# Rockhound vs Spotter

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spotter at 100% against Rockhound's 0%. Spotter also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7). Rockhound's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Rockhound sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Spotter sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spotter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Rockhound's written reviews are positive against 100% of Spotter's.

Rockhound ships an update every 3 days, Spotter weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rockhound | Spotter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rockhound-rock-identifier/id6758138903/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spotter-nature-identifier/id6773416237/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 13 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Malte Wagenbach](https://appshunter.io/developer/1802172944) | [Derek Gauger](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846460318) |

## What reviewers say

### Rockhound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rockhound-rock-identifier/id6758138903)

Instantly identify rocks and minerals using AI by pointing your camera. Track your expeditions with GPS, build a digital collection, and discover nearby finds. Learn about composition, hardness, and crystal structure.

**Highlights:** AI rock and mineral identification, GPS expedition tracking, Digital collection management, Detailed mineral information, Discover nearby finds, Offline support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $99.99 | one-time |


### Spotter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spotter-nature-identifier/id6773416237)

Identify plants, animals, fungi, rocks, and more by simply pointing your camera. Get detailed field guide information, compare with reference images, and even hear animal calls. Save your discoveries in a personal log and see what's in season near you.

**Highlights:** Identify plants, animals, fungi, rocks, Detailed species field guides, Compare with reference images, Listen to animal calls, Personal field log, Discover seasonal species

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spotter Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Spotter Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Lens | $0.99 | one-time |
| Field Guide | $1.99 | one-time |
| Day Pack | $4.49 | one-time |
| Trail Kit | $8.49 | one-time |
| Base Camp | $11.99 | one-time |
| Expedition | $14.99 | one-time |
| Spotter Premium - Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rockhound free?

Rockhound is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Spotter free?

Spotter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Rockhound or Spotter?

Spotter is rated higher. Rockhound averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Spotter averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Rockhound or Spotter have ads?

Neither Rockhound nor Spotter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rockhound or Spotter?

Rockhound ships an update every 3 days, and Spotter weekly. Most recently, Rockhound was updated on October 31, 2026 and Spotter on November 5, 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.*