Citizen Science vs iNaturalist
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Citizen Science
Contribute to real scientific research by easily entering data for various surveys. Participate in projects like snow depth measurement or storm assessment, with your submissions visible on a dedicated website. This platform allows researchers to utilize the growing data set for further scientific endeavors.
- Participate in scientific research projects
- Easy data entry for surveys
- Submit snow depth and storm assessments
- View submissions on the website
- Data accessible via API
- Surveys can be restricted to user groups
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NIWA Citizen Science App Citizen science projects allow members of the public to work on important scientific research. NIWA’s new Citizen Science App makes this easier than ever by enabling simple data entry for science surveys. How does the App work? When a researcher creates a citizen science survey, it is immediately available, through the Citizen Science App. Users can choose from a variety of surveys. Some, such as snow depth or storm assessment, will come and go during the year - others will remain year-round. Once surveys are completed, users can see their submissions on the Citizen Science website. Other research groups – professional or amateur – can also use this data for other scientific projects. Surveys can be restricted to specific user groups if required. As the data set grows it will become a useful tool for scientists all over the country through NIWA’s comprehensive API. If you're interested in finding out more, please email citizenscience@niwa.co.nz.
iNaturalist
Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your camera or imported photos. Get AI-powered species suggestions and connect with a global community of nature enthusiasts to learn more about the natural world and contribute to scientific conservation efforts.
- AI species identification
- Record species observations
- Contribute to scientific data
- Explore biodiversity
- Connect with nature enthusiasts
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Your photos of plants, animals, fungi, and more can help protect nature all around the world. iNaturalist is free, nonprofit, and community-powered. iNaturalist helps millions of people learn about and document the nature around them. Point your camera at plants, animals, and fungi to get instant identification suggestions, then share your photos or sound recordings as an "observation." Then, see your observation get reviewed by a global community of knowledgeable nature-lovers to turn it into a useful data point for science and conservation efforts. Your everyday moments of curiosity can directly contribute to protecting nature, and you don't need any previous experience or knowledge to get started. iNaturalist is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to connecting people to nature and advancing biodiversity science and conservation, and is freely available thanks to the generous support of our community. KEY FEATURES • Identify species from anywhere in the world • Contribute to science by sharing your observations • Keep a record of species you see • Explore and protect biodiversity • Connect with and learn from other nature enthusiasts
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: iNaturalist at 49% against Citizen Science's 0%. iNaturalist also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and chart position (#103 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Citizen Science ships an update every 2 months, iNaturalist fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Citizen Science | iNaturalist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.1 (723 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 48.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 723 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #103 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 220 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE FOR EARTH SCIENCE LIMITED | iNaturalist |
Customer experience
Citizen Science
iNaturalist
Bugs and requests
Citizen Science
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
iNaturalist
Reported bugs
5 issues- App freezes when suggesting IDs on audio clips
- Inconsistent tap responsiveness in search menu
- Observation time not accurately filling based on upload time
- Map showing incorrect observation locations
- Crashes and performance issues on some devices
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to type in address/coordinates for location
- Option to add observations to projects during upload
- Batch editing/uploading of observations
- More precise search filters (e.g. aquatic, parasitic, migratory)
- Bring back colored observation markers on map
In-app purchases
Citizen Science
No in-app purchases
iNaturalist
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Citizen Science free?
Is iNaturalist free?
Do Citizen Science or iNaturalist have ads?
Which is updated more often, Citizen Science or iNaturalist?
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