# SharkSmart vs QWildlife

The clearest difference is rating: SharkSmart at 4.3 against QWildlife's 2.0. SharkSmart also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (283 vs 1). QWildlife's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SharkSmart has 283 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of SharkSmart's written reviews are positive against 25% of QWildlife's.

SharkSmart ships an update weekly, QWildlife every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SharkSmart | QWildlife |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (283 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811/reviews)** | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qwildlife/id1500668021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **283** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **27.0% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 49 MB | 180 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/476014891) | [DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, TOURISM, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706956091) |

## 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


### QWildlife

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qwildlife/id1500668021)

Report sightings of native Queensland wildlife, including crocodiles, koalas, and cassowaries. Submit details, attach photos, and explore an interactive map of recent observations. Learn about local fauna and safety tips for exploring their habitats.

**Highlights:** Submit wildlife sighting details, Attach photos to reports, Interactive map of recent sightings, Learn about native wildlife, Offline reporting capability, Supports conservation efforts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SharkSmart free?

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

### Is QWildlife free?

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

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

SharkSmart is rated higher. SharkSmart averages 4.3 out of 5 from 283 ratings, while QWildlife averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do SharkSmart or QWildlife have ads?

Neither SharkSmart nor QWildlife shows ads.

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

SharkSmart ships an update weekly, and QWildlife every 4 months. Most recently, SharkSmart was updated on November 6, 2026 and QWildlife on November 3, 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.*