# The Garden Guide vs IMSS Chicago

The clearest difference is rating: IMSS Chicago at 5.0 against The Garden Guide's 3.7. IMSS Chicago also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). The Garden Guide's advantage is ratings volume (14 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

IMSS Chicago holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of The Garden Guide's written reviews are positive against 100% of IMSS Chicago's.

The Garden Guide ships an update every 7 months, IMSS Chicago every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Garden Guide | IMSS Chicago |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-garden-guide/id566331679/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imss-chicago/id1114128444/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 36 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Horticultural Society](https://appshunter.io/developer/566331682) | [Encurate Mobile Technology, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1151902757) |

## What reviewers say

### The Garden Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-garden-guide/id566331679)

Explore the Chicago Botanic Garden with this app. Discover plants, find your way around, and learn about the garden's features through tours and audio guides. It's a helpful companion for both visitors and home gardeners.

**Highlights:** Navigate 385 acres and 26 gardens, Discover plant information by name, color, or characteristics, Access walking tours and audio guides, Pin favorite locations, Track seasonal blooms, Personal garden docent

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### IMSS Chicago

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imss-chicago/id1114128444)

Explore hidden areas and artifacts within a historic mansion with this museum's mobile app. Discover personalized tour content, an interactive location-aware map, and exclusive historical details and photos.

**Highlights:** Personalized tour content, Interactive location-aware map, Exclusive historical content, Artifact discovery alerts, Self-guided tours

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Garden Guide free?

The Garden Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IMSS Chicago free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Garden Guide or IMSS Chicago?

IMSS Chicago is rated higher. The Garden Guide averages 3.7 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while IMSS Chicago averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do The Garden Guide or IMSS Chicago have ads?

Neither The Garden Guide nor IMSS Chicago shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Garden Guide or IMSS Chicago?

The Garden Guide ships an update every 7 months, and IMSS Chicago every 2 months. Most recently, The Garden Guide was updated on November 1, 2026 and IMSS Chicago on November 2, 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.*