# Strain Guide vs MJ Direct

The clearest difference is rating: Strain Guide at 4.8 against MJ Direct's 2.8. Strain Guide also leads on ratings volume (917 vs 12). MJ Direct's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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. MJ Direct asks for nothing beyond the download.

Strain Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strain Guide has 917 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, MJ Direct fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strain Guide | MJ Direct |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (917 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933/reviews)** | [2.8 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mj-direct/id6443822962/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **917** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 82.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 77 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) | [Mj Direct Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649685271) |

## 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


### MJ Direct

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mj-direct/id6443822962)

Discover and order licensed cannabis products from California retailers. Browse edibles, flower, concentrates, and more with advanced filters for effects, cannabinoids, and moods. Access exclusive deals and save your favorites for quick reordering.

**Highlights:** Licensed cannabis retailer marketplace, Browse edibles, flower, concentrates, topicals, Advanced filters for effects and cannabinoids, Exclusive offers and subscription packages, Easy order process and saved favorites, Notifications for deals and discounts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strain Guide free?

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

### Is MJ Direct free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Strain Guide or MJ Direct?

Strain Guide is rated higher. Strain Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 917 ratings, while MJ Direct averages 2.8 from 12 ratings.

### Do Strain Guide or MJ Direct have ads?

Strain Guide shows ads; MJ Direct does not.

### Which is updated more often, Strain Guide or MJ Direct?

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, and MJ Direct fortnightly. Most recently, Strain Guide was updated on October 15, 2026 and MJ Direct on October 6, 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.*