# FloodWatch vs River Reports

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: River Reports at none against FloodWatch's 5. River Reports also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). FloodWatch's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 25 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FloodWatch sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. River Reports asks for nothing beyond the download.

FloodWatch holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FloodWatch has 314 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of FloodWatch's written reviews are positive against 50% of River Reports's.

FloodWatch ships an update every 2 months, River Reports every 25 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FloodWatch | River Reports |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (314 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/floodwatch/id386505889/reviews)** | [4.4 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/river-reports/id1564369941/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **314** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **56.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 25 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 13 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brian Deshong](https://appshunter.io/developer/386505892) | [Greg Lamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1126182444) |

## What reviewers say

### FloodWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/floodwatch/id386505889)

Monitor real-time river and flood data across the United States. Track river height, discharge, precipitation, and water temperature with data from USGS and NWS. Ideal for property owners, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone needing flood awareness.

**Highlights:** Real-time river data, Historical trends and graphs, Favorites list for gauges, Nationwide US coverage, Flood awareness alerts, Recreation water condition checks

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Level 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip Level 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip Level 3 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Ad Removal | $8.99 | one-time |
| Tip Level 4 | $9.99 | one-time |


### River Reports

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/river-reports/id1564369941)

Access real-time and historical river flow data for hundreds of locations in the American West. This app simplifies finding crucial information for outdoor activities like float trips or checking local creek conditions, consolidating data from various government sources.

**Highlights:** Real-time river flows, Historical river flow data, Weather conditions, Consolidated data sources, Coverage across American West states, Easily digestible view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FloodWatch free?

FloodWatch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is River Reports free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FloodWatch or River Reports?

FloodWatch is rated higher. FloodWatch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 314 ratings, while River Reports averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.

### Do FloodWatch or River Reports have ads?

FloodWatch shows ads; River Reports does not.

### Which is updated more often, FloodWatch or River Reports?

FloodWatch ships an update every 2 months, and River Reports every 25 months. Most recently, FloodWatch was updated on September 28, 2026 and River Reports on September 21, 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.*