MineAR vs Alpingo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MineAR
Visualize your subsurface GIS data in 3D augmented reality directly in the field. Overlay your data with terrain and geography to identify obstructions, compare topography, and discover new exploration targets. Works offline and includes a NearMe service for points of interest.
- Augmented reality data visualization
- Overlay subsurface data with terrain
- Identify drilling obstructions
- Offline functionality
- NearMe service for points of interest
- Import CSV and GEOJSON data
- Data styling and organization
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Data you can grasp. As a geoscience professional, we know you want an easier way to see your GIS data while you’re in the field. MineAR allows you to do exactly that. Our app seamlessly allows you to upload your subsurface data and lets you see it alongside your surrounding terrain and geography. MineAR helps eliminate costly mistakes by allowing you to engage with your data, see obstructions for your drilling and exploration targets, and compare the topography with where you need to drill in real space. Discover all of this on our app. ▶ How It Works 1 - LOAD YOUR DATA Expect accurate and dependable results that are fast and responsive. 2 - VIEW IT IN THE FIELD No more frustration. Confirm your drilling and exploration targets and cross-reference your data while never leaving the job site. 3 - DISCOVER Eliminate unknowns as you locate new minerals in real-time. ▶ Free MineAR App Features • No ads • NearMe service shows the roads, rivers, points of interest, and elevation models in augmented reality of your location. This service is particularly helpful in the discovery of new mining or digging locations so you can compare the topography and the terrain. • Augmented reality and virtual reality modes • Digital elevation model • Works on and offline • Compass and GPS keep you and your data centered with the elevation model. ▶ Additional Premium Features • IMPORT common datatypes: CSV, GEOJSON (points, lines and shapes!) • ORGANIZE your data by Project • VIEW and STYLIZE your data by any of the data's attributes. ▶ Free Trial! Subscription Information Thank you for being an early adopter! A free trial gives you complete access to the app and the ability to upload and view your own data. Sample data added for you to play with. ▶ Feedback: Having a problem, or want to request new features please contact us at support@gominear.com Terms of use: https://www.gominear.com/terms-of-use
Alpingo
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Alpingo is a field GPS for hikers, climbers, geologists and prospectors. Save an area once — map, terrain, peaks and trails — and navigate, draw, route and log samples with no signal at all. NEW: PEAKS, 3D & GEOLOGY TOOLS • Peak Finder: point the camera at the mountains and every summit is labelled with name, height and distance, computed offline on your iPhone; or switch to a rendered 3D panorama • 3D terrain & fly-over: your route draped on a 3D model of the mountains (satellite online, shaded relief offline); fly along it and export a video to share • Lock Screen & Dynamic Island: while you follow a route, a Live Activity shows distance to go, climb left, arrival time and progress • Outcrop camera: aim at a rock face, even out of reach, and read strike and dip in AR, aligned to true north; three-point mode; saved to your structural measurements • LiDAR outcrop scan (iPhone Pro models with LiDAR): a true-scale 3D model coloured by dip direction; tap anywhere for strike and dip, measure distances, export OBJ • Anomaly surface: lab assays or detector finds become a continuous colour anomaly map with contours; the strongest highs marked as targets A, B, C; can be draped on 3D terrain OFFLINE MAPS & TRAILS • One tap saves the framed area: vector map, elevation, peaks, huts, water and the path network • Routes that follow real trails, even offline: walking or mountain-path mode with distance and ascent • Follow a route with off-route alerts, distance left, climb left and arrival time • Slope and avalanche-angle shading, hillshade, contours and waymarked hiking trails MOUNTAINS & OUTDOORS • Barometric altimeter, storm warning, turnaround time and TracBack • Mountain weather forecast for your altitude, readable offline • Slope meter, avalanche bulletin link, SOS screen with your position to share MINERAL EXPLORATION & GEOLOGY • Samples with type, lithology, mineralization, photos and printable QR labels • Geology compass: strike and dip from the phone on the outcrop, stereonet and rose diagram • Licence areas from KML, GeoJSON, shapefile or corner coordinates, with sampling grids • Traverses with stations, downhole logs, lab assay import and colour-coded anomaly maps • Detector and panning finds with weight; geology map layer REPORTS & PLANNING • Field report PDF: area map, samples with coordinates and assays, structural measurements and photos, ready to send from the field • Cross section: draw a line and read the terrain profile with the nearby samples and apparent dips projected onto it • Tour planner: chain your waypoints along real paths and see distance, climb, walking time and whether you are back before sunset • Sun and shadow on the 3D terrain by the hour, and one tap to turn a straight bearing into a route that follows the trail DRAW ON THE MAP • Lines, polygons, freehand, circles, arrows and labels, with colours and layers • Distances and areas as you draw; turn any line into a route; GPX and KML export COORDINATES FOR THE FIELD • MGRS/USNG, UTM, TM 3° (Turkey), lat/lon and OSNG on 13 datums including ED50 • Resection, dead reckoning, grid conversion and a live grid on the map SHARE & SYNC • Share one project file with your team and merge their samples and drawings • GPX, KML and CSV import and export; QR sharing with no network; widgets, Siri and 17 languages PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account, no ads, no tracking — your data stays on your iPhone. One purchase, no subscriptions and no in-app purchases. Prospect, dig and use metal detectors only where you hold a licence or permit. Weather data: MET Norway, CC BY 4.0. Alpingo is a navigation aid, not a certified navigation device, and is not affiliated with any armed forces or government agency. Always carry a paper map and compass. Continued use of GPS in the background can decrease battery life. Terms of Use: https://gepgo.com/alpingo/en/terms/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: MineAR at Free against Alpingo's $7.99. MineAR also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Alpingo's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). On 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
MineAR is free to download; Alpingo costs $7.99 up front. MineAR sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Alpingo asks for nothing beyond the download.
MineAR ships an update every 3 months, Alpingo every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MineAR | Alpingo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $7.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 104 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Map Life, LLC | Ali Can |
In-app purchases
MineAR
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Alpingo
No in-app purchases









