Comparison

Topo Maps US vs Forest Maps 2

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

Head to head
About

Topo Maps US

Access and download detailed topographic maps of the United States for offline use. Track your location, mark waypoints, and record your routes for outdoor activities. Navigate with direction arrows and measure distances on the map.

Highlights
  • Download US topographic maps
  • Offline map viewing
  • GPS location tracking
  • Add and import waypoints (flags)
  • Import and share GPX/LOC files
  • Record and share trails
  • Elevation profile charts
Features
Read full description

Download USGS topographic maps of the United States and use them offline, with no account and no subscription. Topo Maps US is built for people who go where cell service doesn't: hikers, backpackers, hunters, anglers, paddlers, mountain bikers, geocachers, and anyone who wants a real topographic map in their pocket. MAPS Choose from three USGS map layers: standard topographic, aerial imagery with a topographic overlay, or plain aerial imagery. OFFLINE Tap the map squares you want and download them before you leave. Downloaded maps work with no Internet connection and use no cell data in the field. TRAILS AND POINTS OF INTEREST BUILT IN Every map download includes the trails, summits, lakes, campsites, and other named places in that area from OpenStreetMap, so you can search them by name while you're offline. TRAIL RECORDING Record where you go. Recorded trails show your path on the map with distance, elapsed time, and average speed. Recording stops automatically when you start driving, and any drive at the start or end of a trail is trimmed off. ELEVATION PROFILES Every recorded or imported trail gets an elevation profile with distance labels and color-coded grade shading. Drag along the chart to see the matching point on the map, its elevation, and the time you passed it. FLAGS Mark your current location or any spot on the map. Flags record coordinates and elevation, and you can add notes and organize them by color: geocaches, trailheads, summits, camps, and so on. NAVIGATION Pick a flag and follow the direction arrow, driven by your compass heading, with the distance remaining. Handy for geocaching and for finding your way back to camp or the car. LOCATION See where you are on the map, your elevation, speed, and the accuracy of the GPS fix. MEASURE Trace a route on the map to measure its distance, then save it as a trail to follow later. IMPORT AND SHARE Import trails and waypoints from GPX files and geocache LOC files. Share your flags and trails by email, Messages, or AirDrop as standard GPX files that work with any GPS unit or mapping software. Back up your maps and data to a computer over Wi-Fi. Designed for iPhone and iPad. Note: Continued use of GPS in the background can noticeably reduce battery life.

About

Forest Maps 2

Access detailed maps of all U.S. National Forests on your mobile device. Save favorite locations and synchronize them across devices. Offline map downloads and track recording are available with a Pro upgrade.

Highlights
  • U.S. Forest Service maps
  • Continuous map view
  • Favorite spot markers
  • iCloud synchronization
  • Offline map downloads
  • GPS location tracking
  • Track recording and export
Features
Read full description

Forest service maps on your iPhone or iPad! This app includes all areas mapped by the United States Forest Service. The map is a single, continuous map, so there's no need to search through menus to find the map you need. Save favorite spots with map markers that use iCloud to synchronize across your devices. Upgrade to Pro and get: • Map downloads. Going off the grid? Download entire forests for use when the Internet is unavailable. GPS-enabled devices such as the iPhone and the Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad show your current location on the map, even when you have no network connection. • Track recording. Record your track to see where you've been. Each track shows its distance, duration, average speed, and elevation profile. Share your tracks with other Forest Maps users, open them in Google Earth, or export to a GPX file. This app was not created by and is not affiliated with the United States National Forest Service.

Screenshots

Topo Maps US4 screens
Forest Maps 22 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Topo Maps US at none against Forest Maps 2's 1. Topo Maps US also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 78%). Forest Maps 2's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Forest Maps 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Topo Maps US asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Forest Maps 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 214 and 594 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of Topo Maps US's written reviews are positive against 78% of Forest Maps 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Topo Maps US ships an update every 2 months, Forest Maps 2 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Topo Maps US versus Forest Maps 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTopo Maps USForest Maps 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (214 ratings)4.7 (594 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better78.1% of reviews
Number of ratings214594 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDC Cloud Apps, LLCKinnaman Software LLC

Customer experience

Topo Maps US

All ratings213 ratings
Positive86.9%
Neutral1.4%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative10.0%

Forest Maps 2

All ratings588 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive78.1%
Neutral7.8%
Negative14.1%

User reviews

Topo Maps US

From 214 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive and simple user interface
  • 📱 Works completely offline with downloaded maps
  • 💰 Free app with no subscriptions or ads
  • 🗺️ High-quality USGS topographic maps
  • 📍 Accurate GPS location tracking

Room to improve

  • 🐛 White/gray blocks appearing on offline maps
  • 🔋 High battery drain during route recording
  • ❌ Limited color options for flags (only red)
  • ⚠️ Route recording stops unexpectedly
  • 🔍 No search functionality for trails/landmarks

Forest Maps 2

From 594 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent maps
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💯 Reliable and accurate
  • 🗺️ Detailed topographical maps
  • 📥 Ability to download entire forest maps

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing
  • 🗺️ Maps can be outdated in some areas
  • 💰 Paid upgrade required for full functionality
  • 📍 Difficulty in dropping precise pins or markers

Bugs and requests

Topo Maps US

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • White and gray blocks appearing on downloaded offline maps
  • Route recording stops unexpectedly mid-hike
  • High battery drain during route tracking
  • GPX file import issues in iOS 13+
  • Map display issues near borders
Show 3 more
  • Flags cluttering the view
  • Inconsistent zoom functionality
  • Route tracking drops without saving

Requested features

18 requests
  • Pause/resume tracking during hikes
  • Search feature for trails and landmarks
  • Apple Watch app support
  • CarPlay integration
  • Slope shading visualization
Show 13 more
  • Ability to select and download multiple tiles at once
  • Background map downloading
  • Map transfer between devices
  • iCloud backup for GPS tracks
  • Older USGS topographic map versions
  • Time stamps in GPX export for fitness tracking
  • Quadrangle identification display
  • Built-in compass with map orientation
  • Laptop map manager for easier updates
  • Community Q&A section
  • Multiple color options for waypoints
  • Auto-save feature for long recordings
  • Larger downloadable map areas

Forest Maps 2

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incompatibility issues with iOS 13
  • Tracking feature not always working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to import/export waypoints and locations
  • Integration with other navigation apps
  • Overlays for MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) data
  • Browser version for route planning
  • More customization options for pins and markers

In-app purchases

None

Topo Maps US

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Forest Maps 2

One-time1
  • Pro Upgrade$2.99

Questions

Is Topo Maps US free?
Topo Maps US is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Forest Maps 2 free?
Forest Maps 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Topo Maps US or Forest Maps 2?
Forest Maps 2 is rated higher. Topo Maps US averages 4.4 out of 5 from 214 ratings, while Forest Maps 2 averages 4.7 from 594 ratings.
Do Topo Maps US or Forest Maps 2 have ads?
Neither Topo Maps US nor Forest Maps 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Topo Maps US or Forest Maps 2?
Topo Maps US ships an update every 2 months, and Forest Maps 2 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Topo Maps US was updated on October 24, 2026 and Forest Maps 2 on October 21, 2026.

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