# SoilWeb vs iNaturalist Classic

The clearest difference is rating: iNaturalist Classic at 4.6 against SoilWeb's 3.6. iNaturalist Classic also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 47%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 8 months). SoilWeb's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

iNaturalist Classic holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iNaturalist Classic has 4.7K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of SoilWeb's written reviews are positive against 82% of iNaturalist Classic's.

SoilWeb ships an update every 8 months, iNaturalist Classic every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SoilWeb | iNaturalist Classic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soilweb/id354911787/reviews) | **[4.6 (4.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist-classic/id421397028/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **4.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 47.0% of reviews | **81.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 26 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of California, Davis](https://appshunter.io/developer/356519286) | [iNaturalist](https://appshunter.io/developer/421397031) |

## What reviewers say

### SoilWeb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soilweb/id354911787)

Access detailed soil survey information based on your current location. View soil profile sketches, estimated proportions, and geomorphic positions. Get aggregate data like water holding capacity and links to official soil descriptions.

**Highlights:** Soil profile sketches and geomorphic position, Map unit aggregate data (e.g., water holding capacity), Soil survey area scale and publication date, Detailed component soil properties and ratings, Links to Official Series Descriptions (OSDs), Location accuracy and auto-refresh settings

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Extremely helpful app
- 👍 Great for soil science
- 👍 Useful for field work
- 👍 Intuitive data interface
- 👍 Provides soil data instantly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Doesn't open
- 🐛 Incompatible with newer iOS
- 🐛 Font color difficult to read
- 🐛 Map data inaccurate

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- App doesn't open
- App not compatible with iOS 11/14
- Map gives soil data for wrong area
- Soil series name font color is white, hard to read

**Requested features**

- Allow "view map" feature like desktop version
- Change soil series font color
- Add map view for nearby soil types
- Allow manual input of locations
- Data export options


### iNaturalist Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist-classic/id421397028)

Record and identify species encounters with a simple interface. Contribute to scientific research and learn about biodiversity. Connect with other nature enthusiasts and explore the natural world.

**Highlights:** Identify species globally, Record species sightings, Contribute observations to science, Add observations to projects, Learn about biodiversity, Connect with nature enthusiasts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for identifying plants, animals, and fungi
- 🤝 Supportive community of experts
- 🌱 Contributes to citizen science and research
- 🔍 Accurate identification suggestions
- 🌐 Works well globally

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/sorting observations
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data sharing
- 🤖 Concerns about AI/ML identification accuracy
- 💬 Negative interactions with some community members

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues or inability to create account
- Slow upload speeds or observation syncing
- Inconsistent performance between mobile and web versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to follow other users and see their observations
- More filtering and sorting options for observations
- Offline mode for taking photos and uploading later
- Easier location input for observations
- Private/personal project functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SoilWeb free?

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

### Is iNaturalist Classic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SoilWeb or iNaturalist Classic?

iNaturalist Classic is rated higher. SoilWeb averages 3.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while iNaturalist Classic averages 4.6 from 4.7K ratings.

### Do SoilWeb or iNaturalist Classic have ads?

Neither SoilWeb nor iNaturalist Classic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SoilWeb or iNaturalist Classic?

SoilWeb ships an update every 8 months, and iNaturalist Classic every 5 weeks. Most recently, SoilWeb was updated on October 27, 2026 and iNaturalist Classic on October 28, 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.*