# ISME Microbes vs Microbiomes

The clearest difference is update cadence: ISME Microbes at every 5 months against Microbiomes's every 12 months. ISME Microbes also leads on iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

ISME Microbes ships an update every 5 months, Microbiomes every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ISME Microbes | Microbiomes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 12 months |
| Size | 82 MB | 228 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [International Society for Microbial Ecology](https://appshunter.io/developer/1394492884) | [Koboldgames GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/933187097) |

## What reviewers say

### ISME Microbes

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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Microbiomes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbiomes/id1609619453)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ISME Microbes free?

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

### Is Microbiomes free?

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

### Do ISME Microbes or Microbiomes have ads?

Neither ISME Microbes nor Microbiomes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ISME Microbes or Microbiomes?

ISME Microbes ships an update every 5 months, and Microbiomes every 12 months. Most recently, ISME Microbes was updated on October 3, 2026 and Microbiomes on September 30, 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.*