Phyto vs Open Readings
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Phytoplankton identification guide
- Marine and freshwater species
- Flash cards for learning
- Interactive identification games
- Species details and photos
- Submit observation results
Read full descriptionHide 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).
Open Readings
Read full descriptionHide full description
This app provides conference participants a convenient way to explore conference programme, find relevant presentations and sessions, be up to date with the latest announcements and even includes a conference game
Screenshots
Verdict
Phyto and Open Readings are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Phyto ships an update every 10 months, Open Readings every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Phyto | Open Readings |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (6 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Gano Technologies LLC | VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETO FIZIKOS FAKULTETO ALUMNIO DRAUGIJA |
In-app purchases
Phyto
No in-app purchases
Open Readings
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Phyto free?
Is Open Readings free?
Do Phyto or Open Readings have ads?
Which is updated more often, Phyto or Open Readings?
Other comparisons
