# SharkSmart vs FrogID

The clearest difference is rating: SharkSmart at 4.3 against FrogID's 3.6. SharkSmart also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (282 vs 16). FrogID's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 26%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). 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.

SharkSmart holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SharkSmart has 282 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of SharkSmart's written reviews are positive against 52% of FrogID's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SharkSmart ships an update weekly, FrogID every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SharkSmart | FrogID |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (282 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811/reviews)** | [3.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frogid/id1176329797/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **282** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 26.3% of reviews | **52.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 49 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **9.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NSW Department of Primary Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/476014891) | [Australian Museum](https://appshunter.io/developer/458262919) |

## What reviewers say

### SharkSmart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811)

Stay informed about shark activity in NSW before you swim. Get real-time alerts on tagged shark detections and drone sightings. Understand shark behavior and assess your personal risk for a safer beach experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time shark alerts, Drone and tagged shark detections, Interactive risk assessment, Shark and marine animal identification, Beach mitigation gear locations, Smartwatch compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📍 Real-time shark detection and tracking
- 🎯 Valuable safety information for ocean users
- 📊 Comprehensive shark tagging data
- 🏖️ Helpful for swimmers and surfers
- 👍 Good app concept and design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 📬 Excessive notifications from distant locations
- ⚙️ Notification settings not persisting
- 🐢 Slow loading times
- 🚫 Unable to add/save favorite beaches

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or when opening alerts
- Favorite beaches not saving or reverting to all beaches
- Search function not listing available beaches
- Map hanging when opening away from beaches
- Notifications not respecting location radius settings

**Requested features**

- Ability to name individual tracked sharks
- Shark size and weight information at tagging
- Historical shark movement patterns and migration data
- Deep links from notifications to specific beaches
- Time-series reporting for shark activity


### FrogID

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frogid/id1176329797)

This app allows users to identify Australian frog species by recording their calls. It contributes to a national citizen science initiative, helping experts track frog populations and monitor waterway health.

**Highlights:** Record frog calls, Identify frog species, Citizen science project, Submit records for verification, Track frog populations, Monitor waterway health

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for learning frog calls
- 💡 Citizen science contribution
- 🤩 Fun for kids and adults
- 🗺️ Helps identify frogs in area
- ✅ Accurate matching results (for some)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Limited to Australia
- 🐌 Long wait for confirmation
- 🤷🏼 No photo search
- 😔 Discouraging lack of feedback
- 👎 Useless if not working

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes constantly
- Database updating hangs
- Recording issues (cutting out, no results)
- App freezes
- App logs off frequently

**Requested features**

- Add photo search functionality
- Include other countries (e.g., US, Minnesota)
- Allow photo submission without audio
- Add a short list function
- Add a call playlist function


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SharkSmart free?

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

### Is FrogID free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SharkSmart or FrogID?

SharkSmart is rated higher. SharkSmart averages 4.3 out of 5 from 282 ratings, while FrogID averages 3.6 from 16 ratings.

### Do SharkSmart or FrogID have ads?

Neither SharkSmart nor FrogID shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SharkSmart or FrogID?

SharkSmart ships an update weekly, and FrogID every 3 months. Most recently, SharkSmart was updated on September 26, 2026 and FrogID on September 26, 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.*