# DuckSmart vs The Retrieve

The clearest difference is ads: The Retrieve at none against DuckSmart's shown. DuckSmart's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (39 vs 2). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DuckSmart sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and The Retrieve sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for DuckSmart against 5.0 for The Retrieve. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DuckSmart has 39 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

DuckSmart ships an update weekly, The Retrieve every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DuckSmart | The Retrieve |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ducksmart/id6759299102/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-retrieve/id6761021399/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 86 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.6** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mallard Works, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877925448) | [Samantha Bohlman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887346384) |

## What reviewers say

### DuckSmart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ducksmart/id6759299102)

This app helps waterfowl hunters make informed decisions by analyzing weather, environmental factors, and providing tools for scouting and journaling. It offers a hunt prediction score, species identification, and personal mapping to enhance preparation and success in the field.

**Highlights:** Weather-based hunt prediction, Sunrise & environmental timing, Personal hunt mapping, Hunt journaling, Duck species identification, Subscription plans

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ambasador Monthly Price | $8.99 | per month |
| DuckSmart Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| DuckSmart Corporate Extra Seat | $29.99 | per year |
| Ambassador Access | $34.99 | per year |
| DuckSmart Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| DuckSmart Group | $249.99 | per year |
| DuckSmart Corporate - 5+ Users | $249.99 | per year |


### The Retrieve

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-retrieve/id6761021399)

Log and track all your dog's training sessions and hunts. Monitor retrieve rates, performance trends, and health metrics like weight and diet. Organize your memories with custom hashtags and share moments with beautiful session summaries.

**Highlights:** Log training sessions with notes, Record hunts with results, Search sessions by keyword/hashtag, Organize with custom hashtags, Session summaries with photos/stats, Track retrieve rates and trends, Manage multiple dogs and health logs

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Retrieve: Premium Upgrade | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DuckSmart free?

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

### Is The Retrieve free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DuckSmart or The Retrieve?

DuckSmart and The Retrieve are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 39 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do DuckSmart or The Retrieve have ads?

DuckSmart shows ads; The Retrieve does not.

### Which is updated more often, DuckSmart or The Retrieve?

DuckSmart ships an update weekly, and The Retrieve every 5 weeks. Most recently, DuckSmart was updated on September 14, 2026 and The Retrieve on September 9, 2026.

---

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