# Compass vs MagVar

The clearest difference is price: Compass at Free against MagVar's $0.99. Compass also leads on ratings volume (2.3K vs 1) and update cadence (every 7 months vs every 23 months). MagVar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Compass is free to download; MagVar costs $0.99 up front. Compass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. MagVar asks for nothing beyond the download.

MagVar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 2.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Compass's written reviews are positive against 100% of MagVar's.

Compass ships an update every 7 months, MagVar every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | MagVar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-professional/id1289069674/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magvar/id1670958717/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 7 months** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#156** |
| Size | 19 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Bohl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1075788156) | [Robert Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/299475042) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-professional/id1289069674)

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.

**Highlights:** Compass direction display, Satellite and map view overlay, Street address and GPS coordinates, Altitude display, What3Words coordinates, Zoom functionality, Accuracy indicator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AdFree and Widgets for 1 month | $0.99 | per month |
| 3 months ad-free + Widgets | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 year Ad Free + Widgets | $4.99 | per year |
| Ad Free without limits | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate compass
- 👍 Useful features like location and elevation
- 🗺️ Detailed map overlay
- 🔍 Precise direction indication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compass direction inaccurate
- 🌐 Issues with non-English language support
- 💢 Annoying ads
- 🤔 Calibration problems

**Reported bugs**

- Compass direction completely off
- App crashes on launch
- Barometric pressure widget not working
- Location tracking issues

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads
- Customizable compass display
- Improved calibration controls
- Support for imperial units


### MagVar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magvar/id1670958717)

**Currently charting:** #156 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

This navigation tool calculates magnetic variation, the difference between true and magnetic north, essential for plotting courses on maps. It's designed for pilots, sailors, cartographers, and anyone using maps and a compass.

**Highlights:** Magnetic variation calculation, True vs. magnetic north difference, Map overlay display, Accurate for 2025-2029, Declination and inclination calculation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass free?

Compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MagVar free?

MagVar costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Compass or MagVar?

MagVar is rated higher. Compass averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while MagVar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Compass or MagVar have ads?

Neither Compass nor MagVar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass or MagVar?

Compass ships an update every 7 months, and MagVar every 23 months. Most recently, Compass was updated on September 23, 2026 and MagVar on September 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*