Comparison

StraboTools vs GST[AR]

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

StraboTools

This app assists geologists in the field by analyzing photographs to provide quantitative data on rock fabric and mineral composition. It offers tools for measuring fabric orientation, determining color index, and detecting edges in rock images.

Highlights
  • Edge Fabric tool for orientation analysis
  • Color Index tool for mineral composition
  • Edge detection filter
  • Analyzes photos in-app or imported
  • Useful for plutonic and other rock types
  • Supports thin section study
Features
Read full description

StraboTools is designed to aid geologic field work by providing quantitative data that are otherwise difficult to estimate in the field. The app was developed for work in plutonic rocks such as granite, but it can be useful in field work in any type of rock and for study of thin sections as well. The app analyzes a photograph taken within the app or imported into it. •The Edge Fabric tool plots an ellipse that summarizes the orientations of image brightness gradients. In rocks with a fabric produced by deformation, this ellipse provides the orientation of the fabric and an axial ratio, which correlates with bulk deformation. The tool also reports the orientation in space of the line defined by the long axis of the ellipse. If, for example, the fabric being measured is planar, then these intersection lineations will lie on a great circle. Edge fabric diagrams are useful both in the field and for analysis of photomicrographs. •The Color Index tool allows quantitative determination of the color index (CI; area percent dark minerals) from a photograph. The user takes a photograph and then moves a slider to highlight those pixels darker than a certain threshold. The resulting area percent is displayed. Both adaptive and full-image thresholding are available. •Edge Detect applies an edge detection filter to the image. This can be useful in highlighting subtle features in an outcrop and in interpreting edge fabric ellipses.

About

GST[AR]

Explore and visualize geological models in augmented reality. Browse a selection of models, place them on any surface, and interact with them by rotating, scaling, and highlighting features. Share your AR sessions with others for collaborative exploration.

Highlights
  • Browse geological models
  • View models in AR
  • Rotate and scale models
  • Highlight model features
  • Share AR sessions
  • Customize AR settings
  • Add custom model sources
Read full description

GST[AR] allows you to browse, download, view, and share geological models in augmented reality. Browse Browse through available models and their features to find a nice selection to present in AR. Models are retrieved from running instances of GST Web. Don’t worry, there are default sources added already, so you can get started right away. Hint: If you see a „Visit“ button near a section of models, you can tap it to learn more about the institution that provides these models for you! When you select a model, you will find a list of features waiting for you. Make your selection and off you go to the AR view. View As soon as the features are downloaded, you will be able to place them on any horizontal surface in AR. Use gestures or sliders to rotate and scale your model. Tap on individual parts to learn about their name or use the legend to even highlight individual features. Superelevation is available via sliders as well! Share When you have placed a feature selection in AR, you get the option to share your session with others! Use the share button to let other peers join your session, synchronize your worlds and you will be looking at the same model in no time. Changes to the model rotation, scale and location will be synced automatically between all peers in the session. Hold down on a model to place your marker to point towards the feature of interest or highlight a certain feature via the legend for all other peers. Settings and customization Customize your experience by changing a couple of settings. In the settings menu, you will have the possibility to change aspects of scaling, how high the models float above the surface or even enable such cool features like "people occlusion" that make your AR scene even more immersive! Furthermore, if you want to access models from a GST Web instance that is not present in the app, you have the possibility to add endpoints of your own.

Screenshots

StraboTools4 screens
GST[AR]4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: StraboTools at 10 against GST[AR]'s 1. StraboTools also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price, rating, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for StraboTools against 5.0 for GST[AR]. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StraboTools has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StraboTools ships an update every 2 months, GST[AR] every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
StraboTools versus GST[AR]: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStraboToolsGST[AR]
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (10 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe University of KansasGiGa infosystems GmbH

In-app purchases

None

StraboTools

No in-app purchases

None

GST[AR]

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is StraboTools free?
StraboTools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GST[AR] free?
GST[AR] is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, StraboTools or GST[AR]?
StraboTools and GST[AR] are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do StraboTools or GST[AR] have ads?
Neither StraboTools nor GST[AR] shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StraboTools or GST[AR]?
StraboTools ships an update every 2 months, and GST[AR] every 4 months. Most recently, StraboTools was updated on September 18, 2026 and GST[AR] on July 7, 2026.

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