Compass_S vs Compass Guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
Compass Guide
This application provides directional guidance and heading information using your device's compass. It's designed to help users find their way in various situations.
- Directional finding
- Heading information
- Outdoor navigation aid
- Hiking GPS support
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Compass Guide is a simple, reliable digital compass for hiking, navigation, and everyday direction-finding — no account required. FIND YOUR WAY • Live compass heading in true north or magnetic north • Calibration guidance and an accuracy indicator you can trust • Your coordinates, altitude, and speed at a glance NAVIGATE TO A DESTINATION • Set a destination by map, clipboard coordinates, or manual entry • See live bearing and distance to where you're headed • Save multiple destinations with Premium SEE THE SKY • Sun and moon position markers on the dial (Premium) • Night mode with a red-tinted display to protect your night vision MAKE IT YOURS • Six compass styles: Classic, Field, Nautical, Military, Surveyor, and Minimal • Choose degrees or mils, metric or imperial units • Keep the screen on, add a haptic tick at true north, and use the built-in flashlight SHARE YOUR HEADING • Export a shareable image card with your heading and location details GO PREMIUM YOUR WAY • Unlock every feature with a one-time purchase — no subscription • Or watch a short ad anytime to unlock Premium free for 24 hours Compass Guide works fully offline for core compass features and never asks you to create an account.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Compass_S at none against Compass Guide's 1. Compass_S also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Compass Guide's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (40% vs 25%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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 Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Compass_S asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Compass_S against 4.5 for Compass Guide. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 281 and 126 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 25% of Compass_S's written reviews are positive against 40% of Compass Guide's.
Compass_S ships an update every 6 months, Compass Guide fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Compass_S | Compass Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (281 ratings) — better | 4.5 (126 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | 40.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 281 — better | 126 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 194 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | hiroyuki uchida | APPS BAY LIMITED |
Customer experience
Compass_S
Compass Guide
In-app purchases
Compass_S
No in-app purchases
Compass Guide
- Premium$2.99
Questions
Is Compass_S free?
Is Compass Guide free?
Which has better reviews, Compass_S or Compass Guide?
Do Compass_S or Compass Guide have ads?
Which is updated more often, Compass_S or Compass Guide?
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