Comparison

Open vs Sonic Compass

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

Head to head
About

Open

Explore the world with over 60 interactive map types, offering diverse styles and up-to-date data. Easily switch between maps while preserving your position and zoom level. Ideal for cartography enthusiasts and anyone interested in varied map representations.

Highlights
  • Over 60 diverse map types
  • Interactive zoom and pan
  • Instant map switching
  • Preserves position and zoom
  • Shows user location
  • Optimized for iOS devices
Features
Read full description

Open Map brings over 60 different types of maps on iOS with 29 zoom levels. All these maps of the world have different style and data, always up to date and available with 1 touch with a resolution level ranging from 0 to 28. They are completely interactive as the standard one but all different in many aspect. It is a must have for anyone with an interest in cartography and in world maps in general or just wanting to see maps in with many different representations. EASY TO USE • No learning curve, you already know how to use it • All works as you aspect as in the maps you already use • Completely interactive FEATURES • Over 60 maps all covering the full world • More data then you may aspect • Move and zoom-in zoom-out with your fingers as in the standard one • Change map type in one touch at any time preserving position and zoom level • Can keep your position centered • Can show your position • Can show precision circle • Instant switch between one map to the other keeping position and zoom level • Instant 'Goto My Pos' SOME OF THE AVAILABLE MAPS • Wikimedia • Humanitarian • Black & White • OpenTopo • Hike & Bike • Hydda • Toner • Terrain • Watercolour • Positron • Dark Matter • Flat Blue • Roads • Hybrid • Contour • Grayscale • Street • Topo • Imagery • Shaded Relief • LightGray • NatGeo • Delorme • Ocean • OpenCycle • Transport • Landscape • Pioner • Atlas • Outdoor • Satellite • Lyzidiamond • Street Satellite FOR IPHONE AND IPAD • Open-Map it's a joy to use on iPhone and on iPad • Works both for iPhone and iPad in landscape and portrait mode • Optimized for the latest generation iOS devices and the latest iOS release AVAILABLE ALSO FOR MAC • All the features available on iOS plus full export capabilities in PDF, PNG,TIFF and JPEG. • Look in the Mac App Store for 'Open Map'

About

Sonic Compass

Develop an innate sense of direction with this app that uses cognitive science principles and spatial audio cues to teach you the direction of North. It offers modes for active learning, ambient awareness, and silent haptic guidance, even working in the background.

Highlights
  • Develop a sense of North
  • Active inference learning mode
  • Ambient spatial audio awareness
  • Silent haptic vibration guidance
  • High-precision spatial audio
  • Pocket calibration for accuracy
  • Background operation
Read full description

Ever wished you had a natural, built-in compass? Sonic Compass is a revolutionary tool designed to help you develop a sense of the direction of North. Based on principles of cognitive science and predictive processing, our app creates a new sense of cardinal directions. You'll find yourself more oriented and aware, even when the app is off. KEY FEATURES: • LEARNING MODE: The core of the experience. Predict the direction of North after hearing a cue and receive instant spatial audio feedback. This "active inference" method is designed to build and reinforce neural pathways. You won't need to do anything except listen! • SENSE MODE: Experience a continuous, subtle spatial sound that indicates the direction of North. It’s an ambient awareness tool that helps you have a sense of orientation without looking at a screen. • VIBRATION MODE: For silent guidance. Get a gentle haptic pulse whenever you (or your phone) are facing North. Perfect for quick checks or keeping your phone in a pocket. • HIGH-PRECISION SPATIAL AUDIO: We dynamically generate over 120 unique sound positions to give you an incredibly accurate and smooth sense of direction—far beyond simple stereo panning. • POCKET CALIBRATION: Our smart offset tool allows you to calibrate the app for how you carry your phone, ensuring accuracy even when it's not held flat in your hand. • BACKGROUND AWARENESS: Sonic Compass works just as well in the background and it's compatible with hearing music, navigational guidance, and other sounds while the app is running. WHO IS THIS FOR? • Hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts who want to rely less on GPS. • People with accessibility needs. • Travelers and urban explorers navigating new cities. • Biohackers. Cyborgs. Superhumans? Everyone interested in using technology to develop a previously inaccessible sense. You won't just know where North is. You'll feel it.

Screenshots

Open4 screens
Sonic Compass1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Sonic Compass at Free against Open's $2.99. Sonic Compass also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0). Open's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Sonic Compass is free to download; Open costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sonic Compass holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Open ships an update every 22 months, Sonic Compass every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Open versus Sonic Compass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenSonic Compass
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 22 monthsEvery 13 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRoberto PanettaAudD, LLC

Customer experience

Open

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Sonic Compass

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open

No in-app purchases

None

Sonic Compass

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Open free?
Open costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sonic Compass free?
Sonic Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Open or Sonic Compass?
Sonic Compass is rated higher. Open averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Sonic Compass averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Open or Sonic Compass have ads?
Neither Open nor Sonic Compass shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Open or Sonic Compass?
Open ships an update every 22 months, and Sonic Compass every 13 months. Most recently, Open was updated on October 3, 2026 and Sonic Compass on September 16, 2026.

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