Comparison

bloomWatch vs HOBOconnect

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

bloomWatch

This app allows users to document and track the occurrence of freshwater algae blooms. Your submissions help scientists and public health officials monitor water quality and manage resources for recreation and potable water.

Highlights
  • Document algae bloom occurrences
  • Track bloom location and frequency
  • Contribute to water quality monitoring
  • Support scientific research
  • Report potentially harmful blooms
Features
Read full description

Blooms are visibly abundant proliferations of freshwater algae and have the potential to cause risks to human and animal health. Their occurrence is presently not well documented. bloomWatch is an App that has been developed to track and document the occurrence of these potentially harmful algal blooms. Your input using this App will provide documentation as to the location and frequency of potentially harmful bloom events, helping scientists, water quality managers, and public health officials effectively track and manage the water resources that the public depends on for potable water and recreation.

About

HOBOconnect

Wirelessly configure, start, and download data from HOBO MX data loggers via Bluetooth. View, analyze, and export recorded data in various formats for further use in other applications.

Highlights
  • Wireless Bluetooth communication with HOBO MX loggers
  • Configure logger settings (name, password, rate, alarms)
  • Monitor logger status (memory, battery)
  • Download and view recorded data
  • Data analysis in graphical and list formats
  • Export data as CSV, TXT, XLSX, and HOBO files
Features
Read full description

HOBOconnect is designed to communicate wirelessly via Bluetooth Low Energy to the HOBO® MX data loggers. You can configure and start the data logger, download the recorded data, store and analyze the data. The data can be viewed in both graphical and list formats and also exported and shared to other programs including Numbers, Excel and HOBOware®. Features: * Wirelessly communicate to the HOBO® MX data loggers * Internet connection not required to use HOBOconnect * Set data logger's name, password, logging rate, alarm threshold, start & stop time * Check logger’s status included memory used and battery life * Clear audible alarms (for models with this feature) * Page the data logger * Manage data files with groups * Download and view data * Zoom in and out of the graph with gestures * Export and Share data as a CSV, TXT, XLSX and HOBO files Compatible Data Loggers * HOBO® MX1100 Series Temp/RH/CO2/Light/Analog Data Loggers * HOBO® MX2001 Water Level data logger * HOBO® MX100 Temperature data logger * HOBO® MX2200 Series Water Temp Data Loggers * HOBO® MX2300 Series Temp/RH/Soil Moisture data loggers * HOBO® MX2500 Series pH data loggers

Screenshots

bloomWatch4 screens
HOBOconnect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: bloomWatch at 3.6 against HOBOconnect's 2.2. bloomWatch also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). HOBOconnect's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (8% vs 0%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

bloomWatch holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 29 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of bloomWatch's written reviews are positive against 8% of HOBOconnect's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

bloomWatch ships an update every 4 months, HOBOconnect every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and August 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
bloomWatch versus HOBOconnect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterbloomWatchHOBOconnect
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (12 ratings) — better2.2 (29 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews8.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1229 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size216 MB94 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)Onset Computer Corporation

Customer experience

bloomWatch

All ratings12 ratings
Positive58.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

HOBOconnect

All ratings29 ratings
Positive20.7%
Neutral13.8%
Negative65.5%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative75.0%

In-app purchases

None

bloomWatch

No in-app purchases

None

HOBOconnect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is bloomWatch free?
bloomWatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HOBOconnect free?
HOBOconnect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, bloomWatch or HOBOconnect?
bloomWatch is rated higher. bloomWatch averages 3.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while HOBOconnect averages 2.2 from 29 ratings.
Do bloomWatch or HOBOconnect have ads?
Neither bloomWatch nor HOBOconnect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, bloomWatch or HOBOconnect?
bloomWatch ships an update every 4 months, and HOBOconnect every 6 weeks. Most recently, bloomWatch was updated on September 10, 2026 and HOBOconnect on August 29, 2026.

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