How can I check an app's answer myself?

Test the properties it names: try to scratch the stone with a steel knife (hardness about 5.5 on the Mohs scale), rub it on unglazed porcelain to see the streak colour, and compare the lustre. If the tests disagree with the app, trust the tests.

Which rock identifier app should I start with?

Start with Rock Identifier – Crystals ID if you want each rock, mineral or gemstone explained, with its properties, origin and common uses, and a collection of your finds that stays on your phone with no account to create.

How were these apps chosen?

We picked five of the most widely used rock identifier apps on the App Store and compared them with Rock Identifier – Crystals ID, which is our own app.

Why are there no prices?

Prices differ by country and change often, and every listing states its own terms and in-app purchases on the App Store.

Best Rock Identifier Apps: 6 Compared

We put our own app, Rock Identifier – Crystals ID, side by side with five of the most popular rock identifier apps on the App Store, and compared them on how well each explains what you found, and what happens to your finds afterwards.

Quick facts

Rock Identifier - Crystals ID: Best overall: learn what you found
Rock Identifier: Stone ID: Best for crystals and gemstones
Rock Identifier & Scanner AI: Best for hikers
Rock & Crystal Identifier: Best for raw and polished stones
Rock Identifier: Best for fossils and community help
Stone Identifier - Scan AI: Best for in-depth geology notes

What a rock identifier app should tell you

The useful answer names the rock or mineral and explains why: its colour and streak, hardness, lustre, crystal habit and where it forms. Those properties are what let you check the answer yourself.

Privacy, and what happens after the scan

A good app keeps a record of every stone you scan without asking for an email address. Check whether an app needs an account, and whether your finds are stored on your phone or on the developer's servers.

Checking a result in the field

A photo cannot measure hardness or streak. The apps that explain a stone's properties give you the tests to confirm a match, such as a scratch test with a steel knife or a streak on unglazed porcelain.

1. Rock Identifier - Crystals ID — Best overall: learn what you found

Rock Identifier – Crystals ID tells you what you found and why it matters. One photo identifies the rock, mineral or gemstone, and each result explains its properties, origin and common uses, so you learn something from every find. It works on photos already in your library, saves every find to a collection on your phone, and needs no account. Developer: Centriqo.

2. Rock Identifier: Stone ID — Best for crystals and gemstones

Its App Store listing describes an all-in-one identifier for stones, crystals, minerals and gemstones, with the properties of each and a crystal guidebook. Developer: Next Vision Limited.

3. Rock Identifier & Scanner AI — Best for hikers

Its App Store listing is written for collectors, hikers, students and nature lovers, and names granite, quartz, basalt and limestone among the rocks and minerals it identifies. Developer: UPQODE LLC.

4. Rock & Crystal Identifier — Best for raw and polished stones

Its App Store listing describes identification of crystals, minerals and stones, whether raw or polished, including jewelry and decorative stones. Developer: Crystal Council LLC.

5. Rock Identifier — Best for fossils and community help

Its App Store listing describes identification of rocks, minerals, crystals and fossils, and a community where you share finds and learn from other collectors and geology experts. Developer: Kawaii, Incorporated.

6. Stone Identifier - Scan AI — Best for in-depth geology notes

Its App Store listing describes identification of rocks, minerals and gemstones from a photo, with in-depth geological insights, for geologists, students and hobbyists. Developer: Samip Ukani.

Start from what you are doing

Learning the basics calls for clear explanations of properties. Collecting calls for a record of what you have found. Checking a find in the field calls for the tests to confirm it. If you want every result explained, start with Rock Identifier – Crystals ID.

Keep your finds private

Rock Identifier – Crystals ID needs no account and keeps your collection on your phone. Most people scanning their own finds would rather not sign up just to find out what they have.

How this comparison was made

We compared these apps on what each is built to do, and what each is best for is our editorial choice. Prices are not listed because they differ by store and region. Rock Identifier - Crystals ID is our app.

Common questions

How can I check an app's answer myself?: Test the properties it names: try to scratch the stone with a steel knife (hardness about 5.5 on the Mohs scale), rub it on unglazed porcelain to see the streak colour, and compare the lustre. If the tests disagree with the app, trust the tests.
Which rock identifier app should I start with?: Start with Rock Identifier – Crystals ID if you want each rock, mineral or gemstone explained, with its properties, origin and common uses, and a collection of your finds that stays on your phone with no account to create.
How were these apps chosen?: We picked five of the most widely used rock identifier apps on the App Store and compared them with Rock Identifier – Crystals ID, which is our own app.
Why are there no prices?: Prices differ by country and change often, and every listing states its own terms and in-app purchases on the App Store.

Sources

Rock Identifier - Crystals ID on the App Store

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