# CrowdMag vs Ballasted

The clearest difference is update cadence: CrowdMag at every 2 months against Ballasted's every 4 months. CrowdMag also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CrowdMag ships an update every 2 months, Ballasted every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CrowdMag | Ballasted |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crowdmag/id910578825/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **24** | — |
| Positive reviews | 52.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Colorado Boulder](https://appshunter.io/developer/972210292) | [Charles Hanner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808780566) |

## What reviewers say

### CrowdMag

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crowdmag/id910578825)

This app allows users to measure and contribute to scientific research on Earth's magnetic field using their smartphone. It offers features for recording magnetic data during various activities, including flights, and provides tools for data visualization and analysis.

**Highlights:** Measure magnetic field data, Contribute to scientific research, Record data during flights, Visualize data on maps and graphs, Magnetic calculator with WMM2020, Live magnetic compass, Export data via email/Google Drive

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ballasted

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ballasted/id6744664674)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CrowdMag free?

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

### Is Ballasted free?

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

### Do CrowdMag or Ballasted have ads?

Neither CrowdMag nor Ballasted shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CrowdMag or Ballasted?

CrowdMag ships an update every 2 months, and Ballasted every 4 months. Most recently, CrowdMag was updated on September 22, 2026 and Ballasted on September 30, 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.*