# Compass vs The Compass

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Compass at none against Compass's 4. The Compass also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 7 months). Compass's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 123). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Compass against 4.7 for The Compass. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 2.3K ratings behind it against 123, 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 57% of The Compass's.

Compass ships an update every 7 months, The Compass every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | The Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-professional/id1289069674/reviews) | [4.7 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-compass-simple/id6468984472/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.3K** | 123 |
| Positive reviews | **66.9% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 19 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Bohl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1075788156) | [Vida Apps Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580682451) |

## 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


### The Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-compass-simple/id6468984472)

Easily determine your direction with this straightforward navigation tool. Personalize the app's appearance by customizing background and text colors to your liking. Enjoy a simple, visually appealing way to check your bearings.

**Highlights:** Quick direction checking, Customizable background color, Customizable text color, Magnetic compass functionality, User-friendly interface

**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 The Compass free?

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

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

Compass and The Compass are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.3K and 123 ratings respectively.

### Do Compass or The Compass have ads?

The Compass shows ads; Compass does not.

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

Compass ships an update every 7 months, and The Compass every 4 weeks. Most recently, Compass was updated on October 15, 2026 and The Compass on October 14, 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.*