# ISME Microbes vs The Microcosmos

ISME Microbes and The Microcosmos are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on June 22, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ISME Microbes | The Microcosmos |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 months |
| Size | 82 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 13.7 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [International Society for Microbial Ecology](https://appshunter.io/developer/1394492884) | [Koonkie Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1555431187) |

## What reviewers say

### ISME Microbes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isme-microbes/id1394492885)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Microcosmos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-microcosmos/id1555443746)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ISME Microbes free?

ISME Microbes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Microcosmos free?

The Microcosmos is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ISME Microbes or The Microcosmos have ads?

Neither ISME Microbes nor The Microcosmos shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ISME Microbes or The Microcosmos?

ISME Microbes ships an update every 5 months, and The Microcosmos every 5 months. Most recently, ISME Microbes was updated on June 22, 2026 and The Microcosmos on September 15, 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.*