# Zooniverse vs FathomVerse

The clearest difference is rating: FathomVerse at 4.7 against Zooniverse's 3.7. FathomVerse also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 59%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

FathomVerse holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 37 and 92 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Zooniverse's written reviews are positive against 86% of FathomVerse's.

Zooniverse ships an update every 2 months, FathomVerse every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zooniverse | FathomVerse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zooniverse/id1194130243/reviews) | **[4.7 (92 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathomverse/id6469854247/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 37 | **92** |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 50 MB | 284 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zooniverse](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851894671) | [Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/997448509) |

## What reviewers say

### Zooniverse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zooniverse/id1194130243)

Participate in real scientific research by classifying data for projects across various disciplines. Contribute to discoveries and datasets that advance knowledge, all from your mobile device. This platform connects volunteers with professional researchers for impactful citizen science.

**Highlights:** People-powered research platform, Volunteer opportunities, Access to mobile-friendly projects, Push notification updates, View publications, Contribute to scientific discoveries

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### FathomVerse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathomverse/id6469854247)

Explore the ocean world through an immersive game that trains AI for scientific research. Discover and identify over 50 groups of ocean animals using real imagery collected by researchers. Contribute to science while playing minigames, completing quests, and earning badges.

**Highlights:** Play minigames with real ocean imagery, Identify over 50 groups of ocean animals, Save and share favorite images, Participate in quests and earn badges, Unlock awards for gameplay contributions, Customize soundscape with Ocean Radio

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Relaxing and peaceful experience
- 🔍 Opportunity to contribute to ocean research
- 🌟 Stunning visuals and immersive environment
- 🧠 Educational content on marine life
- 🤝 Responsive and helpful development team

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and inconsistent user interface
- 🤔 Unclear instructions and onboarding process
- ⏱️ Slow and tedious core gameplay loop
- 🔍 Lack of ability to re-examine animal images
- 🧭 Inconsistent controls between different sections


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zooniverse free?

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

### Is FathomVerse free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Zooniverse or FathomVerse?

FathomVerse is rated higher. Zooniverse averages 3.7 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while FathomVerse averages 4.7 from 92 ratings.

### Do Zooniverse or FathomVerse have ads?

Neither Zooniverse nor FathomVerse shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zooniverse or FathomVerse?

Zooniverse ships an update every 2 months, and FathomVerse every 6 weeks. Most recently, Zooniverse was updated on October 16, 2026 and FathomVerse on October 21, 2026.

---

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