Phyto vs HAB Detection
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
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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).
HAB Detection
This application assists in identifying harmful algae blooms in ocean waters. Developed for NOAA, it utilizes advanced detection methods to monitor marine environments.
- Harmful algae bloom detection
- Ocean water monitoring
- Designed for NOAA
- Developed by UCSD VIS lab
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This app is Designed for NOAA by UCSD VIS lab, and it is developed for detecting harmful algae bloom within the ocean.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: HAB Detection at every 8 days against Phyto's every 10 months. Phyto's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HAB Detection holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phyto has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Phyto ships an update every 10 months, HAB Detection every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Phyto | HAB Detection |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Gano Technologies LLC | Yang Cai |
Customer experience
Phyto
HAB Detection
In-app purchases
Phyto
No in-app purchases
HAB Detection
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Phyto free?
Is HAB Detection free?
Which has better reviews, Phyto or HAB Detection?
Do Phyto or HAB Detection have ads?
Which is updated more often, Phyto or HAB Detection?
Other comparisons
