# microBIOMETER® Reader vs Farming Basics

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | microBIOMETER® Reader | Farming Basics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbiometer-reader/id1211861156/reviews)** | [4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/farming-basics/id1378696723/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 106 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Prolific Earth Sciences Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1211861155) | [Alabama Cooperative Extension System](https://appshunter.io/developer/632308093) |

## What reviewers say

### microBIOMETER® Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbiometer-reader/id1211861156)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Farming Basics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/farming-basics/id1378696723)

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.

**Highlights:** Crop descriptions, Pest and disease information, Fertilizer calculator, Irrigation calculator, Crop and pest alerts, Location-based resources, Event calendar

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is microBIOMETER® Reader free?

microBIOMETER® Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Farming Basics free?

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

### Which has better reviews, microBIOMETER® Reader or Farming Basics?

microBIOMETER® Reader is rated higher. microBIOMETER® Reader averages 5.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Farming Basics averages 4.8 from 9 ratings.

### Do microBIOMETER® Reader or Farming Basics have ads?

Neither microBIOMETER® Reader nor Farming Basics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, microBIOMETER® Reader or Farming Basics?

microBIOMETER® Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, and Farming Basics every 2 months. Most recently, microBIOMETER® Reader was updated on September 30, 2026 and Farming Basics on September 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.*