# Strain Guide vs Hytiva

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hytiva at none against Strain Guide's 4. Hytiva also leads on ads (none vs shown). Strain Guide's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Strain Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Hytiva asks for nothing beyond the download.

Strain Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strain Guide has 927 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Strain Guide's written reviews are positive against 64% of Hytiva's.

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, Hytiva every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strain Guide | Hytiva |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (927 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933/reviews)** | [4.3 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hytiva/id1634505174/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **927** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **82.7% of reviews** | 63.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 86 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) | [Hytiva Technologies, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1617919279) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Hytiva

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hytiva/id1634505174)

Discover detailed information on cannabis strains, find dispensaries, and order products for pickup or delivery. Access verified lab data, user reviews, and educational content to make informed choices about cannabis.

**Highlights:** Extensive strain library with verified photos and lab data, Terpene and cannabinoid educational videos, Dispensary menus with real-time product information, Search for deals and products by specific criteria, Online ordering for pickup or delivery, Direct communication with dispensaries

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strain Guide free?

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

### Is Hytiva free?

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

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

Strain Guide is rated higher. Strain Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 927 ratings, while Hytiva averages 4.3 from 14 ratings.

### Do Strain Guide or Hytiva have ads?

Strain Guide shows ads; Hytiva does not.

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

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hytiva every 7 months. Most recently, Strain Guide was updated on October 30, 2026 and Hytiva on October 24, 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.*