# Tennessee vs GLOBE Observer

The clearest difference is rating: Tennessee at 3.6 against GLOBE Observer's 3.1. Tennessee also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 34%). GLOBE Observer's advantage is ratings volume (86 vs 20) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). 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.

Tennessee holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 86 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Tennessee's written reviews are positive against 34% of GLOBE Observer's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 28, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tennessee | GLOBE Observer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tennessee/id548076679/reviews)** | [3.1 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-observer/id1090456751/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **86** |
| Positive reviews | **57.6% of reviews** | 33.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Tennessee](https://appshunter.io/developer/390185553) | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) |

## What reviewers say

### Tennessee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tennessee/id548076679)

This official university app provides enhanced functionality for students, faculty, staff, and guests. It aims to deliver relevant mobile content to keep users connected and informed about campus life.

**Highlights:** Enhanced functionality, Relevant mobile content, Campus connectivity, Information portal, Official university app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Tennessee free?

Tennessee 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, Tennessee or GLOBE Observer?

Tennessee is rated higher. Tennessee averages 3.6 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while GLOBE Observer averages 3.1 from 86 ratings.

### Do Tennessee or GLOBE Observer have ads?

Neither Tennessee nor GLOBE Observer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tennessee or GLOBE Observer?

Tennessee ships an update every 2 months, and GLOBE Observer every 2 months. Most recently, Tennessee was updated on June 28, 2026 and GLOBE Observer on September 23, 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.*