# Digital Bearing Compass — AR Bearing & Navigation Tool

> Augmented reality compass and navigation tool for pilots, sailors, and adventurers. (iPhone/iPad app by Thomas Oswald.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-bearing-compass/id1459486631 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Thomas Oswald](https://appshunter.io/developer/740516956)
- Category: Navigation, Utilities
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 22 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2019-04-19
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-bearing-compass/id1459486631/reviews.md

## What is Digital Bearing Compass?

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a high-precision bearing compass. Use Augmented Reality (AR) for instant cross bearings, position fixing, and distance calculations—100% offline, subscription-free, and fully private.

Are you a pilot, sailor or an outdoor adventurer ? Then the Digital Bearing Compass augmented reality app will be a valuable tool for you. Aim at objects in sight and directly read the true and magnetic bearing. Then you can check your bearings on the map. In addition, the current position, including the altitude above sea level is displayed.

Or you can set a fix in the map view. Bearing and distance to the fix is constantly computed. In the camera view, the difference angle between current bearing and the fix is also displayed. There is also a red marker at the location of the fix in camera view displayed by augmented reality technology.

Since version 3.x you can also set a mark on the current location. This mark is also displayed in the camera view. The app shows the distance and bearing to this marked location.

By taking 2 bearings or by using the fix, you can measure the angle between 2 points or objects ... if you are a sailor or yachtsman, you know what you can do with this information. You can use them directly for navigation, since this corresponds to the functionality of a sextant. You can also use trigonometry to determine the size of a distant object. By getting 2 bearings you can also apply the method of cross bearing directly. The bearings are automatically saved, so they will be available when you start the app the next time.

Benefits:

- The App uses the high-tech sensors of your iPhone or iPad to measure orientation, device and declination (the angle between the direction to Geographic North and Magnetic North, pilots call it variation).

- Augmented reality technology, available since iOS 11. The app will also be continuously improved, further developed and equipped with new features.

- You can switch between camera mode and map mode.

- The angle between 2 points or objects can be measured.

- A fix can be set in map view which is shown also in camera view.

- You can set a mark on the actual position. This mark is also displayed in the camera view.

- The position and direction of the bearings and the fix are drawn in the map.

- This way a cross bearing is possible.

- day/night mode

- you can choose between different coordinate formats

- you can choose between different distance and altitude units

- the cardinal directions are shown in the camera view


No matter if you are a pilot, seal, scientist, astronomer, technician, geographer or outdoor athlete, you will find the app extremely valuable for your orientation and navigation. And it is fun.

Please note that some sensors require a time to calibrate. Sometimes it might be the case that after starting the app, for a few seconds a wrong direction will be displayed. The camera should be moved slowly back and forth in this case so that the device can perform the calibration.

The app needs the permission to use the GPS. No data will be sent from the app to the outside world.

The app also uses augmented reality, a brand new technology which is supported only by the newest devices. You need at least an iPhone 6s or later, an iPad pro 2nd generation or later, or an iPad 2017 or later. Future devices will all support augmented reality.

## Key features

- Augmented reality bearing display
- Map view with fix setting
- Distance and bearing to fix
- Angle measurement between objects
- Cross-bearing functionality
- Day/night mode
- Customizable units and coordinate formats

## Recent user reviews (10 of 22)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-bearing-compass/id1459486631/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great little app

*2024-04-14, version 3.2*

Very handy, simple and functional. Working fine for me on an iPhone 13 Mini running iOS 17.

### 5/5 — First it didn’t but now it does.

*2022-06-08, version 3.2*

The Digital Bearing Compass for some inexplicable reason didn’t work when I first installed it on my iPad Pro. It worked on my wife’s ipad but even with Thomas’s help, I couldn’t get it to work on mine. Today, whilst cleaning out unused apps, I fired it up just to be sure before deleting it and lo and behold, it works perfectly. Must have had some updates. As far as the app goes, it’s brilliant, I love it!

### 5/5 — Does what it says on the box

*2021-09-26, version 3.2*

This app is easy to use and has no unnecessary cruft. When I had a question about locating a distant fix (which appear smaller due to the distance), the developer responded quickly and helpfully.

### 5/5 — Digital bearing compass is excellent

*2021-04-15, version 3.1*

I live work and play in Australia where the magnetic declination is 13° east. I have a boat and use it a great deal and I am always trying to ensure parity between the magnetic compass and the digital true North GPS, heading sensor and fluxgate compass. I see that this app gets an average of three stars and honestly that’s not fair. The rules for easterly declination are the opposite of westerly declination and I suspect most people don’t even know the declination of their area and therefore can never reconcile true and magnetic north. I purchased this app fired it up and blow me down...it is almost perfect.

### 5/5 — Pas mal du tout

*2020-11-02, version 3.0*

What’s can of precision could we obtain with this app?

### 3/5 — No camera on I pad

*2020-05-22, version 2.15*

Works very well on my i phone, I would give five stars,  but camera function not working on my i pad. Please advise, thank you

### 1/5 — Very unsatisfactory

*2020-05-12, version 2.14*

I am using an iPhone 8+ with latest version.. App needs phone to be held horizontally and will not zoom so only very near items can be identified. After much trying at sea and on land I have not achieved a single reliable fix and request a refund.

### 5/5 — So far so good

*2020-05-09, version 2.14*

Nice useful app, reasonable price. would love to see one feature added... the ability to re-zero (or offset) pitch, bank and compass heading from any iPad / iPhone position so iPad could be mounted in some position other than directly in line of sight but still give (relative) pitch / bank and heading...

### 1/5 — Camera not visible on iPad Air 2

*2020-05-09, version 2.14*

I downloaded the app about a week ago and the camera worked fine. Since the update 3 days ago the camera does not work.

### 5/5 — Very nice navigation app.

*2020-05-03, version 2.13*

Useful for boating. I wish there were a way to have it record the bearing so that I can check my progress on a return journey.

## Frequently asked questions about Digital Bearing Compass

### What is the price of Digital Bearing Compass?

Digital Bearing Compass is a paid app, currently priced at $3.99. This one-time purchase grants you full access to all its features without recurring fees.

### Does Digital Bearing Compass have ads?

No, Digital Bearing Compass is ad-free. You can use all its navigation and augmented reality features without any interruptions from advertisements.

### What devices is Digital Bearing Compass compatible with?

Digital Bearing Compass is designed for Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It requires iOS 11 or later to utilize its augmented reality capabilities.

### How accurate is the bearing information in Digital Bearing Compass?

The app utilizes high-tech sensors from your iPhone or iPad to measure orientation and declination, aiming for accurate true and magnetic bearings. Sensor calibration may take a few seconds upon app launch.

### Can I use Digital Bearing Compass offline?

While the app uses GPS for positioning, its core bearing and augmented reality features do not require an active internet connection once installed. However, map display might be limited without data.

### How often is Digital Bearing Compass updated?

The app was last updated on June 21, 2021, with version 3.2. The developer indicates that the app will be continuously improved and equipped with new features.

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

Digital Bearing Compass has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for users of all ages, with no content restrictions.

### Can Digital Bearing Compass help with navigation like a sextant?

Yes, by taking two bearings or using the fix feature, you can measure angles between points, similar to a sextant's functionality for sailors and yachtsmen. This information can be used for direct navigation.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.3 — 2026-06-17

Changelog:

3.3:

- Updated the app for the new iOS Versions.
-- Fixed a small bug

3.2:

- snapshot of a satellite view picture pops up when tapping on the fix in the map view

3.1:

- Updated the app for the new iOS Versions.
- slight changes of the UI

### 3.2 — 2021-06-21

Changelog:

3.2:

- snapshot of a satellite view picture pops up when tapping on the fix in the map view

3.1:

- Updated the app for the new iOS Versions.
- slight changes of the UI

### 3.1 — 2021-02-07

- Updated the app for the new iOS Versions.
- slight changes of the UI

### 3.0 — 2020-06-04

- major update
- a new function is included. you can mark your present location in addition to the fix. You can also display the direction and distance to this mark and it is shown in the camera view.

### 2.16 — 2020-05-28

- new coordinate format DD added

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## More apps by Thomas Oswald

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- [Pilot Mental Math Trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-mental-math-trainer/id1453543435)

All apps by Thomas Oswald: https://appshunter.io/developer/740516956

## Related topics

[digital bearing compass](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/digital-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 2026-08-24.*