# FathomVerse vs Gather

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FathomVerse at none against Gather's 6. FathomVerse also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 66%). Gather's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 weeks) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gather sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. FathomVerse asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gather holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 88 and 203 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of FathomVerse's written reviews are positive against 66% of Gather's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FathomVerse ships an update every 6 weeks, Gather every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FathomVerse | Gather |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathomverse/id6469854247/reviews) | **[4.9 (203 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gather-the-foraging-app/id6746694362/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 88 | **203** |
| Positive reviews | **85.7% of reviews** | 65.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 284 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/997448509) | [Feral Foraging, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1817950268) |

## What reviewers say

### FathomVerse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathomverse/id6469854247)

Explore the ocean world through an immersive game that trains AI for scientific research. Discover and identify over 50 groups of ocean animals using real imagery collected by researchers. Contribute to science while playing minigames, completing quests, and earning badges.

**Highlights:** Play minigames with real ocean imagery, Identify over 50 groups of ocean animals, Save and share favorite images, Participate in quests and earn badges, Unlock awards for gameplay contributions, Customize soundscape with Ocean Radio

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Relaxing and peaceful experience
- 🔍 Opportunity to contribute to ocean research
- 🌟 Stunning visuals and immersive environment
- 🧠 Educational content on marine life
- 🤝 Responsive and helpful development team

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and inconsistent user interface
- 🤔 Unclear instructions and onboarding process
- ⏱️ Slow and tedious core gameplay loop
- 🔍 Lack of ability to re-examine animal images
- 🧭 Inconsistent controls between different sections


### Gather

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gather-the-foraging-app/id6746694362)

Discover wild plants and mushrooms growing in your local area with this comprehensive foraging guide. Identify species, avoid toxic lookalikes with detailed comparisons, and track your finds with a digital journal. Get personalized seasonal information and harvesting alerts.

**Highlights:** Local species identification, Toxic lookalike comparisons, Seasonal harvesting times, Foraging journal, Location-based recommendations, Expert identification tips

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent educational app
- 🔍 Detailed plant profiles
- 🔔 Helpful availability notifications
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🌱 Connects users with local ecosystem

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based model
- 🚫 Difficulty deleting account

**Reported bugs**

- Account deletion issues

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option
- Dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FathomVerse free?

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

### Is Gather free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FathomVerse or Gather?

Gather is rated higher. FathomVerse averages 4.6 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while Gather averages 4.9 from 203 ratings.

### Do FathomVerse or Gather have ads?

Neither FathomVerse nor Gather shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FathomVerse or Gather?

FathomVerse ships an update every 6 weeks, and Gather every 10 days. Most recently, FathomVerse was updated on October 17, 2026 and Gather on October 18, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*