# Monarch Watch vs Gopher Tortoise Watch

The clearest difference is rating: Gopher Tortoise Watch at 5.0 against Monarch Watch's 4.7. Gopher Tortoise Watch also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). Monarch Watch's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Gopher Tortoise Watch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Monarch Watch ships an update monthly, Gopher Tortoise Watch every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monarch Watch | Gopher Tortoise Watch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monarch-watch/id1622788215/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gopher-tortoise-watch/id6793339483/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 86 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [The University of Kansas](https://appshunter.io/developer/726307325) | [Jude Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/6793339485) |

## What reviewers say

### Monarch Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monarch-watch/id1622788215)

Contribute to citizen science by tracking monarch butterflies. Log tagging, recovery, and calendar data with automatic image capture and field data import. Save data offline for later submission.

**Highlights:** Monarch tagging data submission, Recovery and calendar data logging, Automatic tag image capture, Streamlined data entry, Offline data saving, Educational materials

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Gopher Tortoise Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gopher-tortoise-watch/id6793339483)

Contribute to tortoise conservation by logging sightings and burrow information. This app guides users through data collection, mapping, and habitat surveys, building a valuable database for research and protection efforts. It prioritizes user privacy and community review for accurate, impactful conservation.

**Highlights:** Log tortoise and burrow sightings, Guided photo-first data entry, Structured habitat surveys, Track burrows over time, Interactive map with filtering, Location privacy protection, Community review and validation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monarch Watch free?

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

### Is Gopher Tortoise Watch free?

Gopher Tortoise Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Monarch Watch or Gopher Tortoise Watch?

Gopher Tortoise Watch is rated higher. Monarch Watch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Gopher Tortoise Watch averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Monarch Watch or Gopher Tortoise Watch have ads?

Neither Monarch Watch nor Gopher Tortoise Watch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monarch Watch or Gopher Tortoise Watch?

Monarch Watch ships an update monthly, and Gopher Tortoise Watch every 9 days. Most recently, Monarch Watch was updated on October 23, 2026 and Gopher Tortoise Watch on October 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*