Forest Maps 2 vs HeliPlates
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Forest Maps 2
Access detailed maps of all U.S. National Forests on your mobile device. Save favorite locations and synchronize them across devices. Offline map downloads and track recording are available with a Pro upgrade.
- U.S. Forest Service maps
- Continuous map view
- Favorite spot markers
- iCloud synchronization
- Offline map downloads
- GPS location tracking
- Track recording and export
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Forest service maps on your iPhone or iPad! This app includes all areas mapped by the United States Forest Service. The map is a single, continuous map, so there's no need to search through menus to find the map you need. Save favorite spots with map markers that use iCloud to synchronize across your devices. Upgrade to Pro and get: • Map downloads. Going off the grid? Download entire forests for use when the Internet is unavailable. GPS-enabled devices such as the iPhone and the Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad show your current location on the map, even when you have no network connection. • Track recording. Record your track to see where you've been. Each track shows its distance, duration, average speed, and elevation profile. Share your tracks with other Forest Maps users, open them in Google Earth, or export to a GPX file. This app was not created by and is not affiliated with the United States National Forest Service.
HeliPlates
This app provides detailed information on hospital heliports across California, including navigation coordinates, dimensions, and facility details. Users can view heliports on an interactive map or by hospital name, with aerial photos and approach paths included. Data can be saved for offline access.
- Interactive map of California hospital heliports
- Detailed heliport information
- Navigational coordinates
- Aerial photos with approach paths
- Offline data saving
- Search by region, county, or hospital name
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Caltrans has developed informational dataplates, or "HeliPlates," that provide permitted approach paths and other information for all the permitted Hospital Heliports in California. We hope this information will be helpful to emergency planners, helicopter operators, and other users. The Caltrans HeliPlates app displays a map of Hospital Heliports in California that you can view by Geographic Region or County. You can select a HeliPlate for a specific Hospital Heliport using either the interactive map or by directly choosing the Hospital Name. The HeliPlates include: - Hospital Name - Hospital Heliport Geographic “Nav” Coordinates - Heliport Info and Dimensions - Hospital Facility and FAA Information - Regional Map showing the location of the heliport - Aerial Photo showing the heliport and Permitted Approach Paths Additionally, HeliPlates can be saved for offline use.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HeliPlates at none against Forest Maps 2's 1. HeliPlates also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Forest Maps 2's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 17 months) and ratings volume (594 vs 3). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Forest Maps 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HeliPlates asks for nothing beyond the download.
HeliPlates holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forest Maps 2 has 594 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Forest Maps 2 ships an update every 6 weeks, HeliPlates every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Forest Maps 2 | HeliPlates |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (594 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 78.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 594 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 17 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 95 MB | 0 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kinnaman Software LLC | California Department of Transportation |
Customer experience
Forest Maps 2
HeliPlates
Bugs and requests
Forest Maps 2
Reported bugs
2 issues- Incompatibility issues with iOS 13
- Tracking feature not always working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to import/export waypoints and locations
- Integration with other navigation apps
- Overlays for MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) data
- Browser version for route planning
- More customization options for pins and markers
HeliPlates
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Forest Maps 2
- Pro Upgrade$2.99
HeliPlates
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Forest Maps 2 free?
Is HeliPlates free?
Which has better reviews, Forest Maps 2 or HeliPlates?
Do Forest Maps 2 or HeliPlates have ads?
Which is updated more often, Forest Maps 2 or HeliPlates?
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