pictures of trees with their device and answering a few questions. Additional capabilities may be added. Visit us at https://www.globe.gov and https://observer.globe.gov.
Total Experience Learning
This app helps students and guardians manage participation in a learning program. Users can register for seminars, track schedules, check in, and earn badges. Guardians can monitor student progress and attendance.
- Seminar registration and withdrawal
- Schedule tracking
- Seminar check-ins
- Badge earning for completion
- Guardian oversight of student activity
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The Total Experience Learning app is an all-in-one app to assist participating in the Total Experience Learning program. On top of information about the program itself, students can register and withdraw from seminars, keep track of their schedule, check in to seminars, and even earn various badges for completing seminars. Additionally, guardians can use it to oversee their students' schedule and check-ins.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Total Experience Learning at 100% against GLOBE Observer's 34%. Total Experience Learning also leads on rating (3.4 vs 3.1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). GLOBE Observer's advantage is chart position (#171 vs unranked) and ratings volume (86 vs 13). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Total Experience Learning holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GLOBE Observer has 86 ratings behind it against 13, 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 Total Experience Learning's.
GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, Total Experience Learning every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GLOBE Observer | Total Experience Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (86 ratings) | 3.4 (13 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 86 — better | 13 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #171 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 113 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NASA | VizVibe LLC |
Customer experience
GLOBE Observer
Total Experience Learning
Bugs and requests
GLOBE Observer
Reported bugs
39 issues- Checking for updates loop
- 504 error on account creation
- Fails after step 5 in account creation
- Robot verification loop
- App crashes on opening
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- Observations not submitting (error exclamation mark)
- Interminable in-app required update
- Errors in data entry, observations not sending/deleting
- Invalid password errors
- Cloud observation chart images disappear
- No reply from support
- App doesn't open on iPhone
- Won't update
- Logged out, wrong password, account locked
- Data lost after system crash
- Cloud ID chart not loading properly
- Observations keep loading forever
- iPhone stuck on installing updates
- App crashes and never fully loads
- Can't get photos to upload
- User interface poorly designed
- No observations shown when there are
- No way to export data
- App is forever 'installing updates'
- Camera portion of data collection quit working
- No way to submit a report from 'Pictures'
- Compass won't calibrate
- Photo feature locks screen
- No button to take photo
- App crashes if location is not set
- Updates take too long
- Photo submission portal hopeless
- Native camera app has no prompts to submit photos
- 'Done' button does nothing
- 401 unknown error when sending reports
- App goes bonkers when attaching photo
- Screen flickers rapidly when attaching photo
- Cannot get out of camera within app
- Whirring wheel for update in progress for hours
Requested features
8 requests- Improve UI/UX design
- Add dark mode
- Better translation
- Notifications for satellite flyovers
- Integrate with WorldView or Google Earth
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- More explanation/examples for cloud types
- Export data in spreadsheet/GPS format
- Allow users to contribute design improvements
Total Experience Learning
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
GLOBE Observer
No in-app purchases
Total Experience Learning
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is GLOBE Observer free?
Is Total Experience Learning free?
Which has better reviews, GLOBE Observer or Total Experience Learning?
Do GLOBE Observer or Total Experience Learning have ads?
Which is updated more often, GLOBE Observer or Total Experience Learning?
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