# AUT vs iNaturalist

The clearest difference is rating: AUT at 5.0 against iNaturalist's 4.1. AUT also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). iNaturalist's advantage is ratings volume (684 vs 1) and review sentiment (49% vs 30%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

AUT holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iNaturalist has 684 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of AUT's written reviews are positive against 49% of iNaturalist's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

AUT ships an update every 5 weeks, iNaturalist fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AUT | iNaturalist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aut/id1473379908/reviews)** | [4.1 (684 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist/id6475737561/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **684** |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews | **48.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#76** |
| Size | 66 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Auckland University of Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473379907) | [iNaturalist](https://appshunter.io/developer/421397031) |

## What reviewers say

### AUT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aut/id1473379908)

Access campus news, events, and personal academic information. Navigate student life with interactive maps, class schedules, and job listings. Stay connected with community chat and personalized notifications.

**Highlights:** Personal class timetable, Customized news and events feed, Interactive campus maps, Student job listings, Community chat with chatbot, Real-time computer lab availability

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### iNaturalist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist/id6475737561)

**Currently charting:** #76 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** AI species identification, Record species observations, Contribute to scientific data, Explore biodiversity, Connect with nature enthusiasts

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faster and more intuitive UI
- 👍 Improved features from website
- 💡 Batch upload and sorting options
- 🚀 Responsive and smooth performance
- 👍 Easier to navigate and use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs with observation time and location
- 🔍 Difficulty finding advanced editing options
- 🔍 Overly complex UI for basic tasks
- 🔍 Removal of useful features like map view
- 🔍 Too much reliance on AI identification

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AUT free?

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

### Is iNaturalist free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AUT or iNaturalist?

AUT is rated higher. AUT averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while iNaturalist averages 4.1 from 684 ratings.

### Do AUT or iNaturalist have ads?

Neither AUT nor iNaturalist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AUT or iNaturalist?

AUT ships an update every 5 weeks, and iNaturalist fortnightly. Most recently, AUT was updated on October 6, 2026 and iNaturalist on October 19, 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.*