# iNaturalist Classic vs GLOBE Observer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iNaturalist Classic at 82% against GLOBE Observer's 34%. iNaturalist Classic also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.1) and ratings volume (4.7K vs 91). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iNaturalist Classic has 4.7K ratings behind it against 91, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of iNaturalist Classic's written reviews are positive against 34% of GLOBE Observer's.

iNaturalist Classic ships an update every 5 weeks, GLOBE Observer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iNaturalist Classic | GLOBE Observer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (4.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist-classic/id421397028/reviews)** | [3.1 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.7K** | 91 |
| Positive reviews | **81.6% of reviews** | 33.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 44 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iNaturalist](https://appshunter.io/developer/421397031) | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### GLOBE Observer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751)

Contribute to real scientific research by making environmental observations. Document clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, and trees using your mobile device. Your data supports scientists worldwide, including NASA and NOAA.

**Highlights:** Make environmental observations, Document clouds, Map mosquito habitats, Record land cover, Measure tree height, Contribute to scientific research

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for citizen science
- 💡 Educational and informative
- 👍 Easy to use (for some)
- 👍 Meaningful environmental measurements
- 👍 Fun and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Login/update issues
- 🐛 Account creation problems
- 🐛 Observations not submitting
- 🐛 Poor UI/UX design

**Reported bugs**

- Checking for updates loop
- 504 error on account creation
- Fails after step 5 in account creation
- Robot verification loop
- App crashes on opening

**Requested features**

- Improve UI/UX design
- Add dark mode
- Better translation
- Notifications for satellite flyovers
- Integrate with WorldView or Google Earth


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iNaturalist Classic free?

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

### Is GLOBE Observer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iNaturalist Classic or GLOBE Observer?

iNaturalist Classic is rated higher. iNaturalist Classic averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.7K ratings, while GLOBE Observer averages 3.1 from 91 ratings.

### Do iNaturalist Classic or GLOBE Observer have ads?

Neither iNaturalist Classic nor GLOBE Observer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iNaturalist Classic or GLOBE Observer?

iNaturalist Classic ships an update every 5 weeks, and GLOBE Observer every 2 months. Most recently, iNaturalist Classic was updated on October 27, 2026 and GLOBE Observer on October 24, 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.*