Comparison

Mushroom Observer vs Mushroom Tracker

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mushroom Observer

Document fungi discoveries directly from your mobile device. Record detailed observations and contribute to a community-driven database of fungal life. Ideal for naturalists and researchers documenting specimens in the field.

Highlights
  • Record fungi observations
  • Document field discoveries
  • Contribute to a database
  • Mobile specimen recording
  • Fungal life documentation
Features
Read full description

Record observations of fungi found in the field on the Mushroom Observer mobile app.

About

Mushroom Tracker

This app provides a private map for tracking mushroom foraging spots, even offline. It offers AI-powered identification, season alerts based on weather, and a growing field guide with safety notes. Users can build a personal foraging journal and export their data.

Highlights
  • Private offline foraging map
  • AI mushroom identification
  • Customizable season alerts
  • Extensive field guide
  • Foraging journal and data export
  • Public land boundaries (US)
Features
Read full description

YOUR SPOTS. YOUR MAP. NOBODY ELSE'S. Mushroom Tracker is a private foraging map. Drop a pin where you find them, and the map remembers for next season — with no signal, and without ever showing another forager where you were. A PRIVATE MAP THAT WORKS WITHOUT SIGNAL • Save a spot in one tap, with photos and notes • Download a map region before you go; the map and your pins keep working with no service • Satellite and topo views worldwide (not available in China) • Public-land boundaries for US regions, so you know whose land you're on before you pick • Your pins are never shown on a public map. Back them up to your own account if you want them on a new phone SEASON ALERTS — KNOW WHEN TO GO • We watch soil temperature and rain at the places you've pinned • When conditions line up for morels, chanterelles, porcini or oysters, you get one notification • Quiet hours and a weekly cap, so it never nags HONEST AI IDENTIFICATION • Photograph up to three angles of one mushroom for a stronger match • Every result names the dangerous lookalikes to rule out first • Identification is a starting point for your own determination — never a verdict on what's safe to eat • Lose signal mid-scan? It's saved and identified when you're back in range A FIELD GUIDE THAT KEEPS GROWING • Hundreds of species with habitat, season and look-alike notes, updated continuously • Seasonal calendar: what's fruiting where, month by month • Detailed safety notes on the toxic species that matter A FORAGING JOURNAL • Every find, dated and mapped, building a record of your seasons • Badges for first finds, species and seasons • Export your data any time — it's yours Start right away: save your first spots, browse the full guide, try the AI. No account required. Go Pro for unlimited pins, offline map downloads, season alerts and cloud backup. Mushroom hunting, wild food foraging, mycology study — this is the map you keep for years. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Mushroom Observer4 screens
Mushroom Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mushroom Tracker at 100% against Mushroom Observer's 0%. Mushroom Tracker also leads on rating (3.7 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). Mushroom Observer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price and update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mushroom Tracker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Mushroom Observer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mushroom Tracker holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Mushroom Observer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mushroom Tracker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mushroom Observer ships an update fortnightly, Mushroom Tracker every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Mushroom Observer versus Mushroom Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMushroom ObserverMushroom Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)3.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.4 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB112 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMushroom Observer, Inc.Jan Rowinski

Customer experience

Mushroom Observer

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative75.0%

Mushroom Tracker

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Mushroom Observer

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Mushroom Tracker

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • Small Tip$2.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
  • Large Tip$9.99

Questions

Is Mushroom Observer free?
Mushroom Observer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mushroom Tracker free?
Mushroom Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mushroom Observer or Mushroom Tracker?
Mushroom Tracker is rated higher. Mushroom Observer averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Mushroom Tracker averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Mushroom Observer or Mushroom Tracker have ads?
Mushroom Tracker shows ads; Mushroom Observer does not.
Which is updated more often, Mushroom Observer or Mushroom Tracker?
Mushroom Observer ships an update fortnightly, and Mushroom Tracker every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mushroom Observer was updated on November 3, 2026 and Mushroom Tracker on November 8, 2026.

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