Monarch SOS vs Nature's Notebook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Monarch SOS
Identify monarch butterflies and their host plants with this comprehensive field guide. Learn about their life cycle, threats, and conservation efforts. Compare look-alike species and stay updated on migration news.
- Monarch identification guide
- Life cycle stages
- Confusing look-alike comparison
- Milkweed species identification
- Conservation efforts information
- Migration news updates
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Monarch SOS is a field guide for the public as well as a citizen science reporting app. It is the first monarch app developed by scientists that covers monarch identification in all life cycle stages, confusing look-alikes and numerous milkweed species (monarchs' larval host plants), frequently encountered in North America. Monarch SOS is a valuable tool for learning about monarch butterflies, threats they face and how everyone can help bring back the monarchs by making a few simple lifestyle changes. If viceroy and queen butterflies confuse you, quickly learn the differences in the "Compare" section under each butterfly. Keep up with the latest information on monarch conservation efforts and migration news by checking in daily with What's New? The feed is updated every time you open the app, so you'll always be in the loop!
Nature's Notebook
Record observations of plant and animal life cycles, such as flowering and migration. Mark observation sites, create species lists, and log seasonal changes in nature.
- Record plant and animal life cycle events
- Mark observation sites
- Create species lists
- Log seasonal observations
- Citizen science program
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Nature's Notebook is a program for observing and recording plant and animal life cycle events, like flowering and bird migration. Use this app to mark your sites, create a list of plants and animals, and going into the field to record observations throughout the seasons. Find out more at www.usanpn.org/nn/guidelines.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Monarch SOS at 100% against Nature's Notebook's 40%. Monarch SOS also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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.
Monarch SOS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 26 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Monarch SOS's written reviews are positive against 40% of Nature's Notebook's.
Monarch SOS ships an update every 5 weeks, Nature's Notebook every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Monarch SOS | Nature's Notebook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (18 ratings) — better | 3.1 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 40.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 18 | 26 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 176 MB | 47 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Naturedigger LLC | National Phenology Network |
Customer experience
Monarch SOS
Nature's Notebook
In-app purchases
Monarch SOS
No in-app purchases
Nature's Notebook
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Monarch SOS free?
Is Nature's Notebook free?
Which has better reviews, Monarch SOS or Nature's Notebook?
Do Monarch SOS or Nature's Notebook have ads?
Which is updated more often, Monarch SOS or Nature's Notebook?
Other comparisons
