Comparison

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer vs Stereonet Mobile

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer

This app transforms your iPhone into a precise scientific instrument for measuring, visualizing, and recording magnetic fields. Explore magnetic field vectors, magnitudes, and compass headings with real-time charts and digital readouts. Ideal for educational experiments, lab work, or curious exploration.

Highlights
  • Real-time magnetic field vector and magnitude display
  • Chart, digital, and compass viewing modes
  • Data recording and CSV export
  • Adjustable sample rate (1-100 Hz)
  • Signal filters for noise reduction
  • Detection of permanent and electromagnetic fields
Features
Read full description

Measure, visualize, and record magnetic fields with precision — right from your iPhone. Physics Toolbox Magnetometer displays the magnetic field vector in x, y, and z dimensions along with total magnitude in microteslas (µT) or gauss, giving you the data you need for serious lab work or casual exploration. Three ways to view your data: - Chart — real-time graph with toggleable axes, adjustable line width, and fullscreen mode - Digital — large numeric readout for quick at-a-glance measurements - Compass — live heading with True North and Magnetic North display Built for the lab and the field: - Record and export data as CSV for analysis in other software - Adjustable sample rate from 1 to 100 Hz - Signal filters to reduce noise - Detects permanent magnets, electromagnetic fields, and background geomagnetic field Classroom-ready experiments: The magnetometer is well-suited for determining the inverse-square law for a point-source magnet, measuring the magnetic field produced by a solenoid, or capturing the periodic field variations of audio speakers and magnetic plate stirrers. Whether you are a physics student, teacher, engineer, or curious mind, Physics Toolbox Magnetometer turns your device into a capable scientific instrument.

About

Stereonet Mobile

This app assists geologists in collecting, visualizing, and analyzing geological orientation data. It offers automatic data entry using device sensors and augmented reality, manual input options, and various plotting and calculation tools for geological features.

Highlights
  • Automatic data entry via device orientation
  • Augmented reality for strike and dip measurement
  • Manual data entry via stereonet or text fields
  • Plotting of lines and planes with user-defined types
  • Basic geological calculations (rotations, angles, slope stability)
  • Plotting of mean vectors, rose diagrams, and contour lines
  • View plots from any orientation
Features
Read full description

Stereonet Mobile is designed to help you collect, visualize, and analyze geological orientation data. It is a companion to my Stereonet program for desktop computers. As such I have tried to incorporate the basic functionality of that program, taking into account the inherent limitations of mobile devices. Some of the basic tasks that one can perform with Stereonet Mobile include: • Provide automatic data entry as a geologist's compass by reading the iOS device orientation and converting it to strike and dip of planes and/or trend and plunge of lines. It is the only geology compass app that can use augmented reality to record the strike and dip of planes using the sighting method and the device camera. • Provide manual data entry via either tapping and dragging on the stereonet or by typing values into text fields • Plot lines and planes, which can be tagged using one of as many user defined data types (e.g., bedding, cleavage, slickensides, etc.) as you want • Carry out basic calculations such as: rotations about any axis, planes from poles or poles from planes, measure angles between lines and between planes, and basic slope stability calculations • Plot mean vectors, cylindrical best fits, rose diagrams, and contour lines. • View the plots from any orientation, not just looking straight down into the lower hemisphere • See the location of a datum on a map or satellite image (if you have an internet connection) • Show realtime changes to the stereonet projection to help students understand the geometry of the device better • Provide basic input and output of data using standard iOS conventions • Works on iPhones or iPads. The program will work on iPods or iPads lacking a cellular data connection but those devices have fewer sensors and thus cannot be used in automatic data collection mode.

Screenshots

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer4 screens
Stereonet Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Physics Toolbox Magnetometer at 5.0 against Stereonet Mobile's 4.5. Stereonet Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 13 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Physics Toolbox Magnetometer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Stereonet Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Physics Toolbox Magnetometer's written reviews are positive against 73% of Stereonet Mobile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer ships an update every 13 months, Stereonet Mobile monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Physics Toolbox Magnetometer versus Stereonet Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhysics Toolbox MagnetometerStereonet Mobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better4.5 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better72.7% of reviews
Number of ratings713 — better
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChrystian VieyraRichard Allmendinger

Customer experience

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

Stereonet Mobile

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral9.1%
Negative18.2%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Physics Toolbox Magnetometer

One-time1
  • Pro Upgrade$2.99
None

Stereonet Mobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Physics Toolbox Magnetometer free?
Physics Toolbox Magnetometer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stereonet Mobile free?
Stereonet Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Physics Toolbox Magnetometer or Stereonet Mobile?
Physics Toolbox Magnetometer is rated higher. Physics Toolbox Magnetometer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Stereonet Mobile averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.
Do Physics Toolbox Magnetometer or Stereonet Mobile have ads?
Neither Physics Toolbox Magnetometer nor Stereonet Mobile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Physics Toolbox Magnetometer or Stereonet Mobile?
Physics Toolbox Magnetometer ships an update every 13 months, and Stereonet Mobile monthly. Most recently, Physics Toolbox Magnetometer was updated on September 23, 2026 and Stereonet Mobile on September 28, 2026.

Other comparisons