Google Earth vs Webcams
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Google Earth
Explore the world with high-resolution satellite imagery and 3D terrain. Dive into streets with Street View and create collaborative, data-driven maps from anywhere.
- High-resolution satellite imagery
- 3D terrain and building exploration
- Street View 360° perspectives
- Create and collaborate on maps
- Data-driven mapping
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Create and collaborate on immersive, data-driven maps from anywhere, with the new Google Earth. See the world from above with high-resolution satellite imagery, explore 3D terrain and buildings in hundreds of cities, and dive in to streets and neighborhoods with Street View's 360° perspectives.
Webcams
Explore the world through live HD video streams and high-resolution snapshots from a global network of cameras. Discover scenic destinations and landmarks, create personalized watchlists, and browse curated image archives. Enjoy virtual travel from your device.
- Live HD streaming video
- Megapixel snapshot cameras
- Global network of destinations
- Personalized watchlist creation
- Image archive exploration
- Scenic and landmark views
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With EarthCam’s Webcams app, you can travel the globe, visiting scenic and landmark destinations via our unique network of live HD streaming video and megapixel snapshot cameras. Subscribe now to watch hundreds of live-streams for just $4.99 per year, and create your own personalized watchlist. Explore the Hall of Fame to enjoy the best image archives submitted by EarthCam.com visitors and share your favorites! Please note: some streaming cameras may take a moment to load based on your internet connection. Webcams listed are subject to availability and may change from time to time. New views are added regularly, so be sure to check back for new releases. If you’re enjoying Webcams, please take a moment to leave us a positive review. If you’ve left a review before, kindly repost as the reviews are reset with every update. Thanks for your support and for traveling the globe with EarthCam! Run into trouble? Want to let us know what you love about our app or have suggestions for future updates? Please contact us at feedback@earthcam.com. EarthCam Terms of Service: https://www.earthcam.com/company/tos.php
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Webcams at 4.5 against Google Earth's 4.0. Webcams also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 45%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Google Earth's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (47K vs 4.5K). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Webcams sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Google Earth asks for nothing beyond the download.
Webcams holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Earth has 47K ratings behind it against 4.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Google Earth's written reviews are positive against 67% of Webcams's.
Google Earth ships an update fortnightly, Webcams monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Google Earth | Webcams |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (47K ratings) | 4.5 (4.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 44.6% of reviews | 66.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 47K — better | 4.5K |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #18 — better | #122 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 158 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | EarthCam, Inc. | |
Customer experience
Google Earth
Webcams
User reviews
Google Earth
From 47K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌎 Ability to explore the world
- 👍 Useful for geography and education
- 🌍 Detailed satellite and street view imagery
- 🎨 3D mode for immersive experience
Room to improve
- 🕰️ Outdated imagery and maps
- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific locations
- 🚧 Blurred or missing details in some areas
- 🛑 Restricted access to certain regions
Webcams
From 4.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great way to see the world
- 🌎 Interesting window to the world
- 🎉 Fabulous app!
- 🌅 Breathtaking views
- 🐦 Enjoy watching animals and nature
Room to improve
- 🐛 Many cameras not functioning
- 🔍 Limited camera selection, mostly focused on US
- 💰 Paid subscription required to access full features
- 🔍 Difficult to find and organize favorite cameras
- 🔇 Lack of sound on some cameras
Bugs and requests
Google Earth
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes and freezes on mobile devices
- Inconsistent performance and quality across platforms
- Issues with loading and displaying street view
Requested features
5 requests- Update satellite and street view imagery more frequently
- Improve search and navigation functionality
- Add more 3D coverage for cities and landmarks
- Introduce a night mode or time-of-day feature
- Allow users to report outdated or missing information
Webcams
Reported bugs
3 issues- Cameras frequently go offline or show archived footage
- App crashes or becomes unresponsive
- Issues with restoring purchases on new devices
Requested features
5 requests- More international cameras, especially in Europe, Australia, and other regions
- Ability to rearrange and organize favorite cameras
- Add more camera locations, especially iconic landmarks and tourist destinations
- Improve camera quality and reliability
- Add sound to more cameras
In-app purchases
Google Earth
No in-app purchases
Webcams
- Buy All Webcam Subscription$4.991 Year
- Buy All Webcam Packages$4.99
