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Gold Story Pro includes the complete app: new finds, trips, and spots; maps and region packs; all 44 lessons; filters and insights; on-device AI on supported hardware; active and closed BLM claim-record packs; research leads; and the timestamped due-diligence log. Claim records are no longer sold as a separate Claims Pass.

There is no permanent free usage tier for new work. Pro is offered as a one-time purchase that never renews, or as monthly and annual auto-renewable subscriptions. All three unlock the same features. Eligible new subscribers may receive a 3-day trial on either subscription plan; the one-time purchase has no trial or renewal. The App Store shows the current local billed amount, eligibility, and terms before purchase.

The one-time unlock is sold again. A verified earlier purchase, at whatever price you paid, continues to grant complete access permanently and does not need repurchasing. The annual Claims Pass remains retired; an active one continues through its paid term, and claim records are now included with Pro. Choose “Restore purchase” in Settings or on the plans screen while signed in to the Apple Account that made the purchase.

Existing finds, trips, spots, photos, research checks, and other saved records remain readable, searchable, editable, and individually deletable. The complete export also remains available. Creating new records and using Pro maps, lessons, research, and AI tools remain locked.

The bundled world and US base maps, 75,000+ historic USGS gold records, the bundled California detail pack, installed region and claim-record packs, all 44 lessons, and your journal work offline. A connection is needed for StoreKit, the first download or refresh of optional packs, user-opened web links, and private iCloud backup if you enable it.

No. USGS MRDS sites are historic records of occurrences, prospects, and past producers, frozen around 2011. The separate BLM packs contain dated active and closed claim records for 11 covered states. Neither layer by itself establishes current legal access.

No. Claim markers use approximate PLSS section or quarter-section reference points, not surveyed boundaries. Records can lag, and no marker is not proof that ground is open. Verify current status, ownership, access, and rules with the BLM, county recorder, and relevant land manager before visiting or digging.

On an iPhone running iOS 26 with Apple Intelligence ready, Apple’s on-device foundation model can help structure a find note, recap a trip, answer grounded journal questions, or summarize a research lead. These tools are hidden when unsupported, use no Studio AM AI server, and are not required for the core journal, maps, lessons, or deterministic claim research.

Gold Story prepares a ZIP containing the full journal JSON, CSV tables for finds, spots, and trips, GPX and KML when locations are included, and available photos. You may turn locations off; Gold Story then strips coordinates and photo GPS metadata. If a photo cannot be stripped safely, it is omitted and the app shows a warning.

There is no automatic Studio AM sync or account. Private iCloud backup is off by default; after enabling it, you choose “Back up now.” Gold Story can keep up to the latest three full archives in your own private iCloud, with a 500 MB limit per archive. Restore is offered only into an empty journal. Studio AM cannot read, list, or delete those backups.

No. Location is optional. If granted, it can tag records, record a trip breadcrumb trail, and provide bearing navigation to a saved point. A missing or imprecise fix never blocks saving a find without location. Claim-change alerts and other reminders are optional local notifications.

Gold Story requires an iPhone with iOS 17 or later. Its interface and instructional content are currently in English. Optional Apple foundation-model features additionally require iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence to be ready on the device.