# Jellywatch vs Beach Detector

The clearest difference is rating: Beach Detector at 4.6 against Jellywatch's 3.0. Beach Detector also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (34 vs 2). Jellywatch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Beach Detector sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Jellywatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

Beach Detector holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beach Detector has 34 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Jellywatch ships an update every 3 months, Beach Detector every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Jellywatch | Beach Detector |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jellywatch/id545501733/reviews) | **[4.6 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beach-detector-your-guide/id1454271046/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **34** |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/997448509) | [Grumsen Development ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1092865128) |

## What reviewers say

### Jellywatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jellywatch/id545501733)

This app serves as a global database for monitoring ocean conditions, focusing on jellyfish populations. It empowers citizen scientists to submit observations and photos, contributing to freely accessible data on blooms, red tides, and general marine environments. Species identification is also offered for submitted images.

**Highlights:** Ocean condition monitoring, Jellyfish population tracking, Citizen science reporting, Global data submission, Species identification, Free data access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Beach Detector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beach-detector-your-guide/id1454271046)

Discover and identify over 100 common animals, plants, and objects found on beaches. This app uses machine learning to recognize items via your phone's camera, offering quick and simple nature learning for all ages.

**Highlights:** Image recognition with machine learning, Reference guide with 100+ beach items, Learn about animals, plants, and more, Intuitive and simple design, Educational for children and adults

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime access | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Jellywatch free?

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

### Is Beach Detector free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Jellywatch or Beach Detector?

Beach Detector is rated higher. Jellywatch averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Beach Detector averages 4.6 from 34 ratings.

### Do Jellywatch or Beach Detector have ads?

Beach Detector shows ads; Jellywatch does not.

### Which is updated more often, Jellywatch or Beach Detector?

Jellywatch ships an update every 3 months, and Beach Detector every 3 weeks. Most recently, Jellywatch was updated on October 22, 2026 and Beach Detector 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.*