Basis of differentiation

Pour plate method

Streak plate method 

Definition

Is a microbial technique utilized for isolating and counting the number of viable microorganisms in a liquid sample

Is a microbial technique used to spread a liquid sample containing bacteria onto a solid surface, making it simpler to count and separate individual bacterial colonies 

Accuracy

Is highly accurate

Is comparatively less accurate

Microbial growth

Anaerobes, aerobes, and facultative anaerobes can all be quantified 

The only bacteria able to be quantified are anaerobes 

Use of glass spreader

Is not used

Uses a glass spreader 

Sample adding

Sample is added to the solidified medium using an inoculating loop

Sample is mixed with molten agar and poured into a plate

Medium used

Requires solidified agar plates 

Requires liquid molten agar media