MSA Forward vs iNaturalist
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MSA Forward
This event app connects museum store professionals. Members can access the event agenda, session details, speaker and exhibitor information, and attendee lists. Stay informed with the latest news and announcements during the event.
- Event agenda access
- Session and speaker details
- Exhibitor information
- Attendee networking
- Event news and announcements
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Where Museum Store Professionals Connect. MSA members can download this app to navigate the MSA FORWARD event. View the Agenda, Sessions, Speakers, Attendees and Exhibitors. Stay up-to-date on the latest news and special announcement during the event.
iNaturalist
Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your camera or imported photos. Get AI-powered species suggestions and connect with a global community of nature enthusiasts to learn more about the natural world and contribute to scientific conservation efforts.
- AI species identification
- Record species observations
- Contribute to scientific data
- Explore biodiversity
- Connect with nature enthusiasts
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Your photos of plants, animals, fungi, and more can help protect nature all around the world. iNaturalist is free, nonprofit, and community-powered. iNaturalist helps millions of people learn about and document the nature around them. Point your camera at plants, animals, and fungi to get instant identification suggestions, then share your photos or sound recordings as an "observation." Then, see your observation get reviewed by a global community of knowledgeable nature-lovers to turn it into a useful data point for science and conservation efforts. Your everyday moments of curiosity can directly contribute to protecting nature, and you don't need any previous experience or knowledge to get started. iNaturalist is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to connecting people to nature and advancing biodiversity science and conservation, and is freely available thanks to the generous support of our community. KEY FEATURES • Identify species from anywhere in the world • Contribute to science by sharing your observations • Keep a record of species you see • Explore and protect biodiversity • Connect with and learn from other nature enthusiasts
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MSA Forward at 5.0 against iNaturalist's 4.1. iNaturalist's advantage is ratings volume (664 vs 1) and chart position (#55 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MSA Forward holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iNaturalist has 664 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
MSA Forward ships an update monthly, iNaturalist fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MSA Forward | iNaturalist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.1 (664 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 48.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 664 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #55 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 219 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Museum Store Association | iNaturalist |
Customer experience
MSA Forward
iNaturalist
Bugs and requests
MSA Forward
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
iNaturalist
Reported bugs
5 issues- App freezes when suggesting IDs on audio clips
- Inconsistent tap responsiveness in search menu
- Observation time not accurately filling based on upload time
- Map showing incorrect observation locations
- Crashes and performance issues on some devices
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to type in address/coordinates for location
- Option to add observations to projects during upload
- Batch editing/uploading of observations
- More precise search filters (e.g. aquatic, parasitic, migratory)
- Bring back colored observation markers on map
In-app purchases
MSA Forward
No in-app purchases
iNaturalist
No in-app purchases
