# Samsa vs ICS

The clearest difference is update cadence: ICS at every 2 months against Samsa's every 16 months. ICS also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Samsa ships an update every 16 months, ICS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Samsa | ICS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ics-timescale/id1469322356/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DactylGroup](https://appshunter.io/developer/1121936981) | [隽轩 樊](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463394496) |

## What reviewers say

### Samsa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samsa/id1468451980)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ICS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ics-timescale/id1469322356)

Access authoritative geological time scale data and information on Global Boundary Stratotype Sections and Points (GSSPs). Explore charts, detailed GSSP information, and relevant statistics.

**Highlights:** Demonstration of ICS chart, Detailed GSSP information, GSSP statistics, Authoritative data service

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Samsa free?

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

### Is ICS free?

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

### Do Samsa or ICS have ads?

Neither Samsa nor ICS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Samsa or ICS?

Samsa ships an update every 16 months, and ICS every 2 months. Most recently, Samsa was updated on October 14, 2026 and ICS on October 21, 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.*