# DPPL Mobile vs Cicada Safari

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DPPL Mobile at 67% against Cicada Safari's 29%. DPPL Mobile also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). Cicada Safari's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Cicada Safari holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 20 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of DPPL Mobile's written reviews are positive against 29% of Cicada Safari's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

DPPL Mobile ships an update every 6 months, Cicada Safari monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DPPL Mobile | Cicada Safari |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dppl-mobile/id1219940977/reviews) | **[4.3 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cicada-safari/id1446471492/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **20** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 36 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Des Plaines Public Library](https://appshunter.io/developer/522540997) | [Mount St. Joseph University](https://appshunter.io/developer/1213097502) |

## What reviewers say

### DPPL Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dppl-mobile/id1219940977)

Manage your library account, renew borrowed items, and search the catalog. Access digital content, discover library events, and receive personalized recommendations. The app also features a digital library card for convenient checkouts.

**Highlights:** Renew items, Manage account, Search catalog, Access digital content, Find library events, Digital library card

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cicada Safari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cicada-safari/id1446471492)

Contribute to scientific research by documenting periodical cicada emergences. Submit photos to help map the range of Brood X and verify cicada life cycles.

**Highlights:** Document cicada emergences, Submit photos for scientific data, Map Brood X range, Verify cicada life cycles, Contribute to scientific research

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Great idea for scientific endeavor
- 👍 Informative about cicadas
- 🤩 Fun and cool app
- 😊 Exciting to contribute data
- ✨ Visually appealing app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐌 Slow loading times
- ❌ Photos rejected without explanation
- 🗺️ Map is unusable/blank
- 🚫 Cannot upload photos/videos

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Map loads blank or is unusable
- Photos/videos not uploading or getting approved
- Sign-up/login issues (birthdate field, password reset)
- App freezes or shuts down unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Provide explanations for photo rejections
- Allow uploading photos/videos from camera roll
- Fix location accuracy for approved photos
- Add functionality for Joro Spider tracking
- Allow users to edit location after submission


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DPPL Mobile free?

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

### Is Cicada Safari free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DPPL Mobile or Cicada Safari?

Cicada Safari is rated higher. DPPL Mobile averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Cicada Safari averages 4.3 from 20 ratings.

### Do DPPL Mobile or Cicada Safari have ads?

Neither DPPL Mobile nor Cicada Safari shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DPPL Mobile or Cicada Safari?

DPPL Mobile ships an update every 6 months, and Cicada Safari monthly. Most recently, DPPL Mobile was updated on October 29, 2026 and Cicada Safari on October 25, 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.*