Comparison

Rockd vs FathomVerse

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Interactive global geologic maps
  • 3D virtual globe exploration
  • Field observation logging
  • Offline map caching
  • Paleogeographic map access
  • Stratigraphic column viewing
  • Geologic literature integration
Features
Read full description

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.

About

FathomVerse

Explore the ocean world through an immersive game that trains AI for scientific research. Discover and identify over 50 groups of ocean animals using real imagery collected by researchers. Contribute to science while playing minigames, completing quests, and earning badges.

Highlights
  • Play minigames with real ocean imagery
  • Identify over 50 groups of ocean animals
  • Save and share favorite images
  • Participate in quests and earn badges
  • Unlock awards for gameplay contributions
  • Customize soundscape with Ocean Radio
Read full description

The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet, yet most of the life within it remains undiscovered. FathomVerse is changing that, one dive at a time. FathomVerse invites everyone to take part in real ocean exploration and discovery. Through interactive mini-games, FathomNauts identify animals in real underwater photos and contribute to a growing library of labeled images that helps scientists catalog and understand marine life. With FathomVerse, you can: - Be among the first to review real imagery collected in the ocean. - Learn to identify more than 70 groups of marine animals. - Help train AI models by labeling animals in underwater images. - Participate in quests, earn badges, and track your scientific contributions. - Save and share your favorite ocean images in a personal gallery. Whether you're a lifelong ocean lover or simply curious about what lives in the depths, FathomVerse makes it easy to contribute to meaningful scientific research.

Screenshots

Rockd4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FathomVerse at 4.6 against Rockd's 4.4. FathomVerse also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 74%). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FathomVerse holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 185 and 88 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Rockd's written reviews are positive against 86% of FathomVerse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rockd ships an update every 3 months, FathomVerse every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Rockd versus FathomVerse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRockdFathomVerse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (185 ratings)4.6 (88 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.6% of reviews85.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings185 — better88
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size259 MB284 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Shared AppsMonterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Customer experience

Rockd

All ratings185 ratings
Positive82.2%
Neutral7.6%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews91 reviews
Positive73.6%
Neutral13.2%
Negative13.2%

FathomVerse

All ratings85 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral3.5%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral8.2%
Negative6.1%

User reviews

Rockd

From 185 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗺️ Comprehensive geological maps with detailed information
  • 💡 Innovative integration of peer-reviewed references and literature
  • 🧭 Built-in Brunton compass and clinometer tools
  • 📱 User-friendly interface and intuitive navigation
  • 🌍 Global coverage with paleomaps and stratigraphic data

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Black map display issues in offline and online modes
  • 📍 GPS tracking and real-time position updates failing
  • 🔌 Offline functionality severely limited or broken
  • 🔐 Persistent login requirement without password saving
  • ⚠️ Error dialogs that won't dismiss

FathomVerse

From 88 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌊 Relaxing and peaceful experience
  • 🔍 Opportunity to contribute to ocean research
  • 🌟 Stunning visuals and immersive environment
  • 🧠 Educational content on marine life
  • 🤝 Responsive and helpful development team

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and inconsistent user interface
  • 🤔 Unclear instructions and onboarding process
  • ⏱️ Slow and tedious core gameplay loop
  • 🔍 Lack of ability to re-examine animal images
  • 🧭 Inconsistent controls between different sections

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
Show 12 more
  • 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
Show 11 more
  • 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

FathomVerse

No bugs or feature requests surfaced in reviews.

In-app purchases

None

Rockd

No in-app purchases

None

FathomVerse

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Rockd free?
Rockd is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FathomVerse free?
FathomVerse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Rockd or FathomVerse?
FathomVerse is rated higher. Rockd averages 4.4 out of 5 from 185 ratings, while FathomVerse averages 4.6 from 88 ratings.
Do Rockd or FathomVerse have ads?
Neither Rockd nor FathomVerse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rockd or FathomVerse?
Rockd ships an update every 3 months, and FathomVerse every 6 weeks. Most recently, Rockd was updated on October 13, 2026 and FathomVerse on October 17, 2026.

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