Comparison

pippyg vs Observation

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

pippyg

Configure your bat recording devices remotely using your phone. Set device IDs, wake/sleep times, and location data. The app uses your phone's microphone to transmit settings to the recorder.

Highlights
  • Configure real-time clock
  • Set device ID
  • Define deployment latitude and longitude
  • Set wake and sleep times
  • Configure PIPPYG bat recorder
  • Configure π•pistrelle bat detector
Features
Read full description

This tool gives you a convenient and reliable method to set the real-time clock, device ID, deployment latitude and longitude, and wake and sleep times for the PIPPYG bat recorder bat detector, in the field, using just your phone and the PIPPYG's onboard microphone. To use the app, set up the configuration you want in terms of Device ID and sleep/wake times, turn your phone volume up to between 1/4 and 1/3 full volume and place your phone's speaker about 4 - 6 inches your PIPPYG's microphone. Now press the Configure / Deploy. SInce the PIPPYG red LED responds to sound after power-up, it flash when your phone makes the "triple chirp" sound. If the LED flashes just when it is responding to the sound, the PIPPYG did not successfully decode the data packete encoded into the chirp, so you need to try again - try changing the phone volume (typically quieter is better), adjust and the distance from the microphone, or positioning the phone more carefully relaive to the PIPPYG - it helps if you point the phone's bottom speakers right at the microphone hole, from a few inches away. If the PIPPYG's red LED flashes 8 times in rapid succession, you have successfully programmed your device, and it will enter a wake/sleep cycle, recording bats (or birds) when it is awake. Note that this app works with both self-build PIPPYG units and with commercially-produced Apodemus PIPPYG and PIPPYG2 devices.

About

Observation

Features
Read full description

With Observation you can easily record nature observations in the field. Our online image recognition AI helps you identify the species on your images. You can choose to use the app offline anywhere in the world. Your observation data is stored on your phone first. Saved observations can be uploaded to Observation.org when online. This app is part of Observation.org; an EU-based platform for world wide biodiversity monitoring and citizen science. Observations that you save in your account are publicly visible for everyone who visits Observation.org. Take a look at the website to see what other observers have recorded and explore all data collected by our community. Observations are validated by species experts, after which the records are made available for scientific research.

Screenshots

pippyg2 screens
Observation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Observation at every 3 weeks against pippyg's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

pippyg ships an update every 2 months, Observation every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
pippyg versus Observation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterpippygObservation
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB80 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhil AtkinObservation International

In-app purchases

None

pippyg

No in-app purchases

None

Observation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is pippyg free?
pippyg is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Observation free?
Observation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do pippyg or Observation have ads?
Neither pippyg nor Observation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, pippyg or Observation?
pippyg ships an update every 2 months, and Observation every 3 weeks. Most recently, pippyg was updated on September 9, 2026 and Observation on September 24, 2026.

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