Comparison

Topo Maps US vs Topo Fire

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

Topo Fire

This app provides wildland firefighters with essential mapping tools and resources for incident response. It offers shared incident maps, various map layers, and navigation aids, all accessible on mobile devices and Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Shared incident maps with live location
  • Multiple map layers (USGS, Forest Service, etc.)
  • Drawing and waypoint tools
  • Proximity alerts
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Cloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

Topo Fire is packed with the maps & tools every Wildland Firefighter needs. ‣‣ FREE Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG) ‣ Easily accessible right on your phone. ‣ Change font size. ‣ Change color scheme. ‣‣ SHARED INCIDENT MAP ‣ Create a new map for each incident. ‣ Share that map with your teammates. ‣ Add NWCG & ICS Symbols to the map. ‣ Live location sharing. ‣‣ MAPS ‣ US National Map ‣ USGS Topo Map ‣ US Forest Service ‣ Natural Resource Canada Topo Map ‣ Thunderforest ‣ AccuTerra maps ‣ ESRI Maps ‣‣ MAP OVERLAYS ‣ Elevation ‣ Slope ‣ Grid ‣ Distance Rings ‣ Hill Shading ‣ Private Land (US) ‣ Public Land (US) ‣‣ TOOLS ‣ Import geoPDF© ‣ Add Lines, Waypoints, & Polygons ‣ Share map data ‣ Import & Export Map Data ‣ Proximity Alerts ‣ Print Maps ‣ Guide Me ‣‣ APPLE WATCH ‣ Download maps directly to the watch ‣ Pan and zoom the map just like on the phone ‣ Drop a waypoint ‣ Record a track and see all of your stats ‣‣ CLOUD Sync your lines, polygons, waypoints, incidents, & subscriptions between all of your iOS and Mac devices. SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENT INFORMATION Topo Fire subscriptions will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase and/or completion of free trial. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the free trial or current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://topofire.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://topofire.com/tos Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Screenshots

Topo Maps US4 screens
Topo Fire4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Topo Maps US at none against Topo Fire's 1. Topo Maps US also leads on ratings volume (213 vs 11). Topo Fire's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and iOS requirement 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. Topo Fire sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $59.99 per year. Topo Maps US asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Topo Maps US against 4.5 for Topo Fire. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Topo Maps US has 213 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Topo Maps US ships an update every 2 months, Topo Fire weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Topo Maps US versus Topo Fire: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTopo Maps USTopo Fire
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (213 ratings)4.5 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings213 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#198 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.015
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB185 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDC Cloud Apps, LLCGlacier Peak Studios LLC

Customer experience

Topo Maps US

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

Topo Fire

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%

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

Topo Fire

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Topo Maps US

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Topo Fire

Subscriptions1
  • Topo Fire Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Topo Maps US free?
Topo Maps US is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Topo Fire free?
Topo Fire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Topo Maps US or Topo Fire?
Topo Fire is rated higher. Topo Maps US averages 4.4 out of 5 from 213 ratings, while Topo Fire averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.
Do Topo Maps US or Topo Fire have ads?
Neither Topo Maps US nor Topo Fire shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Topo Maps US or Topo Fire?
Topo Maps US ships an update every 2 months, and Topo Fire weekly. Most recently, Topo Maps US was updated on October 15, 2026 and Topo Fire on September 14, 2026.

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