Rock Identifier vs Space Arc
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Rock Identifier
Instantly identify rocks, crystals, and minerals by taking or uploading a photo. Get detailed geological information, track your discoveries in a digital journal, and learn about their formation and uses. Perfect for collectors, students, and anyone curious about stones.
- Instant photo identification
- Detailed geological data
- Mineral collection journal
- Field identification techniques
- Formation and usage information
- Regional smart distribution
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Discover the secrets of any rock or crystal in seconds. Simply take or upload a photo of stones, minerals, gemstones, or crystals, and instantly uncover their identity and geological significance. Whether you're cataloging a mineral collection, studying rock formations on a trail, or curious about a unique find, this comprehensive identifier delivers detailed insights at your fingertips. Key Features: ●Instant Rock Identification Take or upload a photo to identify stones, crystals, and minerals within seconds. ●In-Depth Rock Information Each identification provides comprehensive scientific data: - Name and Classification - Chemical Properties: Chemical formula and radioactivity status - Physical Properties: Color variations, luster, diaphaneity, streak, hardness, specific gravity, fracture, cleavage, crystal system, and magnetism - Identification Guide: Practical field recognition techniques - Formation Process: Geological origins explanation - Practical Usage: Historical and modern applications - Smart Distribution: Key locations tailored to your current region ●Keep Track of Your Discoveries Automatically save scans with timestamps to build your digital mineral journal. Ideal For: - Rockhounds exploring national parks & beaches - Mineral Collectors verifying specimens - Geology Students on field assignments - Curious Minds encountering interesting stones Whether you’re new to rock collecting, a geology student, or a seasoned enthusiast, this app turns every rock find into a learning moment—no more guessing or endless searches. It’s your pocket geology companion. Download it on the App Store now, grab your next find, and turn rock encounters into shareable, documented knowledge. Subscription Terms:Choose between the following subscription options for unlimited access to all features: - Weekly Subscription (free trial for 3 days) - Yearly Subscription Start a free trial to access all premium features. - Rock Identifier's free trial allows you unlimited access to all features with no limits. - Within 24 hours before the end of the free trial period, the charge fee calculated according to the subscription plan will be automatically debited from your account. - You can cancel the auto-renewal at any time, if the cancellation occurs at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal from your Account Settings after the purchase.(Settings>Your Name->Subscriptions) Learn more about us: Privacy Policy: https://www.cocosand.com.cn/app/rock-identifier/privacy.html Terms & Conditions: https://www.cocosand.com.cn/app/rock-identifier/terms.html If you have any questions, please contact us at steveyang2010@qq.com! We are looking forward to your feedback and we will continue to provide you with better products and experience.
Space Arc
Explore celestial events with real-time data from NASA and other space agencies. Track satellites, view stunning astronomy pictures, and get personalized alerts for meteor showers, eclipses, and aurora.
- Real-time satellite tracking
- NASA Picture of the Day
- Global launch calendar
- Celestial events calendar
- Aurora alerts
- Smart notifications
- Offline event caching
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Space Arc tells you what's worth stepping outside for tonight — when to go, where to look, and whether the clouds will cooperate. Meteor showers, planets, the ISS, Starlink trains, eclipses, the aurora, full Moons and rocket launches, all worked out for your exact location, with a weather-based Sky Score so you only head out when it's worth it. TONIGHT'S PLAN A simple timeline for tonight: sunset, full darkness, moonrise and moonset, each planet at its best, and every event you can actually see. A "Now" marker shows what's up right now. FIND IT IN THE SKY • AR Sky Finder — hold up your phone and follow the arrow until the target is in the circle. Works for planets, the Moon, meteor-shower radiants and satellites. • Where Do I Look? — a compass guide with the direction and height above the horizon. • Live Track — follow the International Space Station in real time, with a countdown to its next visible pass. EVENTS THAT FIT YOUR NIGHT • Meteor showers — the best hours of the peak night where you are, with realistic hourly rates that account for the radiant's height, twilight and moonlight. • Planets — oppositions, the best evenings and mornings for Mercury and Venus, and a live "Tonight's Sky" card with rise and set times. • Moon — full Moons, supermoons, blue moons and moonless Dark Sky Windows. • Eclipses — whether you'll see each solar and lunar eclipse from your location, and how much of the Sun will be covered. • Satellites — ISS flyovers, Hubble and Tiangong passes, and "Starlink trains" right after launches. • Aurora — NOAA geomagnetic storm alerts, shown only when it's dark and the storm can reach your latitude. • Space weather, rocket launches and near-Earth asteroid flybys. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO • Sky Score — Apple Weather cloud forecasts for the clearest dark hour of each viewing window. • Clear-sky alerts — one optional heads-up before sunset when something special is up and the forecast looks clear. • Reminders and Calendar — get notified before an event or add it to your calendar. Reminders update automatically if a launch is rescheduled. • Home Screen widget — tonight's best event and its Sky Score at a glance. YOUR OBSERVING LOG Tap "I saw it" to save sightings with notes and photos. Earn badges like Meteor Hunter, Station Spotter and Planet Collector, keep a weekly streak, and share good-looking cards of what you saw. EVERY DAY NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day and the latest image from the Hubble Space Telescope. ACCURATE AND PRIVATE Sky positions, twilight, Moon phases, planet events, meteor peaks and satellite orbits are calculated on your phone using established astronomical methods and NASA/NORAD orbital data. Your observing log and photos stay on your device. Data from NASA (APOD, DONKI, NeoWs, JPL Horizons), NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, Launch Library 2, CelesTrak, N2YO, ESA/Hubble and Apple Weather.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Space Arc at none against Rock Identifier's 3. Space Arc also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Rock Identifier's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, device support 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
Both are free to download. Rock Identifier sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Space Arc asks for nothing beyond the download.
Space Arc holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively.
Rock Identifier ships an update every 5 months, Space Arc monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rock Identifier | Space Arc |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 志勇 杨 | Marc L. Melcher |
Customer experience
Rock Identifier
Space Arc
In-app purchases
Rock Identifier
- One Week - 3 Days Free Trial3 Days trial$2.997 Days
- One Week$4.997 Days
- One Year$14.991 Year
Space Arc
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Rock Identifier free?
Is Space Arc free?
Which has better reviews, Rock Identifier or Space Arc?
Do Rock Identifier or Space Arc have ads?
Which is updated more often, Rock Identifier or Space Arc?
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