Comparison

WaterQuality vs HabiTally

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

WaterQuality

This educational app allows users of all ages to record stream study data and learn about water quality indicators. It functions offline and includes a field guide for identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates to assess pollution tolerance. Data can be exported for scientific research or educational purposes.

Highlights
  • Record stream study data
  • Learn about water quality indicators
  • Offline functionality
  • Macroinvertebrate field guide
  • Data export (print/email)
  • Site location recording
Features
Read full description

The Water Quality Mobile App is designed for education or scientific research purposes. There are NO annoying advertisements. Users of all ages can record stream study data and learn about water quality indicators in learning pop-ups. Data can be recorded in a general or a Leaf Pack Network report. Stream study parameters include site location (lat. & long.), site profile information, water chemistries, physical stream data, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and much more! The macroinvertebrates section acts as a field guide of all of the major taxa used to calculate a pollution tolerance index. Pictures, sketches, short videos, and descriptions for identification are included for twenty-two macroinvertebrates. This app can be used in the field without WiFi or cell service. Once back to a WiFi or cell service area data can be exported as printed reports or emailed.

About

HabiTally

This app allows users to record data about their monarch butterfly habitat conservation efforts. The collected, anonymized data is shared with conservation groups to help monarch populations recover.

Highlights
  • Record habitat conservation data
  • Support monarch butterfly recovery
  • Anonymized data aggregation
  • Data shared with conservation parties
  • Citizen science for wildlife
Features
Read full description

Monarch butterflies face many challenges that have contributed to a significant decline in their population over the last two decades. More breeding habitat and food resources, including milkweed and nectar sources, across the migration route will help monarch populations recover. HabiTally enables farmers, ranchers, landowners and private citizens to support these efforts by entering data about their monarch habitat conservation efforts. Data collected through HabiTally will be made anonymous and aggregated at the county level. HabiTally data will be shared with other parties involved in monarch conservation/habitat implementation while remaining anonymous.

Screenshots

WaterQuality4 screens
HabiTally4 screens

Verdict

The call

WaterQuality and HabiTally both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of HabiTally's written reviews are positive against 0% of WaterQuality's. HabiTally also leads on price (Free vs $4.99). WaterQuality's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 43 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On rating, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

HabiTally is free to download; WaterQuality costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for WaterQuality against 5.0 for HabiTally. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 5 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of WaterQuality's written reviews are positive against 100% of HabiTally's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WaterQuality ships an update every 5 months, HabiTally every 43 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
WaterQuality versus HabiTally: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWaterQualityHabiTally
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 43 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStroud Water Research CenterIowa State University of Science and Technology

Customer experience

WaterQuality

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

HabiTally

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

WaterQuality

No in-app purchases

None

HabiTally

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WaterQuality free?
WaterQuality costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is HabiTally free?
HabiTally is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WaterQuality or HabiTally?
WaterQuality and HabiTally are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 5 ratings respectively.
Do WaterQuality or HabiTally have ads?
Neither WaterQuality nor HabiTally shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WaterQuality or HabiTally?
WaterQuality ships an update every 5 months, and HabiTally every 43 months. Most recently, WaterQuality was updated on November 1, 2026 and HabiTally on November 3, 2026.

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