# Compass vs Area31

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Area31 at none against Compass's 4. Area31 also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). Compass's advantage is iOS requirement (12 vs 16.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Compass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Area31 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Compass ships an update every 7 months, Area31 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | Area31 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-professional/id1289069674/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 247 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Peter Bohl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1075788156) | [Pad31 LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/983927518) |

## 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


### Area31

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/area31/id6468070541)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass free?

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

### Is Area31 free?

Area31 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Compass or Area31 have ads?

Neither Compass nor Area31 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass or Area31?

Compass ships an update every 7 months, and Area31 every 2 months. Most recently, Compass was updated on September 29, 2026 and Area31 on September 17, 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.*