# Wastewater Trends vs Trace

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Wastewater Trends | Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wastewater-trends/id6475651538/reviews)** | [4.6 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-microplastics/id6740707486/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.2 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Rothenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724673668) | [Control. Alt. Delete. LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1762687184) |

## What reviewers say

### Wastewater Trends

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wastewater-trends/id6475651538)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-microplastics/id6740707486)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| premium weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| premium weekly with trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscription to Trace | $9.99 | per year |
| Trace Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| premium yearly | $29.99 | per year |


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