# Phyto vs Open Readings

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phyto | Open Readings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyto/id333237649/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gano Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/333237652) | [VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETO FIZIKOS FAKULTETO ALUMNIO DRAUGIJA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804664950) |

## 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


### Open Readings

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-readings/id6743805540)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phyto free?

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

### Is Open Readings free?

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

### Do Phyto or Open Readings have ads?

Neither Phyto nor Open Readings shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phyto or Open Readings?

Phyto ships an update every 10 months, and Open Readings every 6 months. Most recently, Phyto was updated on September 21, 2026 and Open Readings on September 11, 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.*