Comparison

GeoFieldBook vs Nature Notes

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

Head to head
About

GeoFieldBook

This app digitizes geological field mapping, replacing paper notebooks. It uses the iPad's GPS and camera to log structural and formation data, link images, and display real-time maps with oriented strikes and dips. Data can be exported for analysis.

Highlights
  • Digital field notebook
  • GPS-enabled data logging
  • Image linking to records
  • Real-time map display
  • Export data in CSV format
  • Import existing datasets
Features
Read full description

GeoFieldBook is designed for use in structural geology field mapping projects as a complement or replacement for the traditional paper field notebook and maps. The App integrates the iPad's GPS, camera, data management and mapping capabilities to allow geologists to record structural and formation information, automatically log geo-located data, link images to each record and input pre-defined formation names for different mapping areas. The records are then displayed in real-time on an image base (Apple) with strikes and dips displayed in the correct orientation and color-coded to the formation list. Field measurements and notes can be exported in csv format for integration into analysis software. Existing data sets (records and formation lists) can also be imported into the App. Record types currently supported (more are coming): - Bedding - Contacts - Faults - Joints - Other (generic entries) - Up to five additional user-defined record types with five additional fields per record. Depending upon the record type selected, inputs include: - Name (your entry) - Location (auto recorded) - Time/date (auto recorded) - Dip amount and direction (from your measurements) - Formations (scroll wheel entry) - Notes (your entry) - Five additional user-defined input fields

About

Nature Notes

Record and share notes, photos, and audio from your outdoor adventures. Advanced tools allow for photo merging from other cameras and interactive map integration. Organize trips into multiple hikes and share them via email, web pages, or custom files.

Highlights
  • Record notes, photos, and audio
  • Merge photos from other cameras
  • Interactive Apple Maps integration
  • Organize trips into multiple hikes
  • Share via email, web pages, or files
  • GPS tracking and export (KML/GPX)
Read full description

NatureNotes allows you to record and share notes, photos, and audio recordings on any walk, tour, hike, or just a stroll around your neighborhood. If you are a serious photographer, advanced tools allow you to load pictures from another camera into the walk record. There are several options for sharing walks with friends or other NatureNotes users, including email, Web page creation, or sending a NatureNotes file to another user. Easy sharing: Take photos, save notes, and record audio on your Apple iPhone or iPad. The app offers powerful editing features to create a slideshow or Web folder that you can email to your friends or upload to a server. Interactive maps: Apple maps embedded in NatureNotes shows where you are at all times, as well as where you've been on your hike. Satellite view can show you the terrain with a data connection. If you repeat a hike you've taken before, you can use the interactive map to see where you are relative to your last hike. Organization: Divide your trip into multiple hikes, then put them under a single header. Combine the subsumed hikes into a single slideshow, email, or web folder for sharing. Creating multiple databases offers a system for organizing larger groups of walk records. Records can be copied directly to other databases for easy sorting and reorganization. Photo merging: Take photos with another camera and merge them directly into your NatureNotes recordings. A smart system using dates and timestamps places photos into their correct positions within previously-recorded records. Even without a recorded hike, create a new record from a set of location-encoded photographs, and see exactly where you took the photos, using the embedded Apple Maps features. If the photos contain captions from another photo-editing program, the captions will be copied into NatureNotes titles for immediate labelling within NatureNotes. All slideshow features and email or Web sharing features can then be used with the new records. Create a kml file for viewing the track in another tracking application, or a gpx file for loading a track with GPS data into photo editing applications. GPS tracking: NatureNotes provides detailed tracking data for your walks, regardless of whether you are in cellular range or not. Tracks can be exported as KML or GPX files for use in other applications. Duplication and backups: Take a complete set of records and copy them to another device, with a cable and computer, regardless of record sizes. In this way complete records can be shared or backed-up without loss of information or photographic resolution.

Screenshots

Nature Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: GeoFieldBook at 5.0 against Nature Notes's 1.0. GeoFieldBook also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Nature Notes's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 14 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and iOS requirement 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. Nature Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GeoFieldBook asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GeoFieldBook holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GeoFieldBook ships an update every 14 months, Nature Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and August 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
GeoFieldBook versus Nature Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGeoFieldBookNature Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS14.5 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB172 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLafayette CollegeKenneth Wahl

Customer experience

GeoFieldBook

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Nature Notes

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

GeoFieldBook

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Nature Notes

One-time1
  • English$4.99

Questions

Is GeoFieldBook free?
GeoFieldBook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nature Notes free?
Nature Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, GeoFieldBook or Nature Notes?
GeoFieldBook is rated higher. GeoFieldBook averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Nature Notes averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do GeoFieldBook or Nature Notes have ads?
Neither GeoFieldBook nor Nature Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GeoFieldBook or Nature Notes?
GeoFieldBook ships an update every 14 months, and Nature Notes fortnightly. Most recently, GeoFieldBook was updated on June 5, 2026 and Nature Notes on August 8, 2026.

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