# ZENTRA Utility vs NMDC Field Notes

The clearest difference is rating: NMDC Field Notes at 5.0 against ZENTRA Utility's 4.4. ZENTRA Utility's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 1). 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.

NMDC Field Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZENTRA Utility has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ZENTRA Utility ships an update every 4 months, NMDC Field Notes every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZENTRA Utility | NMDC Field Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zentra-utility/id1181233790/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nmdc-field-notes/id6575364655/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 12.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 91 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [METER Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1792460527) | [LAWRENCE BERKELEY](https://appshunter.io/developer/924683945) |

## What reviewers say

### ZENTRA Utility

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zentra-utility/id1181233790)

Configure and manage METER Data Loggers wirelessly via Bluetooth. View sensor data, adjust settings, test connectivity, and update firmware for compatible devices.

**Highlights:** Wireless Bluetooth connection, View sensor data, Configure device settings, Test cellular connection, Update firmware, Calibrate sensors

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### NMDC Field Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nmdc-field-notes/id6575364655)

This app allows microbiome researchers to record biosample metadata directly in the field. It streamlines data documentation at the point of collection, offering features like ORCID login and automatic syncing with a web portal. Designed in collaboration with researchers, it provides a mobile alternative to browser-based submission.

**Highlights:** Record biosample metadata in the field, Streamline data documentation, ORCID login, One-tap entry of user info, coordinates, and dates, Dynamic UI forms from LinkML schema, Automatic syncing with NMDC Submission Portal

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZENTRA Utility free?

ZENTRA Utility is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NMDC Field Notes free?

NMDC Field Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ZENTRA Utility or NMDC Field Notes?

NMDC Field Notes is rated higher. ZENTRA Utility averages 4.4 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while NMDC Field Notes averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ZENTRA Utility or NMDC Field Notes have ads?

Neither ZENTRA Utility nor NMDC Field Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZENTRA Utility or NMDC Field Notes?

ZENTRA Utility ships an update every 4 months, and NMDC Field Notes every 5 months. Most recently, ZENTRA Utility was updated on October 24, 2026 and NMDC Field Notes 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.*