# Garmin Alpha vs CORE Search

The clearest difference is update cadence: CORE Search at every 3 days against Garmin Alpha's monthly. CORE Search also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Garmin Alpha ships an update monthly, CORE Search every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Alpha | CORE Search |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (136 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-alpha/id6449200205/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **136** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 478 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Aaron Benzick](https://appshunter.io/developer/768843989) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Alpha

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-alpha/id6449200205)

Track your dog's movements using cellular technology and your smartphone. This app works with a compatible Garmin dog tracking system to provide real-time location data and navigation features.

**Highlights:** Cellular dog tracking, Smartphone integration, VHF tracking signal support, Integrated mapping, Waypoint marking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Peace of mind for dog owners
- 👍 Good technology for hunting
- 👍 Easy to use software
- 👍 Good maps
- 👍 Customer service is second to none

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Many bugs currently
- 🐛 New update needs tweaking
- 🐛 New update is garbage
- 🐛 Map options don't work
- 🐛 Lost functionality from old app

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor lag on opening
- No distance, heading, or name on map when tracking dog
- Tracks won't clear
- Green screen when satellite map selected
- Unable to view any data from Alpha 10 on the map

**Requested features**

- Add yards as a unit of measure
- Add watch app
- Option to make corrections directly from the app
- Easier to switch between Bluetooth devices
- Option to connect multiple devices at once


### CORE Search

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-search/id6788179626)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Alpha free?

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

### Is CORE Search free?

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

### Do Garmin Alpha or CORE Search have ads?

Neither Garmin Alpha nor CORE Search shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Garmin Alpha or CORE Search?

Garmin Alpha ships an update monthly, and CORE Search every 3 days. Most recently, Garmin Alpha was updated on October 28, 2026 and CORE Search on October 10, 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.*