# Strain Guide vs Cannabis Journal

The clearest difference is rating: Strain Guide at 4.8 against Cannabis Journal's 3.4. Strain Guide also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 43%) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). Cannabis Journal's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases 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 and Cannabis Journal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Strain Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strain Guide has 926 ratings behind it against 28, 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 43% of Cannabis Journal's.

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, Cannabis Journal every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strain Guide | Cannabis Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (926 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933/reviews)** | [3.4 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cannabis-journal/id6479978485/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **926** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | **82.7% of reviews** | 43.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 86 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) | [Passion Project Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1737746246) |

## 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


### Cannabis Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cannabis-journal/id6479978485)

Track your cannabis experiences, logging strains, products, and their effects. Discover ideal activities for different strains and understand how they impact medical conditions. Approach dispensaries with confidence by knowing what works best for you.

**Highlights:** Log cannabis strains and products, Record effects and activities, Track impact on medical conditions, Rate strains by price, THC, aroma, flavor, Gain dispensary confidence

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cannabis Journal | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strain Guide free?

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

### Is Cannabis Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Strain Guide or Cannabis Journal?

Strain Guide is rated higher. Strain Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 926 ratings, while Cannabis Journal averages 3.4 from 28 ratings.

### Do Strain Guide or Cannabis Journal have ads?

Strain Guide shows ads; Cannabis Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Strain Guide or Cannabis Journal?

Strain Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cannabis Journal every 5 days. Most recently, Strain Guide was updated on October 27, 2026 and Cannabis Journal 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.*