# bloomWatch vs HOBOconnect

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | bloomWatch | HOBOconnect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloomwatch/id1107300124/reviews)** | [2.2 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoboconnect/id1517656696/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **29** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **8.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 216 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/466052690) | [Onset Computer Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/890594162) |

## What reviewers say

### bloomWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloomwatch/id1107300124)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HOBOconnect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoboconnect/id1517656696)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


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