Comparison

Altimeter Elevation Watch vs Pro Compass for Watch

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Altimeter Elevation Watch

Track your elevation and altitude gain in real-time with this app. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts, it provides a precise altimeter directly on your Apple Watch face or iPhone home screen widget, allowing you to focus on your activity.

Highlights
  • Real-time altitude and elevation gain
  • Apple Watch complication
  • iPhone home screen widget
  • Live Activity on iPhone
  • Graphical daily profile
  • Monthly and yearly analysis
Features
Read full description

Check your current altitude and see how much you have climbed. Altimeter shows your altitude, daily peak and elevation gain on hikes, bike rides and mountain drives. Use it on iPhone and Apple Watch, or view your altitude in CarPlay. ALTITUDE IN YOUR CAR The native CarPlay app has its own view for altitude, climb or descent per minute, grade, direction, peak and gain. It is an altitude display, not a navigation app. Set it up before driving. ALTITUDE WITHOUT SWITCHING APPS Start a Live Activity on iPhone to see altitude, peak and gain on the Lock Screen. Compatible iPhones also show these values in the Dynamic Island. Live Activity and the native CarPlay app are separate features. Widgets and Watch complications show your latest available altitude data. LOOK BACK AT YOUR ROUTE Record a track and open it on the map later. The line is colored by elevation; the color scale shows lower and higher sections. Daily history shows your altitude profile, peak and ascent. Monthly and yearly views help you compare your altitude history. FIT IT TO YOUR DAY • Display altitude in meters or feet • Check altitude on Apple Watch • Use Siri or Shortcuts to start a Live Activity or ask for your altitude • Optionally use existing Flights Climbed data from Apple Health in your analysis BEFORE YOU START Readings depend on GPS reception, sensors and location permissions. Background features require appropriate permissions. iOS and watchOS limit widget and complication refreshes; these are not continuously live displays. The app does not replace professional measurement equipment, navigation or safety equipment. ACCESS New users can try the app for two days. Continued access then requires a monthly subscription, annual subscription or one-time lifetime purchase. Existing purchases can be restored in the app. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pro Compass for Watch

This app replicates classic pocket compasses with advanced 3D graphics for realistic operation on your wrist. It provides true/magnetic compass modes, sun/moon positions, GPS, altitude, and a waypoint manager with map integration. Customize settings and color schemes for optimal viewing.

Highlights
  • Realistic 3D compass rendering
  • True and magnetic compass modes
  • Sun and moon position tracking
  • GPS location and altitude display
  • Waypoint manager with map view
  • Inclinometer with bubble levels
  • Customizable settings and color schemes
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The legendary iOS compass app is now available for Apple Watch! Pro Compass replicates the look and feel of classic pocket compass hardware in use since the 1800s. The app uses advanced graphics technologies (normally reserved for games) to render 3D floating compass hardware for realistic operation. Pro Compass offers true and magnetic compass modes using a damped rosette-style compass ring. Local sun and moon position are shown on the compass ring and continually updated. Pro Compass also displays location and altitude, and contains a built-in two-axis inclinometer that drives two independent bubble levels and a bullseye level.  New in Pro Compass for Watch version 2 is a map screen and waypoint manager. You can add waypoints on the map or at your current location, and view waypoints on the compass ring to visualize their bearing from your current location. Pro Compass has settings for compass mode (true or magnetic, degrees or mils), distance/altitude units (feet or meters), and position format (decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds, MGRS, USNG, UTM, UTM-B, and Maidenhead Locator System). The app has six color schemes, including two night vision modes - midnight red and luminescent green. Pro Compass for Watch is recommended for Apple Watch Series 5 and later (including Ultra). Apple Watch Series 4 and older do not have a compass sensor and will not show compass data. On older devices, the app uses the device's gyro sensor to measure rotation. You can twist the watch's digital crown to adjust and calibrate the gyro to the sun position, moon position, or a known bearing. Using these references, the "gyro compass" is able to give bearing. The calibration can be repeated as often as desired to give accurate results. Accuracy note: Pro Compass reports accuracy from the magnetometer sensor in your watch. To improve results, operate Pro Compass away from magnets, electronics, or sources of electro-magnetic interference, including car dashboards, aircraft cockpits, metal structures, and other devices. Developer note: like all our apps, we plan to continually improve and evolve Pro Compass for Watch. Please contact us with feature requests, suggestions, and general feedback. We'd love to hear what you're doing with the app!

Screenshots

Altimeter Elevation Watch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Altimeter Elevation Watch at Free against Pro Compass for Watch's $1.99. Altimeter Elevation Watch also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). Pro Compass for Watch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#191 vs unranked). On review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Altimeter Elevation Watch is free to download; Pro Compass for Watch costs $1.99 up front. Altimeter Elevation Watch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year. Pro Compass for Watch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Altimeter Elevation Watch holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 71 and 19 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of Altimeter Elevation Watch's written reviews are positive against 39% of Pro Compass for Watch's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Altimeter Elevation Watch ships an update every 10 days, Pro Compass for Watch every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Altimeter Elevation Watch versus Pro Compass for Watch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAltimeter Elevation WatchPro Compass for Watch
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.4 (71 ratings) — better4.1 (19 ratings)
Positive reviews32.8% of reviews38.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings71 — better19
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#191 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBernhard HeringCraig Hunter

Customer experience

Altimeter Elevation Watch

All ratings71 ratings
Positive83.1%
Neutral5.6%
Negative11.3%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive32.8%
Neutral14.1%
Negative53.1%

Pro Compass for Watch

All ratings19 ratings
Positive78.9%
Neutral5.3%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive38.6%
Neutral15.9%
Negative45.5%

User reviews

Altimeter Elevation Watch

From 71 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Works in CarPlay
  • 👍 Great widget
  • 👍 Solid app functionality
  • 👍 Accurate measurements
  • 👍 Good for outdoor activities

Room to improve

  • 🐛 CarPlay screen is black
  • 🐛 Elevation off by 50K feet
  • 🐛 Installation issues
  • 🐛 Mixed language display
  • 🐛 App takes over iPhone

Pro Compass for Watch

From 19 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✅ Offers mils and grid
  • 👍 Great support from developer
  • 🌟 Accurate and easy to use
  • 💡 Fixes waypoint issue on map
  • 💰 One-time purchase, no subscription

Room to improve

  • ❌ Difficult installation
  • 💸 App not received after purchase
  • ❓ App not found after purchase
  • 📉 UI not polished
  • ⚠️ Direction indicator shows NA

Bugs and requests

Altimeter Elevation Watch

Reported bugs

29 issues
  • CarPlay screen is black
  • Elevation incorrect (50K feet off)
  • Cannot get past 'Location Access for Altimeter' page
  • App display language is a mix of German and English
  • App takes over iPhone operation, requires deletion
Show 24 more
  • Watch complications do not update automatically
  • Watch complications crash
  • Watch complications only display meters regardless of setting
  • App does not download to watch
  • Altitude does not change
  • App does not work
  • Not compatible with watch series 3 cellular
  • Watch app does not work
  • Cannot get it to read in feet on iPhone or Apple Watch
  • Wrong altitude displayed
  • Accuracy issues (changes while stationary)
  • Settings reset, must be set again
  • Watch app crashes
  • Complication does not update
  • Complication shows "Altimeter" instead of altitude
  • Watch app crashes on opening
  • App does not work on Series 3 watch
  • App does not work on Series 4 watch
  • Complication limited to 999 meters
  • Units not changeable to feet on watch
  • Complication does not work with certain watch faces
  • Complication does not update as advertised
  • Units change to meters when phone is not present
  • App does not work while flying

Requested features

10 requests
  • French translation for options
  • Basic widget for CarPlay
  • Watch complication with large number for elevation
  • Ability to set watch complications to feet
  • Larger complication size for watch face
Show 5 more
  • Elevation gain/loss on watch complication
  • Use watch's barometer
  • Graph of elevation changes on iPhone
  • Option to select complication size
  • Direction of travel indicator

Pro Compass for Watch

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App crashes
  • Direction indicator shows NA
  • GPS map shows incorrect location
  • Compass not available on some devices
  • App not found/received after purchase
Show 3 more
  • App doesn't reinstall after unpairing watch
  • App forgets location permissions
  • Bubbles move backwards

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add BNG as grid reference option
  • Add iPhone companion app for waypoint management
  • Include Sun Shadow Bearing option
  • Increase number of waypoints beyond 5
  • Make sun and moon indicators bigger and bolder
Show 3 more
  • Add option to use 6400 mils instead of 360 degrees
  • Add calibration option
  • Add a lock button for the crown

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Altimeter Elevation Watch

Subscriptions1
  • Support Development$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$34.99
None

Pro Compass for Watch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Altimeter Elevation Watch free?
Altimeter Elevation Watch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pro Compass for Watch free?
Pro Compass for Watch costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Altimeter Elevation Watch or Pro Compass for Watch?
Altimeter Elevation Watch is rated higher. Altimeter Elevation Watch averages 4.4 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while Pro Compass for Watch averages 4.1 from 19 ratings.
Do Altimeter Elevation Watch or Pro Compass for Watch have ads?
Neither Altimeter Elevation Watch nor Pro Compass for Watch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Altimeter Elevation Watch or Pro Compass for Watch?
Altimeter Elevation Watch ships an update every 10 days, and Pro Compass for Watch every 3 months. Most recently, Altimeter Elevation Watch was updated on October 19, 2026 and Pro Compass for Watch on October 20, 2026.

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