Birefringence vs StraboField
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Birefringence
This interactive tool helps identify minerals by calculating birefringence based on observed color and section thickness. It features a comprehensive database and offers two display modes for clarity.
- Interactive Michel-Lévy color chart
- Database of 562 minerals
- Automatic birefringence calculation
- Adjustable chart range (200-2500 nm)
- Simple display mode
- Includes optical and physical mineral characteristics
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An interactive Michel-Lévy interference color chart that features a database of 562 minerals. Click on your observed color and section thickness, and the birefringence of your section will be automatically calculated, and candidate minerals will be suggested. The range of the chart can be be set to between 200 nm and 2500 nm. The chart can be offset by + or - λ, + or - λ/4. The chart can be used as a traditional nomogram, or displayed in a "simple" mode without the clutter of radial lines (which are no longer necessary on an interactive chart). Based on the methods of Sørensen (2013), the colors in the chart are a much truer representation of the colors seen at the microscope eye pieces than existing printed nomograms. The app includes optical and physical characteristics of candidate minerals including birefringence (minimum, maximum and mean), relief, optical character, pleochroism, color and cleavage. The app includes the Raith-Sørensen color chart, which is also interactive. The Raith-Sørensen chart is a direct representation of interference color as a function of birefringence and sample thickness (Sørensen 2013). A useful utility for polarized light microscopy, polariscopy, optical mineralogy, stress optics, or anyone with an interest in birefringent materials.
StraboField
This mobile application helps geologists record field observations, capture data like photos and sketches, and create geologic maps. It supports various geological subdisciplines and allows for offline use with data syncing capabilities.
- Record field data with photos, sketches, and notes
- Collect georeferenced orientation and spatial data
- Use custom or built-in basemaps offline
- Create multi-scale observations with nested Spots
- Organize and back up data locally or to StraboSpot.org
- Fully functional offline for remote fieldwork
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StraboField is a powerful, all-in-one mobile app designed to streamline your geological fieldwork. Record observations, capture photos and sketches, collect orientation data, create geologic maps and stratigraphic sections — all from a single, map-centered platform. Easily collect spatially referenced data using point, line, or polygon-based Spots. Work across multiple scales using nested Spots and high-resolution image basemaps. Designed by geologists, for geologists, StraboField supports workflows across subdisciplines including structural geology, sedimentology, petrology, volcanology, and geomorphology. ** Key Features: ** * Capture field data with photos, sketches, and notes * Collect georeferenced orientation and spatial data * Use custom or built-in basemaps offline * Create multi-scale observations with nested Spots * Organize and back up data locally or to StraboSpot.org * StraboField is fully functional offline, making it ideal for remote fieldwork. Once online, your data can be synced to the StraboSpot digital data system at StraboSpot.org — an open- source platform supported by the National Science Foundation.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: StraboField at Free against Birefringence's $2.99. StraboField also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). Birefringence's advantage is review sentiment (89% vs 50%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases 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
StraboField is free to download; Birefringence costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Birefringence holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of Birefringence's written reviews are positive against 50% of StraboField's.
Birefringence ships an update every 6 weeks, StraboField every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Birefringence | StraboField |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (9 ratings) — better | 4.5 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 19 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #199 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Andrew Barlow | The University of Kansas |
Customer experience
Birefringence
StraboField
In-app purchases
Birefringence
No in-app purchases
StraboField
No in-app purchases









