The Waterbug App vs TurtleSAT
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Waterbug App
Identify freshwater invertebrates found in Australian waterways. Assess the health of rivers, creeks, and wetlands by observing these creatures. Contribute your findings to a national citizen science program.
- Waterbug identification
- River health assessment
- Citizen science contribution
- Data submission
- Australian freshwater invertebrates
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Identify waterbugs (freshwater invertebrates) from Australia, assess the health of a river/creek/wetland and submit data to contribute to the citizen science program - The National Waterbug Blitz.
TurtleSAT
This app allows communities to map the locations of freshwater turtles and their nests in waterways and wetlands. Your sightings help land managers track turtle movements and behavior to protect these declining populations.
- Map freshwater turtle sightings
- Record turtle nest locations
- Contribute to conservation efforts
- Track turtle movement and behavior
- User registration and login
- Geolocation services for accurate mapping
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TurtleSAT - Turtle Surveying and Analysis Tools - is a new app where communities are mapping the location of freshwater turtles in waterways and wetlands across the country. Australia's unique freshwater turtles are in crisis - their numbers are declining and your help is needed to record where you see turtles in your local area. If you see a freshwater turtle (or a turtle nest) near your local creek, farm dam or on the road, enter the location of your sighting in this app. Your sightings will help land managers to track the movement and behaviour of turtles, to protect them and their offspring in your local area. Record where you see freshwater turtles or their nests in your local area - Start mapping now! You can Register and login, or simply record your email address when entering sightings. Please ensure that you have the latest version of Firefox as your default browser- to ensure geolocation services accurately pinpoint your location.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Waterbug App at 88% against TurtleSAT's 0%. The Waterbug App also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The Waterbug App ships an update every 9 months, TurtleSAT every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Waterbug App | TurtleSAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months — better | Every 22 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 59 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Sharman | University of Western Sydney |
Customer experience
The Waterbug App
TurtleSAT
In-app purchases
The Waterbug App
No in-app purchases
TurtleSAT
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Waterbug App free?
Is TurtleSAT free?
Do The Waterbug App or TurtleSAT have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Waterbug App or TurtleSAT?
Other comparisons
