Comparison

Topo Maps US vs Map Chart Mosaic

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

Map Chart Mosaic

Access detailed topographic, satellite, and weather forecast maps offline on your iPhone and smartwatch. Plan routes, record GPS tracks, and share your journey data. View maps without an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Offline topographic and satellite maps
  • GRIB weather forecast maps
  • Cycle and hiking trail maps
  • Smartwatch map support (Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin, Amazfit)
  • Add map markers and travel routes
  • Record GPS tracks and share as GPX
  • GPS travel information (speed, ETA)
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Offline maps for iPhone, Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin or Amazfit smartwatch: topographic maps, satellite images, GRIB weather forecast maps and road maps with cycle and hiking trails. Nautical charts are currently only for USA and Canada available. Please watch the video and read the FAQ: http://www.MapChartMosaic.com/ Switch seamlessly between maps from different sources to get detailed information about a location. Map views are automatically stored in an offline cache on your phone, so that you can view them later without an internet connection. Download offline maps to Apple Watch or Fitbit smart watch and view them without connection to your phone. Add map markers and travel routes to the offline maps (e.g. your current car parking location). Create map travel routes. Record your GPS Track. Share map marker, route and track data as GPX files. Get GPS travel info: speed, course, odometer, route ETA (estimated time of arrival)... Get GRIB weather forecast maps via Internet download, Email or Iridium Go satellite connection. You can display the maps also on the Fitbit smart watch. But please don't expect the same maps app performance on the Fitbit as on a phone. The Fitbit is very slow and has very limited space. The Fitbit phone app "Sync" step, shown in the video, is very important. Don't skip it and make sure that the watch app Map Chart is closed during the Sync. DISCLAIMER Do NOT use the app for navigation or any other purpose that may result in personal injury or property damage. Use it at your own risk.

Screenshots

Topo Maps US4 screens
Map Chart Mosaic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Topo Maps US at 88% against Map Chart Mosaic's 0%. Topo Maps US also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (4.4 vs 2.6). Map Chart Mosaic's advantage is chart position (#104 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Topo Maps US is free to download; Map Chart Mosaic costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Topo Maps US holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Topo Maps US has 213 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Topo Maps US's written reviews are positive against 0% of Map Chart Mosaic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Topo Maps US ships an update every 2 months, Map Chart Mosaic every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Topo Maps US versus Map Chart Mosaic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTopo Maps USMap Chart Mosaic
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.4 (213 ratings) — better2.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings213 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#104 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDC Cloud Apps, LLCAppMosaic.com

Customer experience

Topo Maps US

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

Map Chart Mosaic

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

Map Chart Mosaic

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Topo Maps US

No in-app purchases

None

Map Chart Mosaic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Topo Maps US free?
Topo Maps US is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Map Chart Mosaic free?
Map Chart Mosaic costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Topo Maps US or Map Chart Mosaic?
Topo Maps US is rated higher. Topo Maps US averages 4.4 out of 5 from 213 ratings, while Map Chart Mosaic averages 2.6 from 5 ratings.
Do Topo Maps US or Map Chart Mosaic have ads?
Neither Topo Maps US nor Map Chart Mosaic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Topo Maps US or Map Chart Mosaic?
Topo Maps US ships an update every 2 months, and Map Chart Mosaic every 5 weeks. Most recently, Topo Maps US was updated on October 15, 2026 and Map Chart Mosaic on October 16, 2026.

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