Epicenter vs Seismometer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Epicenter
Explore global earthquake activity from the past 30 days on an interactive globe. View detailed information, animate seismic events over time, and customize map displays. Includes companion apps for Apple Watch and a Today Widget for quick access to recent data.
- 30 days of global earthquake data
- Interactive rotatable and zoomable globe
- Earthquake details (magnitude, depth, source)
- Date scroller and animation
- Customizable map terrain and fault lines
- Apple Watch app for recent data
- Today Widget for quick access
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Epicenter — Global Earthquake Monitoring & Alerts Track global seismic activity with timely earthquake notifications, one of the most comprehensive earthquake catalogs available on a mobile device, and powerful tools for exploring earthquakes in space and time. Built on trusted public seismic reporting agencies, Epicenter helps you monitor, understand, and visualize earthquakes worldwide. MONITOR EARTHQUAKES THAT MATTER TO YOU Receive timely notifications for significant earthquakes worldwide and monitor the places and seismic regions that matter most to you. • Worldwide earthquake notifications • Location-based notifications • Watched locations important to you • Watched seismic regions • Notification history and earthquake summaries • Built on multiple trusted global and regional seismic reporting agencies EXPLORE EARTHQUAKES WORLDWIDE View one of the most detailed interactive earthquake maps available on a mobile device. • Worldwide catalog of 25,000+ recent earthquakes updated from multiple public seismic reporting agencies • Interactive 3D globe with pan and zoom • Explore earthquake distributions beneath the Earth's surface with interactive 3D Seismicity • Time Explorer with day-by-day or hour-by-hour playback • Earthquake List View with sorting, filtering, and search • Filter the List View for non-earthquake events like landslides, quarry blasts, explosions, and more • Fly directly to earthquakes and locations of interest UNDERSTAND GLOBAL SEISMICITY Understand earthquakes as part of a larger geological system. • Magnitude and depth visualization • Worldwide plate boundaries • Global fault datasets • Detailed earthquake data • Multiple terrain styles • Geological descriptions and annotations BUILT FOR APPLE DEVICES Designed to feel at home across the Apple ecosystem. • New - Home Screen Widgets • iPhone and iPad support • Light and Dark modes • Apple Watch companion • Mac compatibility via iPad support BUILT BY A SEISMOLOGIST • Designed for accuracy, transparency, and insight. PREMIUM FEATURES Epicenter+ expands Epicenter with advanced notifications, enhanced visualizations, and deeper exploration tools. Everything you enjoy in Epicenter remains free. No ads. Epicenter+ supports continued development of worldwide earthquake monitoring and analysis tools. Epicenter delivers timely notifications as earthquake solutions are published by trusted public seismic reporting agencies. Because Epicenter relies on published earthquake solutions rather than earthquake early warning infrastructure, it is not an earthquake early-warning system and should not be relied upon for emergency response or life-safety decisions. Epicenter+ Subscription Terms When you purchase an Epicenter+ subscription, payment will be charged to your Apple Account. Your subscription begins with a 30-day free trial. Unless canceled before the trial ends, your subscription will begin automatically and your Apple Account will be charged. Subscriptions are billed automatically at the beginning of each monthly or annual billing period and renew until canceled. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current subscription period. Manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal at any time in Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions on your device or through the App Store. To avoid being charged for the next billing period, auto-renewal must be turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends. If you cancel, your subscription remains active until the end of the current billing period. When your Epicenter+ subscription ends, the app automatically returns to its standard free mode. All billing and refunds are handled by Apple. Epicenter cannot process refunds directly. Refund requests must be submitted to Apple and are granted at Apple's discretion. Privacy Policy: https://seismology.rocks/epicenter Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Seismometer
Transform your device into a sensitive seismograph to monitor real-time seismic vibrations. Customize sensitivity, receive instant alerts for significant activity, and interpret data with an intuitive interface. Explore Earth's movements for educational, home monitoring, or entertainment purposes.
- Real-time seismic monitoring
- Customizable sensitivity levels
- Instant alert notifications
- User-friendly interface
- Detects various vibrations
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Experience the Earth’s movements at your fingertips with Seismometer! This innovative app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a highly sensitive seismograph, allowing you to detect and monitor seismic vibrations in real-time. Key Features: • Real-Time Monitoring: Observe live seismic activity with high accuracy. • Customizable Sensitivity: Adjust sensitivity levels to detect minor vibrations or filter out background noise. • Alert Notifications: Receive instant alerts when significant seismic activity is detected. • User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design makes navigation and data interpretation effortless. Educational and Practical Uses: • Educational Tool: Ideal for students and educators to learn about seismology and Earth’s geology. • Home Monitoring: Detect vibrations caused by heavy machinery, traffic, or nearby construction. • Entertainment: A fun and interactive way to explore the unseen movements of your environment. Why Choose Seismometer? Seismometer leverages your device’s built-in accelerometer to provide accurate and reliable seismic data. Whether you’re a professional seismologist, a student, or simply curious about Earth’s movements, Seismometer offers a unique window into the dynamic world beneath your feet. Download Seismometer Today! Unlock the secrets of Earth’s vibrations and stay informed about seismic activities around you. Download Seismometer now and turn your device into a personal seismograph!
Screenshots
Verdict
Epicenter and Seismometer both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Epicenter's written reviews are positive against 13% of Seismometer's. Epicenter also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). Seismometer's advantage is ratings volume (442 vs 39) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Epicenter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Seismometer sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Epicenter against 4.5 for Seismometer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Seismometer has 442 ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Epicenter's written reviews are positive against 13% of Seismometer's.
Epicenter ships an update every 4 days, Seismometer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Epicenter | Seismometer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (39 ratings) | 4.5 (442 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better | 13.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 39 | 442 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 102 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jess Taylor | Apostolos Samaras |
Customer experience
Epicenter
Seismometer
Bugs and requests
Epicenter
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Seismometer
Reported bugs
4 issues- Alarm stuck on
- App does not work
- Internet connection issues reported incorrectly
- False earthquake alerts
Requested features
6 requests- Add Richter scale
- Add Mercalli scale
- Run as background app
- Live earthquake alarms
- Improve detection sensitivity
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- Allow control over which earthquake intensities trigger alarms
In-app purchases
Epicenter
- Epicenter+ Monthly1 Month trial$1.991 Month
- Epicenter+ Annual1 Month trial$9.991 Year
Seismometer
- A Genuine Helper$1.99
- A True Hero$9.99
- An Awesome Being$19.99
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- One of a Kind$39.99
- A Charismatic One$59.99
- A Bold Tycoon$79.99
- A True Gazillionaire$99.99
Questions
Is Epicenter free?
Is Seismometer free?
Which has better reviews, Epicenter or Seismometer?
Do Epicenter or Seismometer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Epicenter or Seismometer?
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