Comparison

Phyto vs Beach Detector

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

Beach Detector

Discover and identify over 100 common animals, plants, and objects found on beaches. This app uses machine learning to recognize items via your phone's camera, offering quick and simple nature learning for all ages.

Highlights
  • Image recognition with machine learning
  • Reference guide with 100+ beach items
  • Learn about animals, plants, and more
  • Intuitive and simple design
  • Educational for children and adults
Features
Read full description

Exploring the beach has never been more fun! Nature is fascinating, but you have to know something about what you see in order to have the greatest experience. With the Beach Detector you learn about the beach without being too nerdy, and in a quick and simple way. The app contains a reference book with 100 typical animals and plants and other things that you can often find on the beach. Beach Detector app also incorporates a feature that allows you to recognize many of the things you can find on the beach. By using the camera in your iPhone, you are provided with information about the various things you might encounter from the sea or living directly on the beach or in the dunes close by in Denmark. The beach is a paradise for locals and every single thing you find has its very own quirky history. Imagine being able to walk on the beach and learn about nature easily and simply, imagine being able to teach your children and each other about the adventurous world that is along Denmark's long coastlines. Suddenly you find out that the beach is nothing but sand and water. Kids will love it and the walk on the beach can easily go a little longer than usual. ************************ APP HIGHLIGHTS ************************ Beach Detector is your best friend when exploring the beach. - Intuitive design - Machine Learning for image recognition - More than 100 different animals and plants - Learning for both children and adults *********************** SAY HELLO *********************** We are always trying to improve Beach Detector and make it better and more fun. We therefore need your help. Do not hesitate to send us an email if you have any questions / suggestions / problems or if you just want to say hello. We love hearing from our users. If you like the app, be sure to rate us on the App Store. Tell your friends about how fun it is to use the Beach Detector.

Screenshots

Phyto4 screens
Beach Detector4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Phyto at none against Beach Detector's 1. Phyto also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Beach Detector's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (34 vs 6). On price 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. Beach Detector sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Phyto asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Phyto holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beach Detector has 34 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phyto ships an update every 10 months, Beach Detector every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Phyto versus Beach Detector: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhytoBeach Detector
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6 ratings) — better4.6 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews64.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings634 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGano Technologies LLCGrumsen Development ApS

Customer experience

Phyto

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

Beach Detector

All ratings34 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral2.9%
Negative5.9%

In-app purchases

None

Phyto

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Beach Detector

One-time1
  • Lifetime access$2.99

Questions

Is Phyto free?
Phyto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Beach Detector free?
Beach Detector is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Phyto or Beach Detector?
Phyto is rated higher. Phyto averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Beach Detector averages 4.6 from 34 ratings.
Do Phyto or Beach Detector have ads?
Beach Detector shows ads; Phyto does not.
Which is updated more often, Phyto or Beach Detector?
Phyto ships an update every 10 months, and Beach Detector every 3 weeks. Most recently, Phyto was updated on September 21, 2026 and Beach Detector on September 23, 2026.

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