SeaPhoto vs Ocean 4D+
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SeaPhoto
Explore a vast collection of high-quality images and detailed ecological information about marine life in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Browse species by name or functional group, with photos downloaded on demand and stored for offline access.
- 1,650+ high-quality marine life images
- 631+ species with ecological information
- Browse by common/scientific name
- Filter by functional group
- On-demand photo download
- Offline photo storage
- Share photos via Twitter/email
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This application provides access to over 1,650 high quality images of over 631 species of marine life of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, including over 130 species with detailed ecological information. You can browse by common or scientific name within all species at once, or by large functional group (birds, marine mammals, fishes, invertebrates, and algae). This app is lightweight and can be downloaded over a cellular connection. Each photo is downloaded “on demand” over a cellular connection, and subsequently become permanently stored on your iOS device for immediate access in the future. You can even share your favorite photos through Twitter and email. One of our nation’s most spectacular marine protected areas, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is filled with an amazing array of wildlife – from tiny shrimp to giant blue whales. Stretching along the central coast from San Francisco to Cambria, the sanctuary includes pristine beaches, jewel-like tide pools, lush kelp forests, steep canyons and an offshore seamount hosting 34 species of marine mammals, more than 100 species of seabirds and shorebirds, more than 400 species of fish and countless invertebrates and algae. We invite you to explore and help protect this national undersea treasure.
Ocean 4D+
Explore a vibrant underwater world with augmented reality. Bring marine creatures to life in your environment, interact with them, and learn fascinating facts about their habitats and conservation status.
- Cardless Augmented Reality
- Interactive 3D marine creatures
- Realistic animations
- Digital Encyclopedia of marine animals
- Conservation status information
- Habitat and diet details
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From the cute clown anemonefish to various fascinating sharks, Ocean 4D+ is here to take you on an underwater marine voyage. CARD & CARDLESS AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE Place the 3D marine creatures directly in your environment or scan the cards available on our website below to summon the animals right in front of you. INTERACTION Tap the creatures to watch some realistic animations and pair them up with the available interactive objects to see their reactions. DIGITAL ENCYCLOPEDIA Visit the 3D Library feature to learn more about many amazing marine animals. Be aware of their conservation status and the threats they are facing. Find out about their diet, sizes, and in which ocean layer(s) do they live. * Minimum Device Requirements for Ocean 4D+: 1. Min OS (for Cardless AR feature): iOS 9 2. Min OS (for Cards AR feature): iOS 7.0 3. Processor: Qualcomm chipset, 1.2 GHz 4. RAM: 3 GB 5. Camera: 8 MPX 6. Memory card supports Augmented Reality feature 7. Not compatible with Intel Atom processor
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SeaPhoto at 5.0 against Ocean 4D+'s 1.0. SeaPhoto also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.0). Ocean 4D+'s advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 22 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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. Ocean 4D+ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SeaPhoto asks for nothing beyond the download.
SeaPhoto holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
SeaPhoto ships an update every 22 months, Ocean 4D+ every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.
| Parameter | SeaPhoto | Ocean 4D+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 251 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Foundation | Octagon Studio Ltd |
Customer experience
SeaPhoto
Ocean 4D+
In-app purchases
SeaPhoto
No in-app purchases
Ocean 4D+
- All Marine Animals$2.99
Questions
Is SeaPhoto free?
Is Ocean 4D+ free?
Which has better reviews, SeaPhoto or Ocean 4D+?
Do SeaPhoto or Ocean 4D+ have ads?
Which is updated more often, SeaPhoto or Ocean 4D+?
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