# vTree vs TheTreeApp SA

The clearest difference is rating: vTree at 3.3 against TheTreeApp SA's 2.7. vTree also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (46 vs 3). TheTreeApp SA's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TheTreeApp SA sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. vTree asks for nothing beyond the download.

vTree holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: vTree has 46 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of vTree's written reviews are positive against 33% of TheTreeApp SA's.

vTree ships an update every 11 months, TheTreeApp SA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | vTree | TheTreeApp SA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vtree/id576191197/reviews)** | [2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thetreeapp-sa-tree-identifier/id1235289410/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **46** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **36.5% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 10 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Peterson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1175417672) | [High Branching cc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1235289409) |

## What reviewers say

### vTree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vtree/id576191197)

Identify woody plants across North America with detailed fact sheets, thousands of images, and location-based filtering. Get expert help from "Dr. Dendro" for tricky identifications.

**Highlights:** 969 North American woody plants, Thousands of color images, Location-based species filtering, Search by keyword, Identify via attribute questions, Expert identification help

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### TheTreeApp SA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thetreeapp-sa-tree-identifier/id1235289410)

Identify over 1200 South African trees using detailed descriptions, artwork, and photographs. Search by scientific or common name in 11 languages, or use interactive location and random search functions. An evaluation version is available, with a yearly subscription unlocking the full database and two versions of the app.

**Highlights:** Identify over 1200 South African trees, Detailed species descriptions, Artwork and over 6000 photographs, Search by scientific/common name, Search in 11 South African languages, Interactive location-based search, Random Tree Search function, Offline functionality after initial download

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TheTreeAppAddOn | $6.99 | per year |
| TreeProBotAddOn | $6.99 | per year |
| TheTreePro SA | $8.99 | per year |
| TheTreeApp | $9.99 | per year |
| TreeProBot | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is vTree free?

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

### Is TheTreeApp SA free?

TheTreeApp SA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, vTree or TheTreeApp SA?

vTree is rated higher. vTree averages 3.3 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while TheTreeApp SA averages 2.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do vTree or TheTreeApp SA have ads?

Neither vTree nor TheTreeApp SA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, vTree or TheTreeApp SA?

vTree ships an update every 11 months, and TheTreeApp SA every 2 months. Most recently, vTree was updated on September 22, 2026 and TheTreeApp SA on September 26, 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.*