Comparison

Big River Watch vs Global Explorers

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

Head to head
About

Big River Watch

Participate in citizen science by observing your local river and reporting on wildlife, water quality, and pollution. Your submissions contribute to a valuable dataset supporting river restoration efforts across the UK and Ireland. The app includes identification guides for wildlife and pollution.

Highlights
  • Citizen science river surveys
  • Record wildlife and pollution
  • Upload river photographs
  • Wildlife and pollution ID guides
  • Offline survey submission
  • Contribute to river restoration data
Features
Read full description

Our rivers face threats from plastic, sewage, nutrient and chemical pollution, which harm wildlife and us. The Big River Watch app is simple citizen science survey that anyone can take part in across the UK and Ireland, that aims to help support river restoration. All you need to do is spend a little time watching your local river and answering the questions in the app. From wildlife and water colour to plastics and pollution, Big River Watch app allows you to record your valuable observations and to upload a photograph of your local river. The app also contains handy wildlife and pollution ID guides. All of the surveys submitted will form a large data set that helps us understand what, and where, some of the problems in our rivers lie. This widespread and up-to-date information is key to support measures taken to improve our rivers. You can complete the survey at any time throughout the year, and you can do more than one survey. Surveys can be completed whilst out and then submitted at a later time if there is not sufficient mobile signal at your survey location. You should not enter the river or put yourself in a dangerous position to complete this survey. The Big River Watch is coordinated by The Rivers Trust and supported by partners and funding from: CIWEM and The Rivers Trust Foundation, for Water Research (FWR) legacy fund and Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative (CaSTCo) project from the Ofwat Innovation fund.

About

Global Explorers

Features
Read full description

Welcome to Global Explorers, an app crafted by the imaginative minds of pupils at Ynysowen Primary School in South Wales! Embark on a thrilling journey with our six vibrant characters, each driven by a passion to save our planet. Delve into their inspiring backstories and discover their ingenious plans to make a difference. Explore fascinating locations worldwide, including China, Wales, Brazil, and Egypt, through enchanting descriptions and captivating video animations. Engage with augmented reality scenes meticulously crafted by our young innovators, and marvel at the intricate models they've designed for your exploration. Challenge yourself with "Guess Who?" featuring cards of our imaginative characters, and immerse yourself in Minecraft models of global landmarks, available for download in Minecraft Education. Unleash your creativity as you build upon these virtual worlds. Dive into our blog penned by the children themselves, detailing their incredible journey in creating this app. Be inspired by the art from around the globe and unleash your inner artist. Navigate effortlessly with our interactive map and indulge in a treasure trove of facts and information about diverse cultures and countries, meticulously researched by our pupils. Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Take our quiz and see how much you've learned! Designed by children, for children, Global Explorers is the ultimate educational tool for primary school teachers and parents. Join us in nurturing the next generation of global citizens. Download now and let the adventure begin!

Screenshots

Big River Watch4 screens
Global Explorers4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Global Explorers at fortnightly against Big River Watch's every 4 months. Big River Watch's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Big River Watch ships an update every 4 months, Global Explorers fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 6 level
Big River Watch versus Global Explorers: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBig River WatchGlobal Explorers
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 โ€” better16.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size32 MB3.7 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Rivers Trust (UK)martin jones

In-app purchases

None

Big River Watch

No in-app purchases

None

Global Explorers

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Big River Watch free?
Big River Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Global Explorers free?
Global Explorers is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Big River Watch or Global Explorers have ads?
Neither Big River Watch nor Global Explorers shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Big River Watch or Global Explorers?
Big River Watch ships an update every 4 months, and Global Explorers fortnightly. Most recently, Big River Watch was updated on June 1, 2026 and Global Explorers on September 16, 2026.

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