WaterQuality vs Underfoot
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Record stream study data
- Learn about water quality indicators
- Offline functionality
- Macroinvertebrate field guide
- Data export (print/email)
- Site location recording
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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.
Underfoot
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Underfoot is a field guide for anyone who can't walk past a bug without stopping to look. Photograph an insect, spider, or under-a-rock critter, get an AI identification suggestion, and add an illustrated specimen card to your collection. HOW IT WORKS • Identify and compare. Check the suggestion against real reference photos, or choose a different species from the guide. AI can make mistakes. • Explore over 2,000 species. Browse insects, spiders, roly-polies, millipedes, snails, and other small creatures, with AI-generated illustrations in an ink-and-watercolor style. • Keep your own photos. See your find beside a reference image, enlarge either photo, and explore available life-stage images. • Collect wild finds. Save a species outside the bundled guide with an illustration generated for its card. • Know where to look. Read habitat tips, see seasonal suggestions, and explore nearby parks and trails. • Try something outside. Optional field activities and five observation walks help you slow down and notice more. QUIET BY DESIGN No public profiles, messaging, advertising SDKs, or cross-app tracking. Your nickname, collection photos, and field-activity progress stay on your device. Your collection is available offline. A parent should supervise a child's use. Photo identification requires your consent and an internet connection. Your selected photo goes through Underfoot's Firebase server to Google Gemini without your nickname or location. Anonymous identifiers, request counts, and technical diagnostics support the service; Google may retain requests for safety checks. Location is optional. See our privacy policy for details and deletion options. FREE & PRO Browse the field guide and collect your first 10 distinct species free. Underfoot Pro removes the collection limit with a monthly or yearly auto-renewable subscription. Prices are shown before purchase. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple account settings. Restore Purchases is available on the paywall. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://underfoot.web.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Underfoot at Free against WaterQuality's $4.99. Underfoot also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 5 months). WaterQuality's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads 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
Underfoot is free to download; WaterQuality costs $4.99 up front. Underfoot sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. WaterQuality asks for nothing beyond the download.
WaterQuality ships an update every 5 months, Underfoot every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WaterQuality | Underfoot |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 102 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Stroud Water Research Center | Jason Brannon |
In-app purchases
WaterQuality
No in-app purchases
Underfoot
- Underfoot Pro$2.991 Month
- Underfoot Pro Annual$24.991 Year









