# Phyto vs Beach Detector

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.

Both are free to download. Beach Detector sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Phyto asks for nothing beyond the download.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phyto | Beach Detector |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyto/id333237649/reviews)** | [4.6 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beach-detector-your-guide/id1454271046/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **34** |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 81 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gano Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/333237652) | [Grumsen Development ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1092865128) |

## What reviewers say

### Phyto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyto/id333237649)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Beach Detector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beach-detector-your-guide/id1454271046)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime access | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*