Paper Maps vs Map Data Explorer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Paper Maps
This app allows you to view and edit digital maps with support for various file formats. You can customize maps by adding placemarks, recording tracks, and drawing shapes. It also offers real-time annotation sharing and useful tools like a theodolite.
- View PDF, TIFF, KAP, KML files
- Cloud integration (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox)
- Add placemarks and record tracks
- Draw lines and shapes
- Real-time annotation sharing
- Theodolite and georeferencer tools
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The best digital maps viewer and editor ever made for a mobile device! - View PDF, TIFF, KAP, KML - Integrated with iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, - Customize your map - add placemarks, record tracks, draw lines and shapes - Share annotations with other users in real time - A lot of useful tools: theodolite, georeferencer and more!
Map Data Explorer
This advanced mapping application supports various data formats including GeoJSON, MBTILES, and GPKG. It offers tools for drawing, editing vector data, and collecting dynamic information. Visualize terrain in 3D and utilize a suite of navigation and measurement features.
- Vector tile basemaps
- User-loaded GeoJSON, MBTILES, GPKG data
- Map catalog support
- Vector data drawing and editing
- 3D terrain and building visualization
- Advanced data collection forms
- Coordinate conversion and measurement tools
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Map Data Explorer is a advanced mapping app powered by vector tile basemaps (TMG OSM vector tiles, MapBox and others) with configurable stylesheets Supports user loaded device GeoJSON,Raster tiles from MBTILES and GPKG and vector tiles from MBTILES. Supports user loaded Map Catalog (JSON) of internet mapping content (with catalog building screen) XYZ PNG/JPG Raster Tiles PBF Vector Tiles GeoJSON Local map tiles in mbtiles and gpkg Includes additional layers users can enable: vector overlays (Reference Grids, TimeZones and US State Boundaries) Draw/digitize vector data and support editing and assigning attributes. Map Supports Tilting to display 3D terrain and 3D Buildings (only some basemaps support 3D buildings ) Currently, terrain is not available offline. Map Tools: - Search - places, addresses - Advanced dynamic data collection forms with form builder - Draw/Digitize Data Creation and Editing and export as GeoJSON - Information Box for geojson data - Measure linear and Area - Geolocation & Coordinate Widget (Lat Long and MGRS and zoom level) and share location - Go to Lat Long - Placemarks (spatial bookmarks) (with import and export of Waypoints GeoJSON, KML and GPX) - Basic Route Planning with import of Waypoints (KML and GPX) - Connection to other Navigation Apps - GPS Recorder with background recording and export or track - View Spot Elevation - Display Military Symbology (App6/MilSpec2525C) GeoJSON Schema easily shared with other apps - Radius Ruler/Range Rings - Coordinate Converter (to/from projected coordinates or geographic and GRIDS - MGRS, GARS, WHAT3WORD) Includes an in-app vector converter to convert GIS data (Shapefiles, GPKG, GPX, KML, CSV, WKT to GeoJSON) must be 4326 Includes in-app coordinate converter to convert to /from different coordinate systems and GRIDS (MGRS,GARS, etc) Wifi Sharing - access device files from web browser File Manager To manage files Create Forms with in-app or web form designer with JSON Schema Load a form design and swap between forms Collect any form data Other features: Vector Conversion and Publishing API to convert local vector GIS Data and also publish to PostGIS database tables. Added Button links to TMG Map Data Explorer website for all in-app purchase screen Serve OGC GPKG -GeoPackage with Vector Tiles new OGC extensions Support for any SRS for raster tiles in GPKG (tested with 3857 and 3395) Support for any SRS for Vector Tiles in GPKG (tested with 3857 and 3395) Real-Time Data Module (Network Link KML and Internet KML, ESRI GeoServices REST API and GeoRSS) display on the map and update at set frequency Button to view attributes from GPKG Vector Features 2nd Non Map View – Office documents (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), PDF Viewer, EPUB Viewer, User links web pages and File Manager User loaded GeoJSON support for simple style spec and Marker Symbols ESRI GeoServices REST API (FeatureServer) in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise Sync – download GeoJSON and Synchronize edited GeoJSON. Elevate API - submit geojson point and return back with Elevation, MGRS, GARS, What3Words, PlaceKey, Pluscode properties GeoRequest Area of Interest API for submitting jobs for offline data Pre-staged data downloading of ready to download data Area of interest downloading of online map data: Tile Downloader that supports building mbtiles from tile layers (XYZ/TMS, WMTS and Dynamic and cached mapping services (ESRI MapServer, ImageServer, OGC WMS) and downloading GeoJSON from WFS and MapServer and FeatureServer. Terms of Use: https://mapexplorer.techmaven.net/eula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Paper Maps at 43% against Map Data Explorer's 0%. Paper Maps also leads on rating (3.9 vs 2.0) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Paper Maps sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Map Data Explorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Paper Maps holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paper Maps has 13 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Paper Maps's written reviews are positive against 0% of Map Data Explorer's.
Paper Maps ships an update every 3 weeks, Map Data Explorer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Paper Maps | Map Data Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (13 ratings) — better | 2.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 59 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Abbro Inc | Tech Maven GeoSpatial LLC |
Customer experience
Paper Maps
Map Data Explorer
In-app purchases
Paper Maps
- Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Map$0.99
- Map$1.99
- Map$2.99
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- Map$3.99
- Map$4.99
- Unlock data export$4.99
Map Data Explorer
- TMG Elevate API7 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Map Data Explorer Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Year
- TMG Vector Conversion API7 Days trial$14.991 Year
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- MapBox RGB PNG Elevation Tiles7 Days trial$24.991 Year
- GeoRequest Area of Interest7 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Pre-Staged Data Downloading7 Days trial$199.991 Year
- Tile Downloader Module$4.99





