# OEC Explorer vs PlantStar

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OEC Explorer at none against PlantStar's 1. OEC Explorer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PlantStar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per year. OEC Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

OEC Explorer ships an update every 2 months, PlantStar monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OEC Explorer | PlantStar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 198 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [广东柏高保设备工程有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485674389) | [PlantStar Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688181337) |

## What reviewers say

### OEC Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oec-explorer/id1485674390)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PlantStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plantstar/id6449223055)

Discover the perfect plant for any space with this comprehensive guide. Explore over 50,000 plant suggestions, detailed profiles, and community forums to create your dream garden. Ideal for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.

**Highlights:** Extensive plant database (50,000+ suggestions), Detailed plant profiles with growing conditions, Favorites function to save plants, Community forum for plant discussions, Intuitive search and filtering, Mobile-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plantstar Premium | $1.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OEC Explorer free?

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

### Is PlantStar free?

PlantStar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do OEC Explorer or PlantStar have ads?

Neither OEC Explorer nor PlantStar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OEC Explorer or PlantStar?

OEC Explorer ships an update every 2 months, and PlantStar monthly. Most recently, OEC Explorer was updated on October 15, 2026 and PlantStar on October 10, 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.*