Comparison

Phyto vs Whale Encyclopedia

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

Head to head
About

Phyto

Learn to identify common marine and freshwater phytoplankton with this educational app. It features a comprehensive identification guide, flashcards, and interactive games to aid learning. Developed with support from NOAA, it's designed for both iPhone and iPad.

Highlights
  • Phytoplankton identification guide
  • Marine and freshwater species
  • Flash cards for learning
  • Interactive identification games
  • Species details and photos
  • Submit observation results
Features
Read full description

Phyto helps you learn to identify phytoplankton and their proper pronunciation. It includes the most common marine and freshwater phytoplankton. --------------------- Phyto Version 2.0 - Completely redesigned! --------------------- - Many new species added with more details and photos. - Freshwater and Marine species now included - Flash Cards and Fast Phyto: two games to help learn how to identify phytoplankton - Species Identification Guide - Phytoplankton Monitoring Network volunteers can submit sample observation results - Embedded news and information browser - Universal App: now works well on both the iPhone and iPad (support for all screen sizes and resolutions) ----------------- This application was developed by the Phytoplankton Monitoring Network which is sponsored by the Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research division of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

About

Whale Encyclopedia

Discover detailed articles and stunning HD photos of whales from A-Z. This offline encyclopedia offers a simple, engaging interface perfect for both children and adults interested in marine life. Earn badges for reading and explore at your own pace.

Highlights
  • A-Z whale topics
  • HD photos
  • Offline access
  • Badge collection system
  • Simple user interface
  • Suitable for all ages
Features
Read full description

Discover the animals behind the names: blue whales, humpback whales and other cetaceans. Explore 263 articles on whales, their biology and marine life. Save discoveries and return to where you stopped. START WITH FIVE FREE ARTICLES New readers can choose any five different articles. Your chosen articles stay unlocked, and revisiting them never uses another choice. Existing readers keep previously granted access. MAKE DISCOVERIES YOUR OWN • Search article titles and full text • Follow links between related topics • Save articles and return to your reading position • Continue recent reading and track your progress • Explore connections through the timeline and graph • Find article sources and image credits inside the app CHOOSE YOUR ACCESS Own the full encyclopedia with a one-time purchase for complete offline reading. Or choose monthly or annual Premium for the full encyclopedia plus AI chat grounded in this subject's articles. Eligible new Premium subscribers receive a three-day introductory trial. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled through your App Store account. Current local prices and terms appear before purchase. Restore Purchases recovers eligible previous purchases. Earlier full-version ownership includes encyclopedia and offline access; Premium AI requires a subscription. Internet access is required for AI chat and purchases. AI answers may contain errors; consult the linked sources. Article text is derived from Wikipedia. Images come from appropriately licensed Wikimedia Commons and other open sources. Source links, licenses and credits are available in the app. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Phyto4 screens
Whale Encyclopedia4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Phyto at 4.8 against Whale Encyclopedia's 4.2. Phyto also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (64% vs 50%). Whale Encyclopedia's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (20 vs 6). On price, ads, monetization model 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. Whale Encyclopedia sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Phyto asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Phyto holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Phyto's written reviews are positive against 50% of Whale Encyclopedia's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phyto ships an update every 10 months, Whale Encyclopedia fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Phyto versus Whale Encyclopedia: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhytoWhale Encyclopedia
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6 ratings) — better4.2 (20 ratings)
Positive reviews64.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings620 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB100 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperGano Technologies LLCGood Spider, LLC

Customer experience

Phyto

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive64.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative28.6%

Whale Encyclopedia

All ratings20 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative15.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Phyto

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Whale Encyclopedia

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Annual Premium3 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Full Version$9.99

Questions

Is Phyto free?
Phyto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Whale Encyclopedia free?
Whale Encyclopedia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Phyto or Whale Encyclopedia?
Phyto is rated higher. Phyto averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Whale Encyclopedia averages 4.2 from 20 ratings.
Do Phyto or Whale Encyclopedia have ads?
Neither Phyto nor Whale Encyclopedia shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Phyto or Whale Encyclopedia?
Phyto ships an update every 10 months, and Whale Encyclopedia fortnightly. Most recently, Phyto was updated on October 23, 2026 and Whale Encyclopedia on October 24, 2026.

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