# Bearing Compass

> Digital compass with target bearing, location finder, and sunrise/sunset times. (iPhone/iPad app by Russell May.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bearing-compass/id1378838551 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Russell May](https://appshunter.io/developer/1080177340)
- Category: Utilities, Navigation
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.30/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 12 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 10.0 · 51 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2018-05-11
- Data updated: 2026-06-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bearing-compass/id1378838551/reviews.md

## What is Bearing Compass?

A Standard Compass That Can Display A Bearing/Heading using (True North)

Can be used either as a traditional compass or using the location finder to identify a target location, the app can provide you with a direct bearing and distance.

The application displays;
	•	User selectable compass bezel and transparency.
	•	Bearing of the iPhone.
	•	User selectable pointer to a target location.

Target Information:
	•	Target Address.
	•	Distance and bearing to target.
	•	Latitude and longitude of target.
	•	what3words address for target.
	•	Sunrise and sunset times plus total hours of daylight.
Note: The times displayed are based on your mobile device time settings; i.e. if your device is set to GMT, all times will be displayed in GMT.

iPhone Information:
	•	Latitude and longitude of iPhone.
	•	what3words address for iPhone location.
	•	Altitude of the iPhone.
	•	Sunrise and sunset times plus total hours of daylight.

Settings For:
	•	User selectable outer compass bezel.
	•	User selectable inner compass bezel, used to display the target. bearing.
	•	User selectable transparency of outer compass bezel.
	•	Choose between Lat/Long or DMS or DDM.
	•	Choose distance/altitude format kilometer/meters or miles/feet.
	•	Choose various colour themes for the interface.
	•	Reset option to revert to compass only mode.
	•	Compass bezel 'True North' or 'Magnetic North'.
	•	Display or remove screen aligned cross hairs.
	•	Tap the address field to reveal buttons for; Favourite List, Add current target as favourite, New target from map
	•	Tap the what3words button to reveal what3words target and device addresses. 
	•	No Sleep mode prevents the iPhone from sleeping when set. (It is recommended that you connect your Phone to a power source when using this option as it can cause drain on your iPhone battery).

Location Finder:
	•	Enter target coordinates directly or pasting in any of three different formats; latitude and longitude, Degrees, Minutes and seconds or Degrees and Decimal Minutes.
	•	Type an address, what3words address or other search criteria to identify the target location on a map.
	•	Scroll the map and long press the target location. 
	•	Reverse geocoding will tell you the address, if any.
	•	Location Finder feature requires an internet connection.
 
Favourites List
	•	Store up yo 150 favourite places/bearings.
	•	Sort by Title, Subtitle, Bearing, Distance or user definable order.
	•	Reverse sort.
	•	Filter by Title and/or Subtitle.
	•	Edit Title and/or Subtitle.
	•	Share list of locations.
	•	Share individual location.

## Key features

- True North bearing display
- Target location finder
- Distance and bearing to target
- Sunrise and sunset times
- Customizable compass bezel and themes
- Favorite locations list

## Recent user reviews (10 of 12)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bearing-compass/id1378838551/reviews.md

### 3/5 — App opens and closes out immediately

*2026-02-05, version 3.1*

Used this for a while to find direction on ham radio. It was great till one day I open it and it closes itself out. I really wish I had this tool back.

### 1/5 — I used to use it

*2025-11-28, version 3.1*

But now it crashes every time I try to use it.

### 1/5 — crashes. unmaintained

*2025-07-20, version 3.1*

crashes on launch shortly. iOS 17.0 13 mini

### 1/5 — Crashes

*2025-04-14, version 3.1*

Crashes as soon as opens. iOS 18.3.2.

### 1/5 — Used to work

*2025-04-07, version 3.1*

Not sure what happened but when I went to open the app today it just crashes. Deleted the app, rebooted and reinstalled, still crashes. So it does not work on the most recent OS 18.3.2.

### 2/5 — Used to work great, now crashes

*2025-04-02, version 3.1*

It used to work great but now it is crashing with latest iOS 18.4. I tried contacting dev but their website is down and they don’t take support through App Store.

### 5/5 — Perfect

*2022-04-20, version 3.1*

Exactly what I was looking for and it works great! Thank you !

### 5/5 — I would have happily paid for this app!

*2022-04-13, version 3.1*

Simple and very, very effective. Great for finding sites in woodland.

### 5/5 — I see Rockets!

*2021-06-15, version 3.1*

Great to find direction to look for far off rocket launches. We live 230 miles from Wallops Island Virginia launch facility. This app help make sure we are looking in the right direction to see viewable launches

### 5/5 — Ham radio use

*2020-09-03, version 3.1*

Summits On The Air (SOTA) is a ham radio activity involving portable operation from the top of high hills and mountains. I have found this app to be a really useful tool. I enter in the lat/long of the summit and then I use the compass bearing as I hike to the top. The line of sight distance isvery helpful too. 
This is a wonderful app. The developer(s) have done a great job. The various target location entry methods are very comprehensive. 
Take the time to read all of the instructions and if you are after a GPS bearing indicator for your iPhone, this is the app you need.

## Frequently asked questions about Bearing Compass

### What is Bearing Compass used for?

Bearing Compass is a utility app that functions as a traditional compass and can also provide a direct bearing and distance to a target location. It displays various location-specific data and allows for customization of the compass interface.

### Does Bearing Compass require an internet connection?

The Location Finder feature of Bearing Compass requires an internet connection to identify target locations on a map and perform reverse geocoding. However, the core compass functionality may work offline.

### How many favorite locations can I save in Bearing Compass?

Bearing Compass allows you to store up to 150 favorite places or bearings. These can be sorted, filtered, edited, and shared.

### Can I choose between True North and Magnetic North in Bearing Compass?

Yes, Bearing Compass offers a setting to choose between displaying 'True North' or 'Magnetic North' on the compass bezel.

### What information does Bearing Compass provide about my location?

Bearing Compass displays your iPhone's latitude and longitude, what3words address, altitude, and sunrise/sunset times, along with total hours of daylight.

### What formats can I use to enter target coordinates in Bearing Compass?

You can enter target coordinates directly or by pasting them in three different formats: latitude and longitude, Degrees Minutes and seconds, or Degrees and Decimal Minutes.

### What is the age rating for Bearing Compass?

Bearing Compass has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users.

### How often is Bearing Compass updated?

The latest version of Bearing Compass is 3.1, which was last updated on January 7, 2020. Information on update frequency beyond this is not provided.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.1 — 2020-01-07

Addition of some sharing options and some minor bug fixes.

### 3.0 — 2019-12-04

Support for iOS 13 dark mode.
Support for 'what3words' location address input/output.
Compass bezel transparency setting.
Updated help system.
Minor tweaks and bug fixes.

### 2.1 — 2019-01-11

When selecting a bearing coordinates can be entered directly, by typing or pasting, in three formats;
   Lat/Lon - Latitude and Longitude
   DMS - Degrees, Minutes and Seconds
   DDM - Degrees and Decimal Minutes
Additional help screen, on the various ways of entering or choosing a bearing.
Minor bug fixes.

### 2.0 — 2018-11-28

Version two contains many new and updated features;
 - New favourites list, allows you to store up to 150 of your favourite target locations.
 - You can now switch the compass bezel to point to either true north (default) or magnetic north.
 - Slightly revised in app navigation with some refreshed icons.
Thank you for your feedback and suggestions.

### 1.2 — 2018-10-14

Addition of DDM (Degrees and Decimal Minutes) for coordinate display.
Corrections to some compass labels.
Two additional compass bezels to choose from.

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## More apps by Russell May

- [Bases](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bases/id1355317507)
- [HexToASCII](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hextoascii/id1355318693)
- [Password-Builder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/password-builder/id1512806504)

All apps by Russell May: https://appshunter.io/developer/1080177340

## Related topics

[bearing compass](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bearing-compass)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*