Compass_S vs The Compass
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
The Compass
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.
- Quick direction checking
- Customizable background color
- Customizable text color
- Magnetic compass functionality
- User-friendly interface
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This is a simple compass app that allows you to quickly check your direction. Additionally, it offers the option to customize the compass to your preferred colors. What can you do with "The Compass" app? - Quickly check your direction - Color customization (you can change the background color and text color) It's an app that allows you to check your direction like a magnetic compass. You can freely set the background color and text color to any color you like, so you can choose your favorite color scheme and enjoy it.
Screenshots
Verdict
Compass_S and The Compass both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 57% of The Compass's written reviews are positive against 25% of Compass_S's. The Compass also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 6 months) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Compass_S against 4.7 for The Compass. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 282 and 123 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 25% of Compass_S's written reviews are positive against 57% of The Compass's.
Compass_S ships an update every 6 months, The Compass every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Compass_S | The Compass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (282 ratings) | 4.7 (123 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 282 — better | 123 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 194 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | hiroyuki uchida | Vida Apps Incorporated |
Customer experience
Compass_S
The Compass
In-app purchases
Compass_S
No in-app purchases
The Compass
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Compass_S free?
Is The Compass free?
Which has better reviews, Compass_S or The Compass?
Do Compass_S or The Compass have ads?
Which is updated more often, Compass_S or The Compass?
Other comparisons
