Rockd vs GST[AR]
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Rockd
Discover and document the geology around you. Access global geologic maps, 3D globes, and detailed summaries of your surroundings. Contribute your own observations and track your exploration of Earth's geologic history.
- Interactive global geologic maps
- 3D virtual globe exploration
- Field observation logging
- Offline map caching
- Paleogeographic map access
- Stratigraphic column viewing
- Geologic literature integration
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Explore, learn about, and document your geologic surroundings! Whether you are a professional geoscientist or curious about the rocks around you and the stories they tell, Rockd allows you to explore and learn about the geologic record, contribute your own observations, and log your journey through the geologic record. Features: - Instant access to geologic and geographic summaries of your current location via a Dashboard - Interactive global access to more than 290 geologic maps, with more being added weekly - Explore the landscape with a dynamic, 3D virtual globe - Save maps for use in the field with a built-in map caching system - See your past location and explore paleogeographic maps from C.R. Scotese and GPlates - View Macrostrat stratigraphic columns where available (beta) - Explore published literature containing mentions of mapped geologic units (when available) via xDD (formerly, GeoDeepDive) - Elevation data for most points on Earth from digital elevation models (DEMs) - Add your own field observations even offline; tag features from Macrostrat and the Paleobiology Database - Record strike/dip or trend/plunge for geologic features, using your phone's compass - Track your progress through the geologic record privately, or share it with others - See the public activity of other users and share your own and other public checkins using unique URLs Rockd is produced by the Macrostrat lab in the Department of Geoscience at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Support provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Dept. of Geoscience. Experiencing issues? Send an email to contact@rockd.org and we will do our best to help you resolve it.
GST[AR]
Explore and visualize geological models in augmented reality. Browse a selection of models, place them on any surface, and interact with them by rotating, scaling, and highlighting features. Share your AR sessions with others for collaborative exploration.
- Browse geological models
- View models in AR
- Rotate and scale models
- Highlight model features
- Share AR sessions
- Customize AR settings
- Add custom model sources
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GST[AR] allows you to browse, download, view, and share geological models in augmented reality. Browse Browse through available models and their features to find a nice selection to present in AR. Models are retrieved from running instances of GST Web. Don’t worry, there are default sources added already, so you can get started right away. Hint: If you see a „Visit“ button near a section of models, you can tap it to learn more about the institution that provides these models for you! When you select a model, you will find a list of features waiting for you. Make your selection and off you go to the AR view. View As soon as the features are downloaded, you will be able to place them on any horizontal surface in AR. Use gestures or sliders to rotate and scale your model. Tap on individual parts to learn about their name or use the legend to even highlight individual features. Superelevation is available via sliders as well! Share When you have placed a feature selection in AR, you get the option to share your session with others! Use the share button to let other peers join your session, synchronize your worlds and you will be looking at the same model in no time. Changes to the model rotation, scale and location will be synced automatically between all peers in the session. Hold down on a model to place your marker to point towards the feature of interest or highlight a certain feature via the legend for all other peers. Settings and customization Customize your experience by changing a couple of settings. In the settings menu, you will have the possibility to change aspects of scaling, how high the models float above the surface or even enable such cool features like "people occlusion" that make your AR scene even more immersive! Furthermore, if you want to access models from a GST Web instance that is not present in the app, you have the possibility to add endpoints of your own.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: GST[AR] at 5.0 against Rockd's 4.4. Rockd's advantage is ratings volume (187 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
GST[AR] holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rockd has 187 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Rockd ships an update every 3 months, GST[AR] every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rockd | GST[AR] |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (187 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 187 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 259 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | University of Wisconsin-Madison Shared Apps | GiGa infosystems GmbH |
Bugs and requests
Rockd
Reported bugs
17 issues- Black map display in airplane mode and online
- Persistent error dialogs that cannot be dismissed
- GPS not tracking in real-time
- Offline check-ins not syncing properly
- Sign-up page jumps between fields and login page
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- Fossils button not working
- Map returns to user location after viewing check-ins
- App crashes and becomes unresponsive
- Data loss after app reinstall or logout
- Maps fail to load after recent updates
- Location search functionality broken
- Android version windows not visible
- Straight lines appear when zooming
- Formations stop at state lines
- Check-in screen stuck with no exit option
- App won't load after initial use
- Geological overlay won't upload to base map
Requested features
16 requests- Follow/friend mechanic to track other users' check-ins
- Rock identification tool from photo uploads
- Offline map download with customizable zoom levels
- Stereonet tool for structural geology
- Groundwater/aquifer information section
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- Map legend/key for geological features
- Spanish language support
- Ability to move dashboard to different locations
- Latitude/longitude search functionality
- Multiple photo attachments per location
- Strike and dip data visualization
- Fault line labeling on maps
- Better Android version compatibility
- Tutorial or short course for advanced features
- Black contact lines between formations toggle
- Personal photo upload focus with mineral variations
GST[AR]
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Rockd
No in-app purchases
GST[AR]
No in-app purchases

![GST[AR] GST[AR]](https://cdn3.appshunter.io/i/Purple221/684d79799080d1e874f2bd30711bebcc/AppIcon-0-0-1x_U007emarketing-0-8-0-85-220.png/512x0w.png)







