# CannaMaps vs Strain Guide

The clearest difference is ads: CannaMaps at none against Strain Guide's shown. CannaMaps also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 15.0). Strain Guide's advantage is ratings volume (913 vs 2) and review sentiment (83% vs 67%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CannaMaps sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Strain Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CannaMaps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strain Guide has 913 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of CannaMaps's written reviews are positive against 83% of Strain Guide's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

CannaMaps ships an update every 2 months, Strain Guide every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CannaMaps | Strain Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cannamaps/id737203906/reviews)** | [4.8 (913 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **913** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **82.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 70 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | +17 |
| Developer | [JETFIRE APPS, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/325151038) | [phannafest llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209901791) |

## What reviewers say

### CannaMaps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cannamaps/id737203906)

Discover highly-rated cannabis dispensaries, doctors, and events near you. The app displays a map with nearby locations and provides instant GPS directions. Users can also submit new places and events, access news, and shop for merchandise.

**Highlights:** Map of cannabis services, Nearby places and events, GPS directions, Submit places/events, Community features, News and shopping

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Customizable Backgrounds | $0.99 | one-time |


### Strain Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strain-guide/id1596314933)

Explore thousands of cannabis strains with detailed information on effects, flavors, and growing tips. Features an AI assistant for personalized recommendations and advanced search filters. Track your favorites and add personal notes for easy reference.

**Highlights:** AI strain assistant, Advanced search and filtering, Personalized notes and favorites, Growing and harvesting information, Strain suggestions, Community ratings and comments

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Strain guide, pro, monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Strain Guide Pro Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Strain Guide Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Strain guide, pro, yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful and knowledgeable
- 🔍 Useful database and reference guide
- 📚 Extensive strain information
- 🗒️ Ability to save notes on favorite strains
- 🤝 Good for both new and experienced users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Obnoxious commercials/ads
- ⏱️ Frequent ads interrupting usage
- 🔍 Limited strain selection
- 🤖 Temperamental app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on startup
- Search function not working properly

**Requested features**

- Photo identification feature to identify strains
- Ability to filter strains by terpene profile
- Option to remove ads through a paid subscription


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CannaMaps free?

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

### Is Strain Guide free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CannaMaps or Strain Guide?

CannaMaps is rated higher. CannaMaps averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Strain Guide averages 4.8 from 913 ratings.

### Do CannaMaps or Strain Guide have ads?

Strain Guide shows ads; CannaMaps does not.

### Which is updated more often, CannaMaps or Strain Guide?

CannaMaps ships an update every 2 months, and Strain Guide every 3 weeks. Most recently, CannaMaps was updated on September 24, 2026 and Strain Guide on October 2, 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.*