Comparison

Rockd vs Rock ID

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

Rock ID

Instantly identify rocks, minerals, and gems by snapping a photo. Explore detailed profiles, manage your personal collections, and keep a log of all your discoveries. Become a geology expert with this comprehensive guide.

Highlights
  • Instant AI-powered stone identification
  • Vast catalog of rock profiles
  • Personal rock and mineral collections
  • Detailed history of identifications
  • Learn rock composition and origin
  • Distinguish real gems from fakes
Read full description

If you’re looking for an app to help you identify rocks and track your mineral collection, you’ve struck gold! Rock ID is an ultimate package of features that lets you manage your assortment of rocks and pick up some essential geology facts along the way. 1. Identify any unknown stones and minerals instantly! Having a hard time trying to identify the weird rock you’ve come across? Unsure if you’re about to purchase a genuine obsidian stone or a worthless imitation? Let Rock ID solve the mystery for you! Just snap a picture of any stone or mineral, and the app’s rock identifier will effortlessly recognize it. Rock ID can even distinguish a real diamond from a fake one. 2. Learn more about various types of rocks! Eager to get to know your rocks in a more effective way? Rock ID can help you with that! Each mineral, gem, rock, and stone in the app’s vast catalog has a descriptive profile. There, you can learn the composition of different rocks, their origin, and if they’re considered valuable. You can also discover if they have any historical or modern use and enjoy a list of intriguing facts about them. 3. Build and manage your rock collections! Want to keep track of your extensive rock collection in one place? Rock ID is the solution you’re looking for! You can easily arrange your collections of rocks, minerals, gems, and crystals and access each of them instantly, view essential information, or shuffle your collections however you desire! 4. Keep track of all your discoveries! Unsure if you’ve already seen that mineral? Rock ID will remember each identified rock for you! The app keeps a lengthy log of all snaps you take, making it virtually impossible to lose any valuable discovery. 5. Why choose Rock ID? • Instant rock identifier powered by AI • Vast catalog of rock profiles • Personal collections of rocks and minerals • Detailed history of all identifications With Rock ID, you’ll become a geology expert in no time! Let the app become your trusty source of mineral knowledge and leave the days of struggling with rock identification behind. Subscribe to Rock ID Premium to get unlimited access to all the app’s features: • Subscriptions are billed weekly, monthly, or annually at the rate depending on the subscription plan. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. All personal data is protected in accordance with the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: http://aiby.mobi/rockid_ios/terms/ http://aiby.mobi/rockid_ios/privacy/ For any questions or inquiries, please use our customer support form at http://aiby.mobi/rockid_ios/support/

Screenshots

Rockd4 screens
Rock ID4 screens

Verdict

The call

Rockd and Rock ID both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of Rockd's written reviews are positive against 36% of Rock ID's. Rockd also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 17). Rock ID's advantage is ratings volume (3.1K vs 185) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. Rock ID sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Rockd asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Rockd against 4.4 for Rock ID. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rock ID has 3.1K ratings behind it against 185, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Rockd's written reviews are positive against 36% of Rock ID's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rockd ships an update every 3 months, Rock ID monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Rockd versus Rock ID: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRockdRock ID
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (185 ratings)4.4 (3.1K ratings)
Positive reviews73.3% of reviews — better36.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1853.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size259 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Shared AppsAIBY

Customer experience

Rockd

All ratings185 ratings
Positive82.2%
Neutral7.6%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews90 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative13.3%

Rock ID

All ratings3,067 ratings
Positive83.6%
Neutral5.1%
Negative11.3%
Written reviews171 reviews
Positive36.3%
Neutral4.7%
Negative59.1%

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

Rock ID

From 3.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Instant identification
  • 💡 Extensive stone library
  • 🎓 Helpful for education

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent identification accuracy
  • 💰 Paywall after limited free scans
  • 🤔 Questionable reliability for valuable stones
  • 📷 Camera quality issues for small gems

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

Rock ID

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incorrect identification of common stones
  • Failure to recognize obvious stone types
  • Inability to scan certain stones

Requested features

4 requests
  • More detailed stone information
  • Improved identification accuracy
  • Ability to manually correct misidentifications
  • Option to disable paywall for limited use

In-app purchases

None

Rockd

No in-app purchases

13 purchases

Rock ID

Subscriptions13
  • Rock ID PRO3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Rock ID PRO$4.997 Days
  • Weekly access (3 days trial)3 Days trial2 variants$5.997 Days
Show 10 more
  • Weekly access2 variants$5.997 Days
  • Weekly access (3 days trial)3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Weekly access$6.997 Days
  • Rock ID PRO$6.997 Days
  • Rock ID PRO3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Yearly premium subscription$19.991 Year
  • Yearly access (3 days trial)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Yearly premium subscription$29.991 Year
  • Rock ID PRO2 variants$29.991 Year
  • Yearly premium subscription2 variants$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Rockd free?
Rockd is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rock ID free?
Rock ID is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rockd or Rock ID?
Rockd and Rock ID are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 185 and 3.1K ratings respectively.
Do Rockd or Rock ID have ads?
Neither Rockd nor Rock ID shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rockd or Rock ID?
Rockd ships an update every 3 months, and Rock ID monthly. Most recently, Rockd was updated on September 18, 2026 and Rock ID on September 22, 2026.

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