iOS / iPad iOS Free (with a subscription after a 7-day trial)
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If you've ever been to a beach, picked up armfuls of interesting rocks, and wondered what they all are, then you'll be happy to hear there's an app to help you identify them called, quite simply, Rock Identifier.
I love how easy this app is to use. Simply snap a photo of a rock and Rock Identifier will work its magic, serving up information about the type of rock it is (or is most likely to be, it isn't perfect), how to pronounce its name, more details about how these types of rocks are formed, images of similar rocks, its chemical properties, uses and much, much more.
Unfortunately, Rock Identifier isn't free. You get a seven-day trial period and then you'll need to sign up for a $29.99/£29.99 per year subscription fee. That sounds expensive in one go, but if you find you get a lot from the app in the first week then it only works out at $2.50/£2.50 a month.
Create your digital rock collection
The fact that this app can put a name to almost any chunk of rock you find is why this makes it an essential tool for my iPhone. However, there are plenty of other cool features in Rock Identifier that'll keep rock and gemstone nerds incredibly happy.
When you first open the app, you'll see a dashboard filled with information about rocks and gems. Tap on any of them and you'll see vast amounts of information, including the price of the most well-known gems, the gems that look like them, how to spot them, how to care for them, and what they're used for.
There's a selection of articles that dig deeper into these topics, such as, "How to tell if a sapphire is real," as well as a bunch of videos to give you a more detailed look at some of the most popular rocks and gems you're likely to stumble across. You'll also find books and further reading recommendations. Essentially, you now have a mini rock and gem encyclopedia in your pocket, ready to go at any time.
I also really like the fact that you can save any rocks you scan to your collection. A great idea if you can't take all of the rocks you find home. Or, if you can, and have an ever-expanding rock collection, it's nice to have a digital library of them as well to refer back to.
