# Phyto vs AlgalSex

The clearest difference is rating: Phyto at 4.8 against AlgalSex's 2.8. AlgalSex's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 10 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Phyto holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Phyto's written reviews are positive against 100% of AlgalSex's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Phyto ships an update every 10 months, AlgalSex every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phyto | AlgalSex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyto/id333237649/reviews)** | [2.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algalsex/id339965821/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **10** |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 81 MB | 182 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gano Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/333237652) | [TSUCHIKANE](https://appshunter.io/developer/339965824) |

## 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


### AlgalSex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algalsex/id339965821)

Explore the life cycle of algae with this educational application. Designed for iPhone and iPod touch, it offers a visual learning experience for users interested in phycology.

**Highlights:** Observe algae life cycle, Phycological education, iPhone and iPod touch compatible, Visual learning tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phyto free?

Phyto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AlgalSex free?

AlgalSex is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phyto or AlgalSex?

Phyto is rated higher. Phyto averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while AlgalSex averages 2.8 from 10 ratings.

### Do Phyto or AlgalSex have ads?

Neither Phyto nor AlgalSex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phyto or AlgalSex?

Phyto ships an update every 10 months, and AlgalSex every 6 weeks. Most recently, Phyto was updated on September 21, 2026 and AlgalSex on July 13, 2026.

---

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