# QuakeWatch vs Downcast

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: QuakeWatch at none against Downcast's 4. QuakeWatch also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 71%) and price ($0.99 vs $2.99). Downcast's advantage is ratings volume (2.7K vs 78) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

QuakeWatch costs $0.99 and Downcast $2.99 up front. Downcast sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. QuakeWatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for QuakeWatch against 4.3 for Downcast. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Downcast has 2.7K ratings behind it against 78, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of QuakeWatch's written reviews are positive against 71% of Downcast's.

QuakeWatch ships an update every 3 months, Downcast monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QuakeWatch | Downcast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quakewatch/id314600768/reviews) | [4.3 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 78 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **84.5% of reviews** | 70.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #14 | **#1** |
| Size | 10 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.7 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LateNightProjects](https://appshunter.io/developer/314600771) | [Jamawkinaw Enterprises LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/393858569) |

## What reviewers say

### QuakeWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quakewatch/id314600768)

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

This app provides real-time information on earthquakes worldwide. It features an interactive map, detailed reports, and customizable alerts. Stay informed about seismic activity near you or loved ones.

**Highlights:** Interactive world map with tectonic plates, Sortable earthquake listings (recent, largest, closest), Tsunami information access, Customizable minimum magnitude filter, Share earthquake data via email, social media, SMS, Detailed earthquake reports with live maps

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent, comprehensive, and detailed information
- 🗺️ Great maps and ways of sorting information
- ⏱️ Updates information quickly
- 📊 Provides lots of useful data and statistics
- 🔍 Allows customization of parameters

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔔 Lacks push notification functionality
- 🔗 Some broken/outdated links
- 🗺️ Limited map scrolling and zooming capabilities
- 🕰️ Delayed or slow updates in some cases
- 🤖 Concerns about the app being abandoned or not maintained

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes or app not loading properly
- Inaccuracies in earthquake location and magnitude reporting
- Issues with specific data feeds (e.g., USGS, GeoNet NZ)

**Requested features**

- Add push notification alerts for earthquakes near user's location
- Improve map functionality to allow better scrolling and zooming
- Provide more historical earthquake data and analysis
- Add support for more data sources beyond just USGS
- Integrate with other earthquake/disaster preparedness resources


### Downcast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

Manage and listen to podcasts with a powerful, feature-rich player. Offers extensive download and playback options, including variable speed and CarPlay support. Syncs across devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Search, subscribe, and download podcasts, Manual subscription via URL, Automatic downloads and background downloading, Variable playback speed, AirPlay and Google Cast support, iCloud syncing for subscriptions and settings, Smart playlist creation

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Encouraging Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Motivating Tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Galvanizing Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Inspiring Tip | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Highly customizable
- 💡 Granular podcast management
- 🚀 Reliable performance
- 👍 Great organization and playlists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Subpar search functionality
- 👎 Outdated user interface
- 👎 Syncing problems

**Reported bugs**

- Podcast downloads failing
- Playback position not saved correctly
- Podcast artwork and information mix-ups
- Continuous play issues
- Crashing on startup

**Requested features**

- Bookmark feature
- Playback speed of 1.75x
- Podcast triage/management tools
- Improved CarPlay integration
- Apple Watch app with volume control


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QuakeWatch free?

QuakeWatch costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Downcast free?

Downcast costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, QuakeWatch or Downcast?

QuakeWatch and Downcast are both rated 4.3 out of 5 on the App Store, from 78 and 2.7K ratings respectively.

### Do QuakeWatch or Downcast have ads?

Neither QuakeWatch nor Downcast shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, QuakeWatch or Downcast?

QuakeWatch ships an update every 3 months, and Downcast monthly. Most recently, QuakeWatch was updated on October 13, 2026 and Downcast on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, QuakeWatch or Downcast?

QuakeWatch currently peaks at #14 in the App Store charts, and Downcast at #1. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*