Comparison

Wastewater Trends vs Trace

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

Head to head
About

Wastewater Trends

Monitor community COVID-19 infection levels using national wastewater surveillance data. Visualize trends with interactive charts and home screen widgets to stay informed about viral activity in your area.

Highlights
  • Wastewater surveillance data for COVID-19
  • National and regional trend insights
  • Interactive viral load charts
  • Home screen widgets for quick updates
  • Community infection level monitoring
Features
Read full description

Track COVID-19, Flu & RSV Trends with Wastewater Data Stay informed about the relative level of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV activity in your community with data from the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). This app uses wastewater testing to detect traces of viral activity circulating in your area, helping you understand infection trends and plan accordingly. Features: • Three Viruses, One App: Switch between COVID-19, flu (Influenza A), and RSV to see what's circulating. • National and Regional Insights: View trends across the U.S. or focus on specific regions like the Northeast, South, Midwest, or West. • Interactive Charts: Explore clear and intuitive visuals of viral activity data to track changes over time. • Handy Widgets: Add widgets to your home screen for at-a-glance updates on local or national trends. Whether you're monitoring for personal awareness, making decisions for your household, or simply curious about the data, this app provides an easy and insightful way to stay informed. Download now and stay ahead of community health trends.

About

Trace

Understand your exposure to microplastics with a personalized assessment and science-backed recommendations. Learn about sources, track your progress, and make informed choices for a healthier life and a cleaner environment.

Highlights
  • Personalized microplastic exposure score
  • Customized reduction recommendations
  • Local tap water quality reports
  • Progress tracking over time
  • Educational content on microplastics
  • Actionable insights for daily life
Features
Read full description

Trace helps you understand and reduce your exposure to harmful microplastics in everyday life. Through our science-backed assessment, you'll learn your personal microplastics risk score and get customized recommendations to minimize your exposure. Key Features: • Personalized Assessment: Answer questions about your diet, home habits, and lifestyle to calculate your unique microplastics exposure score. • Water Quality Reports (Premium Feature): Access detailed information about microplastics and chemicals in your local tap water based on your zip code. • Actionable Insights: Receive practical, easy-to-implement recommendations to reduce your plastic consumption. • Progress Tracking: Monitor your improvement over time as you implement changes. • Educational Content (Premium Feature): Learn about microplastics sources and their impact on health through engaging visuals and facts. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles found in our food, water, and air. The average person ingests about 5 grams of plastic weekly—equivalent to a credit card—and may consume up to 46 pounds of microplastics in their lifetime. These particles can contain harmful chemicals that affect hormones, immunity, and overall health. Trace empowers you to make informed choices about your health by highlighting hidden sources of microplastics in your daily routine and suggesting safer alternatives. Whether it's switching from plastic food containers, choosing better laundry detergents, or improving your water filtration, Trace provides practical steps anyone can take to reduce their microplastic intake. Join thousands of Trace users who are taking control of their health and helping create a cleaner environment for future generations. Download today and start your journey toward a life with fewer microplastics. Note: Some features require a premium subscription to access. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Wastewater Trends4 screens
Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Wastewater Trends at 100% against Trace's 50%. Wastewater Trends also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). Trace's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (28 vs 7). On price 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. Trace sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Wastewater Trends asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Wastewater Trends holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Wastewater Trends's written reviews are positive against 50% of Trace's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Wastewater Trends ships an update every 4 months, Trace daily. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Wastewater Trends versus Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWastewater TrendsTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (7 ratings) — better4.6 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings728 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.215.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB84 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthew RothenbergControl. Alt. Delete. LLC

Customer experience

Wastewater Trends

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Trace

All ratings28 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Wastewater Trends

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Trace

Subscriptions5
  • premium weekly$4.997 Days
  • premium weekly with trial3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Subscription to Trace$9.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Trace Premium Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • premium yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Wastewater Trends free?
Wastewater Trends is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Trace free?
Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Wastewater Trends or Trace?
Wastewater Trends is rated higher. Wastewater Trends averages 4.9 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Trace averages 4.6 from 28 ratings.
Do Wastewater Trends or Trace have ads?
Trace shows ads; Wastewater Trends does not.
Which is updated more often, Wastewater Trends or Trace?
Wastewater Trends ships an update every 4 months, and Trace daily. Most recently, Wastewater Trends was updated on October 8, 2026 and Trace on October 6, 2026.

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