Comparison

RiverApp vs Smog Detect

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

Head to head
About

RiverApp

Access real-time water levels, flows, and temperatures for rivers worldwide. Ideal for sports enthusiasts and professionals, it offers detailed maps, navigability information, and customizable alerts for over 40,000 hydrometric stations.

Highlights
  • Real-time water levels and flows
  • Water temperatures
  • Hydrometric station maps
  • Customizable alerts
  • Whitewater course navigability
  • User-added hazards and courses
Features
Read full description

Get quick access to the latest river levels, flows and conditions across the US and more than 20 other countries worldwide. RiverApp gives you access to one of the world’s most comprehensive hydrometric datasets, with data from over 40,000 monitoring stations. Whether you kayak, canoe, packraft, paddleboard, fly fish, surf rivers, manage irrigation, operate hydropower infrastructure or monitor flood risk, RiverApp helps you stay informed with reliable, easy-to-read river data. FREE FEATURES ‣ Current water levels and flows for over 20,000 rivers ‣ Water temperature data where available ‣ Detailed maps of hydrometric stations and whitewater sections ‣ Custom alerts for each station when a defined level or flow is reached ‣ Favourite stations and whitewater sections for quick access to the latest readings and conditions FREE FEATURES FOR WHITEWATER SPORTS ‣ More than 4,000 referenced whitewater sections ‣ Section conditions based on current water level or flow ‣ Detailed section maps with quick access to put-in and take-out points ‣ Hazards, rapids and other points of interest, including photos where available ‣ Information on difficulty, length and average gradient ‣ Community-based addition and editing of whitewater sections RIVERAPP PREMIUM Unlock additional tools for deeper river monitoring and trip planning: ‣ Historical water level and flow data going back several years ‣ Forecasts for selected stations ‣ Satellite map layers from multiple providers, with comparison tools ‣ Customizable Home Screen Widgets to keep your favourite river gauges visible at a glance ‣ Monthly streamflow statistics to understand seasonal variations and plan river trips at the right time and place DATA SOURCES RiverApp brings together data from over 100 official and public hydrometric sources worldwide, including, among others: NVE California Data Exchange Center Government of Canada — Wateroffice USGS NOAA PEGELONLINE — www.pegelonline.wsv.de HVZ Baden-Württemberg HDN Bayern Kanton Bern Ennskraftwerke Land Kärnten Land Niederösterreich Regione Piemonte HVZ Rheinland-Pfalz Český hydrometeorologický ústav HVZ Sachsen-Anhalt Land Salzburg Scottish Environment Protection Agency Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje HWZ Steiermark BAFU HNZ Thüringen Land Tirol Shoothill Vigicrues Serveur de données hydrométriques temps réel du bassin Rhône-Méditerranée Land Vorarlberg Bureau of Meteorology — Australia DISCLAIMER RiverApp is an independent application and is not affiliated with the listed organizations unless explicitly stated. RiverApp and the listed data providers shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions, delays or interruptions in the information provided, nor for any loss, injury or damage of any kind resulting from its use. End-user license agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Smog Detect

Features
Read full description

SmogDetect vám ukáže, jaký vzduch právě dýcháte. Aktuální data z více než 300 měřicích stanic v Česku, na Slovensku a v Polsku máte vždy po ruce – přehledně, barevně a bez registrace. NEJBLIŽŠÍ STANICE Aplikace sama najde stanici nejblíž vám a ukáže index kvality ovzduší i všechny naměřené hodnoty: PM2,5, PM10, NO₂, O₃, SO₂ a CO. ZELENÁ, ŽLUTÁ, NEBO ČERVENÁ? Každá hodnota má jasné barevné hodnocení podle metodiky Českého hydrometeorologického ústavu. Na první pohled poznáte, jestli je ovzduší v pořádku. MAPA STANIC Všechny stanice na jedné mapě, obarvené podle indexu kvality ovzduší. Klepnutím otevřete podrobnosti a graf. UPOZORNĚNÍ Dáme vám vědět, když se ovzduší u vás nebo u oblíbených stanic zhorší. Sami si vyberete, od jakého stupně chcete upozorňovat. WIDGETY Kvalita ovzduší na ploše i na zamčené obrazovce – pro nejbližší nebo vybranou stanici. DALŠÍ FUNKCE • Graf vývoje za posledních 12 hodin • Oblíbené stanice na jednom místě • Seznam stanic s indexem, řazení podle vzdálenosti nebo abecedy • Rozhraní navržené i pro iPad • Česky, slovensky a polsky ZDROJE DAT Data poskytují Český hydrometeorologický ústav (ČHMÚ), Slovenský hydrometeorologický ústav (SHMÚ) a Główny Inspektorat Ochrony Środowiska (GIOŚ), slovenská a polská data prostřednictvím Evropské agentury pro životní prostředí (EEA). Index kvality ovzduší pro slovenské a polské stanice počítá SmogDetect podle metodiky ČHMÚ. Jde o operativní, neověřená data, která mají informativní charakter. Bez reklam, bez registrace, bez sledování.

Screenshots

RiverApp4 screens
Smog Detect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smog Detect at none against RiverApp's 3. RiverApp's advantage is chart position (#124 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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. RiverApp sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Smog Detect asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
RiverApp versus Smog Detect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRiverAppSmog Detect
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (5.6K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews79.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.6K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#124 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlorian BessiereANTONIN PAVLIK

Bugs and requests

RiverApp

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Map feature not working due to internet connection issues
  • Horizontal lines and color indicators disappearing from graphs
  • Inconsistent or unreliable data updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more river coverage, especially in underserved regions
  • Improve forecast and prediction capabilities
  • Implement a journaling or note-taking feature
  • Allow for customizable alerts and notifications
  • Add support for additional measurement units (e.g., millimeters)

Smog Detect

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

RiverApp

Subscriptions2
  • Premium - 1 month subscription$0.991 Month
  • Premium - 1 year subscription$6.991 Year
One-time1
  • RiverApp Premium$29.99
None

Smog Detect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RiverApp free?
RiverApp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smog Detect free?
Smog Detect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do RiverApp or Smog Detect have ads?
Neither RiverApp nor Smog Detect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RiverApp or Smog Detect?
RiverApp ships an update every 2 weeks, and Smog Detect every 2 weeks. Most recently, RiverApp was updated on October 29, 2026 and Smog Detect on October 28, 2026.

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