The Garden Guide vs HPPL
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Garden Guide
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.
- 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
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When your question is: “How do I find…” Your answer is: The Garden Guide Packed with information about the Chicago Botanic Garden, our app is the perfect companion as you navigate, discover, learn about, and explore all 385 acres, 26 gardens, 4 natural areas, and our outstanding collection of 2.6 million plants. Get to know the Garden with the help of our Walking Tours and Audio Guides. Or, be your own guide--set out on your own and pin your favorite places. Discover what’s in bloom year round and locate any plant on the grounds by its name, color, or characteristics. Think of it as your personal garden docent--whether you’re visiting the Garden grounds or working in your own backyard.
HPPL
Access library resources and services remotely. Discover new materials, manage your account, and register for programs. Your digital library card is available for easy checkouts.
- Search and browse library collection
- Manage account, renew items, place holds
- Stream and download digital media
- Access digital library card
- Register for programs and events
- Reserve meeting rooms
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Access Highland Park Public Library, anytime, anywhere. Use the HPPL app to discover new items, place holds, access digital materials, reserve meeting rooms, manage your account, register for programs, and access Library services on your mobile device. Features: • Search the collection and browse new books, movies, music, and more • Check due dates, renew items, and place holds • Stream and download eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, music, and more • Access your digital library card from your device, use to check out items • Add your digital library card to Apple Wallet • Add and manage multiple household accounts • Find storytimes, author appearances, and other programs • Register for programs and events, and easily view your registrations • Reserve meeting rooms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Garden Guide at 64% against HPPL's 33%. The Garden Guide also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.3) and ratings volume (14 vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The Garden Guide holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of The Garden Guide's written reviews are positive against 33% of HPPL's.
The Garden Guide ships an update every 7 months, HPPL every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Garden Guide | HPPL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (14 ratings) — better | 3.3 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months — better | Every 12 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Chicago Horticultural Society | City of Highland Park Public Library |
Customer experience
The Garden Guide
HPPL
In-app purchases
The Garden Guide
No in-app purchases
HPPL
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Garden Guide free?
Is HPPL free?
Which has better reviews, The Garden Guide or HPPL?
Do The Garden Guide or HPPL have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Garden Guide or HPPL?
Other comparisons
