StraboTools vs RockSpin
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
RockSpin
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RockSpin brings the polarizing microscope to your fingertips. Designed for geology students, researchers, and educators, this app lets you explore petrographic thin sections with full 360-degree rotation. Compare PPL and XPL views, inspect mineral markers, explore 3D crystal structures, browse a curated rock image catalog, and save favorites across your account. Every thin section is available at 300px at no charge. Pro ($4.99/month or $49.99/year) unlocks 500px and 700px viewing. Subscriptions auto-renew and can be cancelled in Apple ID settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://rockspin.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StraboTools at none against RockSpin's 3. StraboTools also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). RockSpin's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price 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. RockSpin sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. StraboTools asks for nothing beyond the download.
StraboTools ships an update every 2 months, RockSpin fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StraboTools | RockSpin |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (10 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The University of Kansas | WOOHYUN JEON |
In-app purchases
StraboTools
No in-app purchases
RockSpin
- Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
- Pro Yearly$99.991 Year
- 1,000 Credits$14.99
Questions
Is StraboTools free?
Is RockSpin free?
Do StraboTools or RockSpin have ads?
Which is updated more often, StraboTools or RockSpin?
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