# FloodWatch vs RiverApp

The clearest difference is ads: RiverApp at none against FloodWatch's shown. RiverApp also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 58%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FloodWatch sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and RiverApp sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for FloodWatch against 4.8 for RiverApp. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RiverApp has 5.5K ratings behind it against 328, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of FloodWatch's written reviews are positive against 79% of RiverApp's.

FloodWatch ships an update every 2 months, RiverApp every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FloodWatch | RiverApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (328 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/floodwatch/id386505889/reviews) | **[4.8 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riverapp-river-levels/id667012473/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 328 | **5.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.3% of reviews | **79.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#108** |
| Size | 16 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brian Deshong](https://appshunter.io/developer/386505892) | [Florian Bessiere](https://appshunter.io/developer/667012476) |

## 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 |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great information
- 👍 Useful tool
- 👍 Works as advertised
- 👍 Responsive developer

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios Intrusive ads
-  anúncios Loud and disruptive ads
-  anúncios Full-page ads
-  anúncios Ads prevent app usage
- 💰 Expensive ad-free option

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- App crashes when updating levels
- App crashes when scrolling through favorites
- App crashes a lot
- App kicks out when viewing favorites

**Requested features**

- Add alerts for flood stage
- Add Lock Screen widgets
- Add search bar for gauges
- Add CFS readings
- Add alerts for flow rate


### RiverApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riverapp-river-levels/id667012473)

**Currently charting:** #108 Top Grossing · Weather, #134 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Access real-time water levels, flows, and temperatures for rivers worldwide. Ideal for sports enthusiasts and professionals, it offers detailed maps, navigability information, and customizable alerts for over 40,000 hydrometric stations.

**Highlights:** Real-time water levels and flows, Water temperatures, Hydrometric station maps, Customizable alerts, Whitewater course navigability, User-added hazards and courses

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - 1 month subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium - 1 year subscription | $6.99 | per year |
| RiverApp Premium | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of rivers
- 📊 Useful data and visualizations
- 🔔 Helpful alerts and notifications
- 💰 Affordable premium upgrade

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccurate or outdated information
- 🔍 Missing some important river gauges
- 💬 Lack of communication from developers
- 🗺️ Incorrect geographic information for some areas

**Reported bugs**

- Map feature not working due to internet connection issues
- Horizontal lines and color indicators disappearing from graphs
- Inconsistent or unreliable data updates

**Requested features**

- Add more river coverage, especially in underserved regions
- Improve forecast and prediction capabilities
- Implement a journaling or note-taking feature
- Allow for customizable alerts and notifications
- Add support for additional measurement units (e.g., millimeters)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FloodWatch free?

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

### Is RiverApp free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FloodWatch or RiverApp?

RiverApp is rated higher. FloodWatch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 328 ratings, while RiverApp averages 4.8 from 5.5K ratings.

### Do FloodWatch or RiverApp have ads?

FloodWatch shows ads; RiverApp does not.

### Which is updated more often, FloodWatch or RiverApp?

FloodWatch ships an update every 2 months, and RiverApp every 3 weeks. Most recently, FloodWatch was updated on October 27, 2026 and RiverApp on October 26, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*