Comparison

MAGE by NGA vs Visual Displacement Meter

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MAGE by NGA

This app enables real-time field awareness by allowing users to create and share geotagged reports with media. It supports offline functionality and customizable geospatial data layers for team collaboration.

Highlights
  • Geotagged field reports
  • Media sharing (photos, videos, voice)
  • Real-time location sharing
  • Offline functionality
  • Local geospatial data layers
  • Customizable for team needs
Read full description

The MAGE app provides dynamic capabilities for mobile situational awareness. Originally developed to support first responders deploying in the event of natural disasters, the MAGE app on your mobile device allows you to create geotagged field reports and observations that contain media such as photos, videos and voice recordings and share them instantly with other members of your team. Using the GPS in your mobile device, MAGE can record user locations in real time. Your locations can be automatically shared only with the other members of your team. The app remains functional if your mobile device loses its network connection and will upload its local content when a connection is reestablished. Geospatial data layers, including map tiles and vector data, can be stored on your mobile device and are available at all times. When disconnected from the network, MAGE will use local data layers to continue to provide relevant geospatial information to teammates. MAGE is customizable and can be tailored to your team's situation. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is releasing this application to the general public to increase the impact of government investments in unclassified mobile initiatives. MAGE is not hosted or managed by NGA, in order to use it you will need to get access to your agency or managing entities server. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

Visual Displacement Meter

Features
Read full description

The visual displacement meter is a high-precision visual measurement device used to measure surface displacement changes of structures, with a measurement accuracy of up to sub-millimeter levels and a maximum measurement distance of hundreds of meters. It can be used for deformation monitoring and detection of critical infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, subways, slopes, and dams.

Screenshots

MAGE by NGA4 screens
Visual Displacement Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Visual Displacement Meter at fortnightly against MAGE by NGA's every 5 weeks. Visual Displacement Meter also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MAGE by NGA ships an update every 5 weeks, Visual Displacement Meter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
MAGE by NGA versus Visual Displacement Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMAGE by NGAVisual Displacement Meter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB82 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNational Geospatial-Intelligence AgencyInteagle Information Technology(Dongguan) Co., Ltd.

In-app purchases

None

MAGE by NGA

No in-app purchases

None

Visual Displacement Meter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MAGE by NGA free?
MAGE by NGA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Visual Displacement Meter free?
Visual Displacement Meter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do MAGE by NGA or Visual Displacement Meter have ads?
Neither MAGE by NGA nor Visual Displacement Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MAGE by NGA or Visual Displacement Meter?
MAGE by NGA ships an update every 5 weeks, and Visual Displacement Meter fortnightly. Most recently, MAGE by NGA was updated on September 10, 2026 and Visual Displacement Meter on September 21, 2026.

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