Comparison

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ vs HAB Detection

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

Head to head
About

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™

Follow the real-time movements of sharks, turtles, and other marine animals across the globe. Learn fascinating facts, explore migration patterns, and support ocean conservation efforts through interactive tracking data.

Highlights
  • Live animal tracking on interactive maps
  • Explore migration and movement patterns
  • Access animal tagging and species details
  • Daily ocean and marine animal facts
  • Premium map layers and exclusive content (subscription)
  • Community engagement with comments (subscription)
Features
Read full description

DIVE INTO A WORLD OF SHARKS, TURTLES, AND OTHER AMAZING MARINE ANIMALS & HELP SAVE OUR OCEANS! If you have a passion for the ocean, sharks, and marine life, this app is for YOU! The Global Shark Tracker™ was created by OCEARCH, a non-profit research organization dedicated to returning our world’s oceans to balance and abundance. EXPLORE LIKE THE OCEARCH CREW, FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME! Join our scientific researchers on an exciting journey, with real-time tracking data for sharks, turtles, and more. With cutting-edge satellite technology, the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™ app lets you follow these amazing marine animals as they migrate across the globe. Dive into each animal’s profile to discover their history, track their movements, and learn fascinating facts about their species • Track Animals Live with Interactive Maps • Explore Migration & Movement Patterns • Access Animal Tagging & Species Details • Never Miss Updates with ‘Follow’ Option • Daily Ocean & Marine Animal Facts MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS YOU TRACK OCEARCH now has a new way that YOU can make a direct impact on our sharks and oceans! For less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month, you can upgrade to Shark Tracker+ and directly support the OCEARCH mission. Plus, enjoy these exciting new features with your subscription: • Premium Map Layers incl. Live Weather Maps • ‘Behind-The-Scenes’ Exclusive Content • Enhanced Animal Detail Page incl. Charts • Community Engagement with ‘Comments’ • Discounts in the OCEARCH Shop HOW TRACKING WORKS OCEARCH conducts scientific research and collaborates with institutions across the world! SPOT tags are used to provide near real-time tracking data for an average of 5 years. Each time the animal’s tag breaks the surface of the water, it signals a satellite to create a ‘ping’ on the tracker for YOU to see. Data is used by the scientific community to help with: • Research • Conservation • Policy • Management • Safety • Education We created this app to engage YOU in shark and marine conservation efforts by providing real-time tracking data on ocean animals. Our goal is to empower YOU to connect with the ocean, learn about marine life, and support vital marine science through interactive, accessible technology. Thank you for your interest and support. We couldn't conduct this critical ocean research without you. If you love our app, please consider supporting us by leaving a rating and review, or by sharing it with your friends. We’re always looking to improve! If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to email us at tracker@ocearch.org. OCEARCH is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our federal tax ID is 80-0708997. For more information about OCEARCH and our mission, please visit www.ocearch.org or @OCEARCH on social media to learn more. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

HAB Detection

This application assists in identifying harmful algae blooms in ocean waters. Developed for NOAA, it utilizes advanced detection methods to monitor marine environments.

Highlights
  • Harmful algae bloom detection
  • Ocean water monitoring
  • Designed for NOAA
  • Developed by UCSD VIS lab
Features
Read full description

This app is Designed for NOAA by UCSD VIS lab, and it is developed for detecting harmful algae bloom within the ocean.

Screenshots

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™4 screens
HAB Detection1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HAB Detection at none against OCEARCH Shark Tracker™'s 2. HAB Detection also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 4 weeks). OCEARCH Shark Tracker™'s advantage is ratings volume (8.8K vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support 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

Both are free to download. OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. HAB Detection asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HAB Detection holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ has 8.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ ships an update every 4 weeks, HAB Detection every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ versus HAB Detection: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOCEARCH Shark Tracker™HAB Detection
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (8.8K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings8.8K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOCEARCHYang Cai

Customer experience

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™

All ratings8,774 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.7%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews364 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral5.2%
Negative24.2%

HAB Detection

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Outdated animal data and locations
  • Difficulties creating accounts
  • Compatibility issues on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to favorite/track specific animals
  • Notifications for animal pings
  • More diverse marine life tracking
  • Improved map and data visualization
  • Integration with other platforms

HAB Detection

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

OCEARCH Shark Tracker™

Subscriptions2
  • Tracker Plus Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Tracker Plus Yearly$29.991 Year
None

HAB Detection

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ free?
OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HAB Detection free?
HAB Detection is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ or HAB Detection?
HAB Detection is rated higher. OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 8.8K ratings, while HAB Detection averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ or HAB Detection have ads?
Neither OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ nor HAB Detection shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ or HAB Detection?
OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ ships an update every 4 weeks, and HAB Detection every 8 days. Most recently, OCEARCH Shark Tracker™ was updated on November 6, 2026 and HAB Detection on October 30, 2026.

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