# GrowDoc vs Strain Guide

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Strain Guide at 83% against GrowDoc's 24%. Strain Guide also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.6) and ratings volume (912 vs 12). GrowDoc's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GrowDoc sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year and Strain Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Strain Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strain Guide has 912 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of GrowDoc's written reviews are positive against 83% of Strain Guide's.

GrowDoc ships an update every 5 weeks, Strain Guide every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GrowDoc | Strain Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growdoc/id1494454306/reviews) | **[4.8 (912 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **912** |
| Positive reviews | 24.2% of reviews | **82.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 88 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [GrowDoc App Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494454305) | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) |

## What reviewers say

### GrowDoc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growdoc/id1494454306)

Instantly diagnose cannabis plant issues with a single photo. Get science-backed solutions to improve THC, yield, and terpenes. Access expert guides and a male/female scanner for optimal growth.

**Highlights:** Photo diagnosis of cannabis plant problems, Science-backed solutions for plant health, Infographics, videos, and accurate images, Male/female plant scanner, Expert growing guides and blog, Covers various growing methods and scales

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Yearly Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| 1 Month Access | $4.99 | one-time |


### Strain Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933)

Explore thousands of cannabis strains with detailed information on effects, flavors, and growing tips. Features an AI assistant for personalized recommendations and advanced search filters. Track your favorites and add personal notes for easy reference.

**Highlights:** AI strain assistant, Advanced search and filtering, Personalized notes and favorites, Growing and harvesting information, Strain suggestions, Community ratings and comments

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Strain guide, pro, monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Strain Guide Pro Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Strain Guide Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Strain guide, pro, yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful and knowledgeable
- 🔍 Useful database and reference guide
- 📚 Extensive strain information
- 🗒️ Ability to save notes on favorite strains
- 🤝 Good for both new and experienced users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Obnoxious commercials/ads
- ⏱️ Frequent ads interrupting usage
- 🔍 Limited strain selection
- 🤖 Temperamental app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on startup
- Search function not working properly

**Requested features**

- Photo identification feature to identify strains
- Ability to filter strains by terpene profile
- Option to remove ads through a paid subscription


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GrowDoc free?

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

### Is Strain Guide free?

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

### Which has better reviews, GrowDoc or Strain Guide?

Strain Guide is rated higher. GrowDoc averages 1.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Strain Guide averages 4.8 from 912 ratings.

### Do GrowDoc or Strain Guide have ads?

Strain Guide shows ads; GrowDoc does not.

### Which is updated more often, GrowDoc or Strain Guide?

GrowDoc ships an update every 5 weeks, and Strain Guide every 3 weeks. Most recently, GrowDoc was updated on September 23, 2026 and Strain Guide on September 22, 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.*