# Nature's Notebook vs Budburst

The clearest difference is rating: Budburst at 4.2 against Nature's Notebook's 3.2. Budburst also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 40%). Nature's Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Budburst holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Nature's Notebook's written reviews are positive against 50% of Budburst's.

Nature's Notebook ships an update every 3 weeks, Budburst every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nature's Notebook | Budburst |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/natures-notebook/id1463430668/reviews) | **[4.2 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budburst/id1531186881/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 47 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [National Phenology Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/843843359) | [Chicago Horticultural Society](https://appshunter.io/developer/566331682) |

## What reviewers say

### Nature's Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/natures-notebook/id1463430668)

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.

**Highlights:** Record plant and animal life cycle events, Mark observation sites, Create species lists, Log seasonal observations, Citizen science program

**In-app purchases:** none


### Budburst

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budburst/id1531186881)

Observe and record plant data to contribute to a national community science project. Identify plants, track their life cycles, and collaborate with others to understand and preserve nature.

**Highlights:** Observe plants with interactive map, In-app plant identification tool, Monitor plant life cycles, Track plant-animal interactions, Collaborate in community groups

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nature's Notebook free?

Nature's Notebook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Budburst free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nature's Notebook or Budburst?

Budburst is rated higher. Nature's Notebook averages 3.2 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Budburst averages 4.2 from 13 ratings.

### Do Nature's Notebook or Budburst have ads?

Neither Nature's Notebook nor Budburst shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nature's Notebook or Budburst?

Nature's Notebook ships an update every 3 weeks, and Budburst every 2 months. Most recently, Nature's Notebook was updated on October 24, 2026 and Budburst on October 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.*