Comparison

Cartographer vs TTRPG Map Maker

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

Head to head
About

Cartographer

Create custom maps for your stories or RPG campaigns with this random map generator. Easily adjust landscapes, sea levels, and apply professional styles to visualize imaginary worlds.

Highlights
  • Random map generation
  • Customizable landscapes
  • Sea level adjustment
  • Professional map styles
  • World-building tool
  • RPG campaign aid
Features
Read full description

Designed specifically by and for writers and RPG players, Cartographer is the perfect tool for creating custom maps of alien worlds, fantasy realms, and imaginary landscapes. Simply pick what kind of landscape you're looking for and Cartographer takes care of the rest! Then customize your landscape by adjusting the sea level, turning peninsulas into islands and archipelagos into mountain ranges. Plus, with a suite of custom styles, your map will look professionally crafted from the very moment of its creation. Whether you're trying to visualize a world for your next story or looking for a way to add "dice roll"-stlye randomness to an RPG campaign, Cartographer will have you up and running in no time!

About

TTRPG Map Maker

Design and display custom maps for tabletop role-playing games. This app offers flexible drawing tools, import options, and offline functionality to bring your campaign worlds to life.

Highlights
  • Freehand drawing tools
  • Shape creation and customization
  • Adjustable brush sizes and colors
  • Snap-to-grid functionality
  • Layer support for organization
  • Import custom images and assets
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

TTRPG Map Maker - Design & Display Your Worlds Bring your tabletop adventures to life. TTRPG Map Maker is the fastest, most flexible way to design custom maps for your campaigns and share them with your players right from your iPad. Whether you're a Game Master prepping next week's dungeon crawl, sketching out a bustling town, or improvising a battlefield on the fly, TTRPG Map Maker gives you the creative freedom to build maps that match your story without fighting clunky tools. BUILT FOR THE TABLETOP Designed from the ground up for D&D, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, and every other tabletop RPG. Plan your sessions in advance or create maps live at the table as your players explore. POWERFUL DRAWING TOOLS * Freehand draw directly on the canvas for organic shapes and quick sketches * Add rectangles, circles, and custom shapes to build rooms and structures in seconds * Adjustable brush sizes and colors for fine detail or bold strokes * Snap-to-grid for clean, gridded battle maps * Multiple layers so backgrounds, terrain, and tokens stay organized IMPORT & CUSTOMIZE * Import your own images as map backgrounds * Drop in custom artwork, tokens, props, and items * Mix hand-drawn elements with imported assets for a unique look DEMO MAPS INCLUDED * Bundled demo maps to get you started right away * Preview any map before opening it READY FOR THE TABLE * Display your maps on a TV or projector via AirPlay or HDMI * Edit on your iPad while players watch the action unfold on the big screen * Pinch-to-zoom and pan smoothly during play * Reveal areas as your party explores FAST & FLEXIBLE * Clean, intuitive interface that stays out of your way * Save and organize unlimited maps in your campaign library * Works fully offline, no account, no subscription, no internet required * Universal iPad support with Apple Pencil compatibility SPEND LESS TIME PREPPING, MORE TIME STORYTELLING Whether you plan every encounter or thrive on improvisation, TTRPG Map Maker gives you the tools to bring your worlds to the table, beautifully. Terms of Use: https://www.rpgmapmaker.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.rpgmapmaker.app/privacy

Screenshots

Cartographer4 screens
TTRPG Map Maker2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cartographer at 4.2 against TTRPG Map Maker's 2.3. Cartographer also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (27 vs 3). TTRPG Map Maker's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). 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. Cartographer sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and TTRPG Map Maker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cartographer holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cartographer has 27 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cartographer ships an update every 2 weeks, TTRPG Map Maker every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Cartographer versus TTRPG Map Maker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCartographerTTRPG Map Maker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (27 ratings) — better2.3 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews34.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings27 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexander WinnMichael Blades

Bugs and requests

Cartographer

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • 3D viewer has no interactive controls
  • Cannot save 3D planet visualization
  • Map visualization loads as blank or partial
  • Sea level adjustments sometimes don't work properly
  • Sliders behave unpredictably
Show 2 more
  • App is laggy and slow
  • Map edges don't align when wrapping around

Requested features

17 requests
  • Manual terrain editing and drawing tools
  • Ability to add mountains, valleys, lakes, and rivers
  • Place structures, buildings, towns, and landmarks
  • Different map projections (Mercator, Robinson, etc.)
  • Globe rotation and interactive 3D controls
Show 12 more
  • Save 3D planet as video or GIF
  • Weather and climate features (snow, ice, deserts)
  • Zoom in/out and pan across map
  • Higher resolution output
  • Add text labels for oceans, towns, and regions
  • Export to higher quality formats
  • Elevation/topography display on 2D maps
  • Compass rose and scale indicators
  • Integration with other worldbuilding apps
  • Ability to edit and save generated maps
  • Full-screen map viewing
  • Procedural generation customization sliders

TTRPG Map Maker

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Cartographer

One-time5
  • Pro Mode$0.99
  • Pro Mode$1.99
  • Pro Mode$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Pro Mode$3.99
  • Pro Mode$4.99
3 purchases

TTRPG Map Maker

Subscriptions2
  • TTRPG Map Maker Pro – Monthly$2.991 Month
  • TTRPG Map Maker Pro – Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • TTRPG Map Maker Pro – Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is Cartographer free?
Cartographer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TTRPG Map Maker free?
TTRPG Map Maker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cartographer or TTRPG Map Maker?
Cartographer is rated higher. Cartographer averages 4.2 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while TTRPG Map Maker averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.
Do Cartographer or TTRPG Map Maker have ads?
Neither Cartographer nor TTRPG Map Maker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cartographer or TTRPG Map Maker?
Cartographer ships an update every 2 weeks, and TTRPG Map Maker every 4 months. Most recently, Cartographer was updated on November 6, 2026 and TTRPG Map Maker on October 30, 2026.

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