# ICS vs GMDE Lite

The clearest difference is rating: GMDE Lite at 5.0 against ICS's 4.3. GMDE Lite also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). ICS's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

GMDE Lite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

ICS ships an update every 2 months, GMDE Lite every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ICS | GMDE Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ics-timescale/id1469322356/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmde-lite/id1557325241/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 20 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [隽轩 樊](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463394496) | [Richard Allmendinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/1194772609) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### GMDE Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmde-lite/id1557325241)

This app allows users to record geological data, including points of interest, orientations, and contacts, with detailed annotations and photos. It offers multiple methods for orientation input and data visualization, with seamless integration for data exchange across devices and platforms.

**Highlights:** Record points of interest with photos and descriptions, Annotate photos and create digital sketches, Multiple methods for orientation input, Data import/export from various sources, Visualize orientation data on equal area projection, Use device as a rangefinder for distance calculation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ICS free?

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

### Is GMDE Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ICS or GMDE Lite?

GMDE Lite is rated higher. ICS averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while GMDE Lite averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ICS or GMDE Lite have ads?

Neither ICS nor GMDE Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ICS or GMDE Lite?

ICS ships an update every 2 months, and GMDE Lite every 3 weeks. Most recently, ICS was updated on October 21, 2026 and GMDE Lite on October 9, 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.*