Comparison

Big Butterfly Count vs WhatBug

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

Head to head
About

Big Butterfly Count

Participate in a national butterfly and moth survey by identifying and counting species in your local environment. Your observations contribute to understanding the health of UK wildlife. Features an identification guide and a map to view submitted sightings.

Highlights
  • Butterfly and moth identification guide
  • Count and submit sightings
  • View submitted records on a map
  • Contribute to wildlife research
  • 15-minute nature observation
Features
Read full description

Take part in the UK’s annual Big Butterfly Count with this easy to use and informative app. Spend 15 minutes in nature and help butterflies at the same time. All you need to do is identify and count the relevant butterfly and moth species you spot. Then submit your sightings to help take the pulse of nature. Your records help to show how butterflies are faring in the UK. The app features a beautiful ID guide to help you identify and learn about the 21 species that are the focus of this study. You can also view all of your submitted counts and see everyone's records on the map within the app.

About

WhatBug

Instantly identify insects, spiders, and pests using your phone's camera. Get detailed information on species, habitats, and behaviors to protect your garden or build a personal nature collection. This AI-powered tool offers educational insights for nature enthusiasts and gardeners.

Highlights
  • Instant photo identification
  • Detailed species profiles
  • Habitat and behavioral insights
  • Pest and garden protection
  • Personal wildlife collection
  • AI-powered analysis
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone and iPad into the ultimate, pocket-sized bug identifier, pest scanner, and nature companion! Whether you are dealing with a mysterious, creepy-crawly bug in your bathroom, a strange spider on your weekend hike, or unidentified pests destroying your beautiful garden, our AI-powered Insect & Bug Identifier app is exactly what you need. Have you ever looked at a creature and wondered: "What kind of bug is this?", "Is this spider venomous or dangerous?", or "Are these insects eating my tomato plants?" Our application provides fast, highly accurate, and incredibly easy-to-understand answers to all these questions and more. Simply open the app, point your camera at the insect, take a clear picture, and let our advanced artificial intelligence scan the image. In just a matter of seconds, you will receive a comprehensive, detailed breakdown of the insect's identity, physical characteristics, typical behavior, and natural habitat. What Exactly Can Our App Do? - Instant Photo Identification: Take a picture with your camera or upload an existing image from your photo gallery to instantly identify thousands of species of insects, bugs, spiders, ticks, caterpillars, beetles, butterflies, moths, ants, and more. - Detailed Species Profiles: Get in-depth, encyclopedia-level information about the insect. Learn its common name, scientific (Latin) name, appearance variations, and unique physical characteristics that help distinguish it from similar-looking bugs. - Habitat and Behavioral Insights: Learn exactly where the insect usually lives (e.g., forests, wetlands, urban areas, deserts), its most active seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), daytime versus nighttime activity patterns, and its common social behaviors. - Pest and Garden Protection: Are you a gardener or a homeowner? Use the app to identify common destructive pests (such as aphids, termites, destructive caterpillars, and roaches) versus incredibly beneficial insects (like ladybugs, praying mantises, and pollinating bees) to protect your garden, yard, and household ecosystem. - Personal Wildlife Collection: Save all your successfully scanned insects to your personal history. Keep track of what you’ve found, log exactly where and when you found it, and build your own digital field guide and nature journal over time. *** Please read this carefully: All identification results provided by this application—including bug, insect, spider identifications, and any potential sting or bite references—are generated entirely by Artificial Intelligence algorithms. This application provides information for reference, educational, and informational purposes ONLY. The app DOES NOT provide medical advice, medical diagnosis, or medical treatment of any kind. It cannot and should not replace the professional judgment of a qualified healthcare provider, doctor, or a certified entomologist. Always consult a medical professional immediately if you experience an allergic reaction, severe pain, swelling, or any concerning health symptoms after an insect bite or sting. Never rely solely on this app for making medical, safety, or life-saving decisions. Start Exploring the Natural World Today! With a clean, easy-to-use interface and a beautifully designed user experience, identifying nature has never been this accessible or fun. Perfect for students, teachers, hikers, campers, gardeners, and anyone curious about the natural ecosystem. Understand the stunning biodiversity around you, learn to live in harmony with harmless insects, and know exactly when you might need to seek professional pest control. Download today and start scanning! Terms of Use: https://halisbkara.blogspot.com/2025/05/insect-identifier-terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://halisbkara.blogspot.com/2025/05/insect-identifier-privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Big Butterfly Count4 screens
WhatBug4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Big Butterfly Count at none against WhatBug's 3. Big Butterfly Count also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 60%) and ratings volume (12 vs 1). WhatBug's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence and ads 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. WhatBug sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Big Butterfly Count asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

WhatBug holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Big Butterfly Count has 12 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Big Butterfly Count's written reviews are positive against 60% of WhatBug's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Big Butterfly Count ships an update monthly, WhatBug every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Big Butterfly Count versus WhatBug: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBig Butterfly CountWhatBug
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (12 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.1% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperButterfly Conservation Trading LtdHalis Bilal Kara

Customer experience

Big Butterfly Count

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews83 reviews
Positive77.1%
Neutral6.0%
Negative16.9%

WhatBug

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

None

Big Butterfly Count

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

WhatBug

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Premium Access3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Annual Premium Access$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Insect Identifier, full Access$7.99

Questions

Is Big Butterfly Count free?
Big Butterfly Count is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is WhatBug free?
WhatBug is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Big Butterfly Count or WhatBug?
WhatBug is rated higher. Big Butterfly Count averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while WhatBug averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Big Butterfly Count or WhatBug have ads?
Neither Big Butterfly Count nor WhatBug shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Big Butterfly Count or WhatBug?
Big Butterfly Count ships an update monthly, and WhatBug every 4 weeks. Most recently, Big Butterfly Count was updated on October 23, 2026 and WhatBug on October 24, 2026.

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