microBIOMETER® Reader vs Farming Basics
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
microBIOMETER® Reader
This application offers a rapid, on-site soil testing solution to assess microbial biomass and fungal-to-bacterial ratios. It helps users understand soil health, track the effectiveness of management practices, and support sustainable farming by monitoring changes in soil biology and carbon storage.
- On-site soil testing
- Microbial biomass analysis
- Fungal to bacterial ratio
- Track management practice effectiveness
- Monitor soil biology changes
- Cloud portal data export
- Custom project creation
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microBIOMETER® is a low cost, 20-minute on-site soil test for microbial biomass and fungal to bacterial ratio that allows you to quickly determine the health of your soil using smartphone technology. Frequent retesting will provide you with the data necessary to identify if your soil management practices are working. Quickly assess how amendments impact soil microbial biomass, ensuring your management practices are effective. Monitor changes in soil biology, increase carbon storage, and support sustainable farming practices. View, edit, and export data to Excel using our Cloud Portal. Create custom projects with our Project Management feature and share soil test results with team members.
Farming Basics
This app provides essential information for new and small-scale farmers. It covers crop details, pest and disease management, and offers tools for calculating fertilizer and irrigation needs to optimize resource use. Users can also receive alerts and find local resources.
- Crop descriptions
- Pest and disease information
- Fertilizer calculator
- Irrigation calculator
- Crop and pest alerts
- Location-based resources
- Event calendar
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The Farming Basics app from Alabama Extension is a gateway of information for small and beginning farmers. The app includes crop descriptions, information about major insect pests and diseases, and general management tactics. It features a fertilizer and an irrigation calculator to assist farmers with saving dollars on inputs. Other features include crop and pest alerts, location services including contact information for additional help, and a calendar of upcoming meetings and field days.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: microBIOMETER® Reader at 5.0 against Farming Basics's 4.8. On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
microBIOMETER® Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 9 respectively.
microBIOMETER® Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, Farming Basics every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | microBIOMETER® Reader | Farming Basics |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | 4.8 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 9 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 106 MB | 93 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Prolific Earth Sciences Corporation | Alabama Cooperative Extension System |
Customer experience
microBIOMETER® Reader
Farming Basics
In-app purchases
microBIOMETER® Reader
No in-app purchases
Farming Basics
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is microBIOMETER® Reader free?
Is Farming Basics free?
Which has better reviews, microBIOMETER® Reader or Farming Basics?
Do microBIOMETER® Reader or Farming Basics have ads?
Which is updated more often, microBIOMETER® Reader or Farming Basics?
Other comparisons
