Rockd vs iNaturalist
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.
iNaturalist
Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your camera or imported photos. Get AI-powered species suggestions and connect with a global community of nature enthusiasts to learn more about the natural world and contribute to scientific conservation efforts.
- AI species identification
- Record species observations
- Contribute to scientific data
- Explore biodiversity
- Connect with nature enthusiasts
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Your photos of plants, animals, fungi, and more can help protect nature all around the world. iNaturalist is free, nonprofit, and community-powered. iNaturalist helps millions of people learn about and document the nature around them. Point your camera at plants, animals, and fungi to get instant identification suggestions, then share your photos or sound recordings as an "observation." Then, see your observation get reviewed by a global community of knowledgeable nature-lovers to turn it into a useful data point for science and conservation efforts. Your everyday moments of curiosity can directly contribute to protecting nature, and you don't need any previous experience or knowledge to get started. iNaturalist is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to connecting people to nature and advancing biodiversity science and conservation, and is freely available thanks to the generous support of our community. KEY FEATURES • Identify species from anywhere in the world • Contribute to science by sharing your observations • Keep a record of species you see • Explore and protect biodiversity • Connect with and learn from other nature enthusiasts
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Rockd at 74% against iNaturalist's 49%. Rockd also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.1). iNaturalist's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). 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 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 187 and 715 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Rockd's written reviews are positive against 49% of iNaturalist's.
Rockd ships an update every 3 months, iNaturalist fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rockd | iNaturalist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (187 ratings) — better | 4.1 (715 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews — better | 48.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 187 | 715 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #87 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 259 MB | 220 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | University of Wisconsin-Madison Shared Apps | iNaturalist |
Customer experience
Rockd
iNaturalist
User reviews
Rockd
From 187 App Store ratingsWhat 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
iNaturalist
From 715 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Faster and more intuitive UI
- 👍 Improved features from website
- 💡 Batch upload and sorting options
- 🚀 Responsive and smooth performance
- 👍 Easier to navigate and use
Room to improve
- 🐛 Bugs with observation time and location
- 🔍 Difficulty finding advanced editing options
- 🔍 Overly complex UI for basic tasks
- 🔍 Removal of useful features like map view
- 🔍 Too much reliance on AI identification
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
iNaturalist
Reported bugs
5 issues- App freezes when suggesting IDs on audio clips
- Inconsistent tap responsiveness in search menu
- Observation time not accurately filling based on upload time
- Map showing incorrect observation locations
- Crashes and performance issues on some devices
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to type in address/coordinates for location
- Option to add observations to projects during upload
- Batch editing/uploading of observations
- More precise search filters (e.g. aquatic, parasitic, migratory)
- Bring back colored observation markers on map
In-app purchases
Rockd
No in-app purchases
iNaturalist
No in-app purchases









