Rockd vs BadgerSAFE
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.
BadgerSAFE
This official safety application provides University of Wisconsin-Madison students and staff with critical safety alerts and instant access to campus security resources. It offers features like emergency contacts, real-time location sharing with friends, and direct tip reporting to campus security.
- Emergency Contacts
- Friend Walk location sharing
- Tip Reporting to security
- Safety Toolbox
- Campus Maps
- Offline Emergency Procedures
- Support Resources access
- Safety Notifications
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BadgerSAFE is the official safety app of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is the only app that integrates with the University of Wisconsin-Madison's safety and security systems. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. BadgerSAFE features include: - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the University of Wisconsin-Madison area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Friend Walk: Send your location to a friend through email or SMS on your device. Once the friend accepts the Friend Walk request, the user picks their destination and their friend tracks their location in real time; they can keep an eye on them to make sure they make it safely to their destination. - Tip Reporting: Multiple ways to report a safety concern directly to University of Wisconsin-Madison security. - Safety Toolbox: Enhance your safety with the set of tools provided in one convenient app. - Campus Maps: Navigate around the University of Wisconsin-Madison area. - Emergency Procedures: Campus emergency documentation that can prepare you for disasters or emergencies. This can be accessed even when users aren’t connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. - Support Resources: Access support resources in one convenient app to enjoy a successful experience at University of Wisconsin-Madison. - Safety Notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from University of Wisconsin-Madison safety when on-campus emergencies occur. Download today to ensure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Rockd at 4.4 against BadgerSAFE's 3.6. Rockd also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (185 vs 14). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
Rockd holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rockd has 185 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Rockd ships an update every 3 months, BadgerSAFE every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rockd | BadgerSAFE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (185 ratings) — better | 3.6 (14 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 185 — better | 14 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 259 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | University of Wisconsin-Madison Shared Apps | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Customer experience
Rockd
BadgerSAFE
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
BadgerSAFE
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Rockd
No in-app purchases
BadgerSAFE
No in-app purchases









