SOS Explorer vs DeepTime for Geology
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SOS Explorer
Explore interactive animated datasets of Earth and space phenomena, from planetary rings to climate change models. This app brings complex environmental processes to life in an intuitive and captivating way, making learning accessible anywhere.
- Streaming high-resolution datasets
- Educational videos
- User-guided tours
- Analysis tools
- 100+ datasets
- Global and flat map views
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SOS Explorer (SOSx) Mobile is a free, flat screen mobile app version of the popular NOAA Science On a Sphere (SOS). This revolutionary software takes SOS datasets, usually only seen on a 6-foot sphere in large museum spaces, and makes them accessible, portable, and interactive anywhere. SOSx Mobile can immerse the user in animated images such as Saturn’s rings, atmospheric storms, climate change, and ocean temperatures to help explain sometimes complex environmental processes in a way that is intuitive, captivating, interactive, and entertaining. A desktop version, called SOS Explorer, is also available. Thank you for using SOS Explorer (SOSx) Mobile. We are committed to continually improving our software and providing you with an engaging and educational experience. We hope you enjoy the new features and enhancements in version 1.2! Please continue to share your feedback with us as we work on improvements. We appreciate your patience and support. Features include: • Streaming, high-resolution datasets • Educational videos • User-guided tours • Analysis tools • 100+ datasets • Global and flat map views Sample datasets: • Recent Hurricane Seasons • Bird Migration • Earthquake Activity • Snow and Ice • Ocean Currents • Historical Tsunamis • Facebook Friendships • Air Traffic • Planets of the Solar System • Climate Change Models • 360 Underwater Imagery • Narrated Movies • ...and so much more!
DeepTime for Geology
Explore an interactive geological time scale with detailed information on each unit, including GSSP definitions and color codes. Search for terms and view GSSPs on a global map. Ideal for geologists, students, and Earth history enthusiasts.
- Interactive geological time scale
- Detailed GSSP definitions
- CMYK and RGB color codes
- Searchable by name or age
- Global GSSP map integration
- Tips for using time terms
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DeepTime puts geological time at your fingertips. DeepTime is a full interactive version of the latest geological time scale: tap on any time unit to see more detail about it, including how its GSSP (golden spike) is defined. It even has the CMYK and RGB color codes for every time unit, great for when you need to have the right color for a map or chart. Even more, it is completely searchable by name or age. Come across an unfamiliar time term in an older paper? Search for it, and you'll see how it relates to the modern time scale. What's more is that all the GSSPs (the golden spikes) are shown on a gorgeous geological map of the world (courtesy of macrostrat.org), which shows their context in stunning detail. Tips for using time terms are also included with simple examples. Whether you are a geologist, a student, a science writer, or just a fan of Earth history, DeepTime will become your go-to resource for understanding geological time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: DeepTime for Geology at 5.0 against SOS Explorer's 4.7. DeepTime for Geology also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 11 months). SOS Explorer's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
DeepTime for Geology holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of SOS Explorer's written reviews are positive against 80% of DeepTime for Geology's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
SOS Explorer ships an update every 11 months, DeepTime for Geology every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SOS Explorer | DeepTime for Geology |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (20 ratings) | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 20 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 249 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | University of Colorado Boulder | Hunt Mountain Software |
Customer experience
SOS Explorer
DeepTime for Geology
In-app purchases
SOS Explorer
No in-app purchases
DeepTime for Geology
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SOS Explorer free?
Is DeepTime for Geology free?
Which has better reviews, SOS Explorer or DeepTime for Geology?
Do SOS Explorer or DeepTime for Geology have ads?
Which is updated more often, SOS Explorer or DeepTime for Geology?
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