# Birefringence vs StraboField

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Birefringence | StraboField |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birefringence/id1354688131/reviews)** | [4.5 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strabofield/id1555903455/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **19** |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#199** | — |
| Size | 14 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Barlow](https://appshunter.io/developer/1229786938) | [The University of Kansas](https://appshunter.io/developer/726307325) |

## What reviewers say

### Birefringence

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birefringence/id1354688131)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### StraboField

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strabofield/id1555903455)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Birefringence free?

Birefringence costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is StraboField free?

StraboField is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Birefringence or StraboField?

Birefringence is rated higher. Birefringence averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while StraboField averages 4.5 from 19 ratings.

### Do Birefringence or StraboField have ads?

Neither Birefringence nor StraboField shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Birefringence or StraboField?

Birefringence ships an update every 6 weeks, and StraboField every 9 days. Most recently, Birefringence was updated on October 20, 2026 and StraboField on October 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*