# Strain Guide vs Local Leaf App

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Local Leaf App at none against Strain Guide's 4. Strain Guide's advantage is ratings volume (913 vs 14) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Strain Guide against 4.8 for Local Leaf App. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strain Guide has 913 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Strain Guide's written reviews are positive against 67% of Local Leaf App's.

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, Local Leaf App every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strain Guide | Local Leaf App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (913 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933/reviews)** | [4.8 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-leaf-app/id1642349026/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **913** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **82.7% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 75 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +17 | 17+ |
| Developer | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) | [Local Leaf LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1642349028) |

## 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


### Local Leaf App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-leaf-app/id1642349026)

Discover cannabis businesses and stay informed about the latest news and laws. This app offers intelligent search to easily locate dispensaries and related services in your area, serving as a comprehensive resource for the cannabis industry.

**Highlights:** Intelligent cannabis business search, Locate dispensaries and services, Up-to-date cannabis news, Information on cannabis laws, Comprehensive industry resource

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strain Guide free?

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

### Is Local Leaf App free?

Local Leaf App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Strain Guide or Local Leaf App?

Strain Guide is rated higher. Strain Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 913 ratings, while Local Leaf App averages 4.8 from 14 ratings.

### Do Strain Guide or Local Leaf App have ads?

Both Strain Guide and Local Leaf App show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Strain Guide or Local Leaf App?

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, and Local Leaf App every 3 months. Most recently, Strain Guide was updated on September 27, 2026 and Local Leaf App on June 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.*