Comparison

CloudSpotter vs Orcinus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CloudSpotter

Explore the sky and identify 58 cloud formations and optical effects with expert insights and user-submitted photos. Build your personal cloud collection and get community feedback on your spottings.

Highlights
  • Identify 58 cloud formations and optical effects
  • Expert text from the Cloud Appreciation Society
  • Build a personal collection of spottings
  • Community verification of spottings
  • View new spottings from users worldwide
  • Access 'Cloud-a-Days' with curated content
Features
Read full description

Discover the amazing world of clouds with your pocket guide to the wonders of the sky and have your spottings verified as you build your own collection of clouds.  Learn how to spot 58 different cloud formations and optical effects, from the common ones like Cumulus clouds and rainbows to rare ones like the fleeting fluctus cloud or the hard to spot circumzenithal arc. Learn what makes each formation special with expert text from the Cloud Appreciation Society and stunning reference photographs by our app users around the world. Build up your Collection of spottings and gain CloudSpotter Stars as you do so. Our innovative tools will help you decide what type of clouds or optical effects you’ve spotted. You will hear back from the rest of the community whether they think you got your spotting right. You can see New Spottings by other users around the world and say (with our help) if you think they got theirs right. Becoming an expert cloudspotter has never been easier – or more fun! And if you join the Cloud Appreciation Society through CloudSpotter or you’re already a subscribing member, you’ll be able to access your Cloud-a-Days each morning. These feature amazing sky photographs by our members, explanations of the clouds featured, inspiring sky quotations, and even examples of great clouds in art. With CloudSpotter, looking up will never be the same again! Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Orcinus

This app allows users to report and track Orca whale sightings globally. It facilitates data collection and sharing related to these marine mammals, developed in cooperation with research institutions.

Highlights
  • Report Orca whale sightings
  • Track Orca whale encounters
  • View global sighting data
  • Cooperation with research institutes
  • Marine mammal reporting
Features
Read full description

Orcinus is a reporting and tracking app which allows users to view and make reports relating to Orca whale sightings and encounters across the world. This application has been created thanks to the cooperation between the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (www.thebdri.com) and the Nautilus Project. This app has been funded by Portos de Galicia (Xunta de Galicia).

Screenshots

CloudSpotter4 screens
Orcinus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Orcinus at none against CloudSpotter's 2. Orcinus also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). CloudSpotter's advantage is review sentiment (47% vs 20%) and rating (3.8 vs 3.5). On price, ads, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CloudSpotter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Orcinus asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CloudSpotter holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudSpotter has 35 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of CloudSpotter's written reviews are positive against 20% of Orcinus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CloudSpotter ships an update every 3 weeks, Orcinus every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
CloudSpotter versus Orcinus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCloudSpotterOrcinus
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (35 ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews47.4% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings35 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.111.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCloud Appreciation LtdLewis Stagnetto

Customer experience

CloudSpotter

All ratings35 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral17.1%
Negative22.9%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive47.4%
Neutral23.7%
Negative28.9%

Orcinus

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

CloudSpotter

Subscriptions2
  • CAS Membership (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • CAS Membership (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
None

Orcinus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CloudSpotter free?
CloudSpotter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Orcinus free?
Orcinus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CloudSpotter or Orcinus?
CloudSpotter is rated higher. CloudSpotter averages 3.8 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Orcinus averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do CloudSpotter or Orcinus have ads?
Neither CloudSpotter nor Orcinus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CloudSpotter or Orcinus?
CloudSpotter ships an update every 3 weeks, and Orcinus every 5 days. Most recently, CloudSpotter was updated on October 2, 2026 and Orcinus on October 1, 2026.

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