Compass vs Compass_S
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Compass
This app helps you navigate by displaying your direction on a compass, overlayed on a satellite or map view. It provides your street address, GPS coordinates, and altitude, along with What3Words coordinates for precise location identification.
- Compass direction display
- Satellite and map view overlay
- Street address and GPS coordinates
- Altitude display
- What3Words coordinates
- Zoom functionality
- Accuracy indicator
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With “Compass Pro” you can orientate yourself optimally at your location. You can see the direction of the compass and match it with the satellite image or the map on the compass. That you know exactly where you are you get the street address, the exact GPS coordinates and the current height above sea level displayed. In addition, the position is displayed in What3Words (w3w) coordinates. To switch between satellite image and map view just tap the compass. You can zoom with the pinch-/spread Gesture or with the slider beneath the Address so that you can orient yourself at certain prominent points. The blue highlighted area indicates the current accuracy. Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Compass_S
A straightforward compass app offering five distinct needle designs. It displays cardinal directions in multiple formats, including Japanese, and provides GPS coordinates like latitude, longitude, and altitude. The app includes features to help maintain accuracy and can be used for specific cultural practices.
- Five needle designs
- NESW and Japanese cardinal points
- Latitude, longitude, and altitude display
- Accuracy guidance for level positioning
- Ehomaki compass for Setsubun
- Ad-free and offline modes
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This is a simple and intuitive compass app. You can choose from five different needle designs. It displays directions in NESW and Japanese cardinal points, as well as latitude, longitude, and altitude. Please hold your smartphone flat when using the compass. Accuracy will decrease if the device is not held level. When tilted, the center icon of the needle will shift to help guide you into a level position. It can also be used as a compass to check the direction to eat "Ehomaki" during Setsubun. Displays directions like "North-northwest", "East-northeast", "South-southeast", and "West-southwest" in Japanese. Setsubun in 2026 falls on February 3rd, and the lucky direction is south-southeast. Useful as an Ehomaki compass for Setsubun. We resolved the issue where the app could be installed on devices without a magnetic sensor. Note: Since the compass relies on a magnetic sensor, it will not work on unsupported devices We have also added a function to detect environmental conditions that may affect compass accuracy and provide solutions. Now includes features to hide banner ads and use offline in mountains or at sea. Give it a try
Screenshots
Verdict
Compass and Compass_S both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 67% of Compass's written reviews are positive against 25% of Compass_S's. Compass also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 281). Compass_S's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Compass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Compass_S asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Compass against 4.6 for Compass_S. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 2.3K ratings behind it against 281, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Compass's written reviews are positive against 25% of Compass_S's.
Compass ships an update every 7 months, Compass_S every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Compass | Compass_S |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (2.3K ratings) — better | 4.6 (281 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2.3K — better | 281 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 194 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Peter Bohl | hiroyuki uchida |
Customer experience
Compass
Compass_S
Bugs and requests
Compass
Reported bugs
4 issues- Compass direction completely off
- App crashes on launch
- Barometric pressure widget not working
- Location tracking issues
Requested features
4 requests- Option to remove ads
- Customizable compass display
- Improved calibration controls
- Support for imperial units
Compass_S
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Compass
- AdFree and Widgets for 1 month$0.991 Month
- 3 months ad-free + Widgets$1.993 Months
- 1 year Ad Free + Widgets$4.991 Year
- Ad Free without limits$10.99
Compass_S
No in-app purchases








