# Fern vs PMS Smart

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PMS Smart at none against Fern's 4. PMS Smart also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Fern's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fern sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. PMS Smart asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fern ships an update weekly, PMS Smart every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fern | PMS Smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fern-plant-journal-and-care/id6757193004/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 65 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [帅 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655624601) | [蓝星](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689989155) |

## What reviewers say

### Fern

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fern-plant-journal-and-care/id6757193004)

This app is designed specifically for staghorn fern collectors, offering detailed profiles for each plant, a visual growth timeline, and lineage tracking. It allows users to document their collection, share progress, and manage their plants with specialized care features.

**Highlights:** Detailed plant profiles, Visual growth timeline with photos, Plant lineage tracking, Customizable care notes, Collection sharing features, Native iOS experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fern Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Fern Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Fern Premium LifeTime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Fern LifeTime Premium | $49.99 | one-time |


### PMS Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pms-smart/id6802476708)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fern free?

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

### Is PMS Smart free?

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

### Do Fern or PMS Smart have ads?

Neither Fern nor PMS Smart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fern or PMS Smart?

Fern ships an update weekly, and PMS Smart every 2 weeks. Most recently, Fern was updated on November 5, 2026 and PMS Smart on October 31, 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.*