Monarch SOS vs Budburst
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!
Budburst
Observe and record plant data to contribute to a national community science project. Identify plants, track their life cycles, and collaborate with others to understand and preserve nature.
- Observe plants with interactive map
- In-app plant identification tool
- Monitor plant life cycles
- Track plant-animal interactions
- Collaborate in community groups
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Capturing the beauty of nature and collecting plant data has never been easier. With the Budburst app, you can contribute to a national community science project by observing plants, uploading your data, and sharing your findings in an instant. When you use the Budburst app, you can observe plants in your area with the interactive map, learn about plants with the in-app identification tool, monitor plant life cycles and plant-animal interactions over time, and collaborate in groups with other community scientists. Preserve the nature around you by helping us better understand it.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Monarch SOS at 100% against Budburst's 50%. Monarch SOS also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). 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 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Monarch SOS's written reviews are positive against 50% of Budburst's.
Monarch SOS ships an update every 5 weeks, Budburst every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Monarch SOS | Budburst |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (18 ratings) — better | 4.2 (13 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 18 — better | 13 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 176 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Naturedigger LLC | Chicago Horticultural Society |
Customer experience
Monarch SOS
Budburst
In-app purchases
Monarch SOS
No in-app purchases
Budburst
No in-app purchases








