# GLOBE Observer vs Kai Reads

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: GLOBE Observer at 13.0 against Kai Reads's 26.5. 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.

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, Kai Reads every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GLOBE Observer | Kai Reads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.1 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **86** | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Victor Galloza](https://appshunter.io/developer/767144584) |

## 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


### Kai Reads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kai-reads/id6790004296)

**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 Kai Reads free?

Kai Reads is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do GLOBE Observer or Kai Reads have ads?

Neither GLOBE Observer nor Kai Reads shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GLOBE Observer or Kai Reads?

GLOBE Observer ships an update every 2 months, and Kai Reads every 6 weeks. Most recently, GLOBE Observer was updated on October 15, 2026 and Kai Reads on October 16, 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.*