# CloudSpotter vs Orcinus

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | CloudSpotter | Orcinus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudspotter/id1314437708/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orcinus/id1659221919/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **35** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **47.4% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 65 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cloud Appreciation Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1039373550) | [Lewis Stagnetto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387917269) |

## What reviewers say

### CloudSpotter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudspotter/id1314437708)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CAS Membership (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| CAS Membership (Annual) | $39.99 | per year |


### Orcinus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orcinus/id1659221919)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


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