Nature's Notebook vs The Bat App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Nature's Notebook
Record observations of plant and animal life cycles, such as flowering and migration. Mark observation sites, create species lists, and log seasonal changes in nature.
- Record plant and animal life cycle events
- Mark observation sites
- Create species lists
- Log seasonal observations
- Citizen science program
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Nature's Notebook is a program for observing and recording plant and animal life cycle events, like flowering and bird migration. Use this app to mark your sites, create a list of plants and animals, and going into the field to record observations throughout the seasons. Find out more at www.usanpn.org/nn/guidelines.
The Bat App
Explore the fascinating world of bats with this comprehensive educational app. Learn about their ecological importance, discover 47 North American species with detailed profiles and range maps, and understand the threats they face, including white-nose syndrome. It also covers common misconceptions and conservation efforts.
- 9 educational sections on bats
- Profiles of 47 North American species
- Detailed species information and range maps
- Information on bat threats and white-nose syndrome
- FAQ covering over 80 questions
- Details on vampire bats
- Conservation organization listings
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The Bat App is an educational resource for anyone of any age interested in learning about our most misunderstood, unappreciated, yet truly amazing mammal. There are 9 sections covering many topics, so get ready to learn A LOT about bats. First, you will learn all about bats and how useful they are, how they keep us healthy, how save farmers billions of dollars a year and are the reason we put many delicious fruits on our table. Next, you will be introduced to the 47 bat species living in North America. These bats will warm your heart, just wait. Many of the photographs in the app are contributed by famed bat ecologist, Dr. Merlin Tuttle, who has been photographing bats all over the world for over 60 years. There are many photos that are so extraordinary, you simply won't believe he was able to capture them. Each species profile includes a gallery, tons of information about each bat, and range maps so you know at-a-glance where to find them. If you're dying to know which bats live near you and are flying overhead at night, we've got you covered. Go to Bats by State or Province and pick your state or province from the icons on the left. You will find a list of all bat species in your area, each with a full profile and gallery. When you start learning about how cool bats are, hold onto your hat when you get to the lesser long-nosed bat. You won't believe what this bat pollinates! All bats are at risk, so of course there is a Top 10 Threats section. We do a deep dive into white-nose syndrome (WNS) and have included a gallery and links to maps were this deadly fungus occurs, as well as how many bats have been affected and which species are most at-risk. Other threats you will learn about include habitat loss, climate change, domestic cats and humans. Naturally, there is information on diseases commonly associated with bats, particularly rabies, to educate you and set your mind at ease. The FAQ section covers over 80 of your most pressing questions, because you know you have questions... Vampire bats are covered in great detail so you can finally learn about these fascinating little mammals and stop having nightmares about them. Along with photos and more data than your brain can handle, The Bat App lists several organizations working tirelessly toward bat conservation, research, rehabilitation and education. So definitely check them out and support them if you can. These are only a few of the highlights of The Bat App, so have fun, learn a lot, and give bats a chance; they really are one of our most precious, unique treasures, and they need our protection now more than ever.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Bat App at 100% against Nature's Notebook's 40%. The Bat App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.1) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Nature's Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (26 vs 5). 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.
The Bat App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nature's Notebook has 26 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Nature's Notebook's written reviews are positive against 100% of The Bat App's.
Nature's Notebook ships an update every 3 weeks, The Bat App every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Nature's Notebook | The Bat App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (26 ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 26 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 96 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | National Phenology Network | Naturedigger LLC |
Customer experience
Nature's Notebook
The Bat App
In-app purchases
Nature's Notebook
No in-app purchases
The Bat App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Nature's Notebook free?
Is The Bat App free?
Which has better reviews, Nature's Notebook or The Bat App?
Do Nature's Notebook or The Bat App have ads?
Which is updated more often, Nature's Notebook or The Bat App?
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