Comparison

EPA VSAT vs Mapboard GIS

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

Head to head
About

EPA VSAT

This tool helps drinking water and wastewater systems assess risks from malevolent acts and natural hazards. It assists in evaluating improvements for enhanced security and resilience, aiding compliance with regulatory requirements.

Highlights
  • Risk assessment for water systems
  • Resilience evaluation
  • Security improvement assessment
  • Compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act
  • Assesses malevolent acts and natural hazards
Features
Read full description

VSAT is a tool for assessing risk and resilience at drinking water and wastewater systems. It can be used to estimate risks from malevolent acts and natural hazards and to evaluate improvements for increased security and resilience. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) section 1433 requires that each community water system serving more than 3,300 people assess the risks to and resilience of its system from malevolent acts and natural hazards. EPA designed VSAT Web 3.0 to help water systems comply with SDWA section 1433.

About

Mapboard GIS

This iPad app allows users to draw field maps using an Apple Pencil, combining the ease of pen-and-paper with the precision of GIS. It's designed for geologists and others needing interpretive mapping, offering intuitive tools for creating topologically consistent geologic maps.

Highlights
  • Pen-based editing tools
  • Intuitive reshaping and snapping
  • Iterative topology solver
  • Onboard Spatialite GIS engine
  • Native GIS software compatibility
  • User-configurable data types
  • Tether to remote PostGIS
Features
Read full description

Mapboard GIS is an iPad app for drawing maps with an Apple Pencil. Mapboard combines the intuitive workflow of pen-and-paper mapping with the precision, flexibility, and scale-independence of geospatial information systems (GIS). Its forward-looking design helps beginner and expert mappers produce multiscale, topologically consistent geologic maps. MOTIVATION AND DESIGN Mapboard GIS was born out of frustration with both paper– and GIS-based mapping workflows. It is primarily designed for geologists but is potentially useful in many situations demanding interpretive mapping. Mapboard attempts to bring digital mapping closer to the intuitive experience provided by paper. A sophisticated open-source spatial engine drives simple tools for drawing, erasing, and reshaping features. Outputs are natively compatible with common GIS software. Mapboard allows mapping time to be spent refining interpretations instead of fighting with technical tools. KEY FEATURES - Editing tools geared towards pen-based mapping - Powerful and intuitive reshaping, snapping, and erasing - Iterative topology solver to fill map units - Sophisticated onboard Spatialite GIS engine - Project files natively readable by standard GIS software (QGIS, ArcGIS, etc.) - User-configurable data types for line and polygon features - Tether to remote PostGIS for work across large datasets and real-time collaboration - Interoperable with standard formats (mbtiles, Spatialite, PostGIS) and open-source + commercial software OTHER FEATURES - Load MBTiles basemaps - Satellite, streets, and topographic basemaps - Dark mode support - Geologic line types TERMS OF USE: https://mapboard-gis.app/terms-of-service PRIVACY POLICY: https://mapboard-gis.app/privacy CHANGELOG: https://mapboard-gis.app/docs/ios/releases

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: EPA VSAT at 5.0 against Mapboard GIS's 4.5. EPA VSAT also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. Mapboard GIS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. EPA VSAT asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EPA VSAT holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EPA VSAT ships an update fortnightly, Mapboard GIS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
EPA VSAT versus Mapboard GIS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEPA VSATMapboard GIS
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS16.616.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)Daven Quinn

Customer experience

EPA VSAT

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Mapboard GIS

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

EPA VSAT

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Mapboard GIS

Subscriptions1
  • Full Version$29.991 Year

Questions

Is EPA VSAT free?
EPA VSAT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mapboard GIS free?
Mapboard GIS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, EPA VSAT or Mapboard GIS?
EPA VSAT is rated higher. EPA VSAT averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Mapboard GIS averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do EPA VSAT or Mapboard GIS have ads?
Neither EPA VSAT nor Mapboard GIS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EPA VSAT or Mapboard GIS?
EPA VSAT ships an update fortnightly, and Mapboard GIS every 2 months. Most recently, EPA VSAT was updated on September 10, 2026 and Mapboard GIS on September 8, 2026.

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