Comparison

Watch Compass vs AR_Compass

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

Head to head
About

Watch Compass

Provides accurate directional guidance for various activities like walking, riding, driving, and flying. It displays a clear arrow pointing north, independent of device orientation. Designed specifically for Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Accurate direction of movement
  • North-pointing arrow
  • Independent of device orientation
  • Designed for Apple Watch
  • Supports walking, riding, driving, flying
Features
Read full description

Watch Compass combines a direct live compass on iPhone with the movement directions recorded by your Apple Watch. CarPlay keeps heading and degrees visible while you drive. The Live Activity also shows them on the Lock Screen, in the Dynamic Island, and in the CarPlay Dashboard. At a glance: - current heading on a focused compass dial - latest movement direction with timestamp - direction profiles for today, seven days, and 30 days - a clear history of recent measurements - a dedicated CarPlay display for heading and degrees - course tracks with distance, average course, direction changes, and GPX/CSV export - Live Activity for the Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, and CarPlay Dashboard - widgets and Apple Watch complications - synchronized data across iPhone and Apple Watch Unlike a traditional compass, Watch Compass distinguishes between the current heading of your iPhone and the direction in which you were recently moving. You get immediate orientation together with a useful movement history. Compass Pro unlocks all premium features. Subscription terms: - Title: Compass Pro - Length: 1 year, auto-renewing - Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ - Privacy Policy: https://bernhardhering.de/privacy/

About

AR_Compass

Features
Read full description

This app intuitively shows the direction you're facing on your Apple Watch and helps you easily navigate toward your destination. When used in combination with Holostar (https://ho-lo.jp/lp-holostar/), it displays your current direction at the edge of your field of view, just like AR glasses or smart glasses, providing a more convenient and advanced AR navigation experience. If you have a specific destination in mind, simply press the “SET TARGET” button to set your current direction as the destination. The app will then display your current orientation along with the direction of your destination. Since it requires minimal input, you can skip the steps of setting detailed routes to your destination and use simple, easy-to-use navigation. Since it can be used exclusively with an Apple Watch (no complex setup required on an iPhone or iPad) and does not require complicated operations, this app is ideal for use with Holostar. Additionally, by not displaying detailed route information, the app can adapt more flexibly when the actual path you can take differs from the detailed navigation route—such as when affected by road construction or when passing through the interior of buildings, including underground areas. By switching the time display settings on your iPhone, you can navigate toward your destination while keeping track of travel time and arrival time, or simply move while focusing on the direction. *The app supports right-eye and left-eye display on Holostar based on your Apple Watch’s right-hand or left-hand wear settings. Set it to the right hand for right-eye use, and to the left hand for left-eye use. *You cannot experience AR without using Holostar. *With standard compass apps, due to display methods and Apple Watch orientation settings, you cannot achieve an AR navigation experience that directly aligns the displayed direction with your line of sight even when combined with Holostar.

Screenshots

Watch Compass4 screens
AR_Compass2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AR_Compass at none against Watch Compass's 1. AR_Compass also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). Watch Compass's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Watch Compass sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year. AR_Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Watch Compass ships an update every 2 weeks, AR_Compass every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Watch Compass versus AR_Compass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWatch CompassAR_Compass
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews5.3% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS26.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBernhard HeringHologram Co.,Ltd.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Watch Compass

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly Subscription$3.991 Year
None

AR_Compass

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Watch Compass free?
Watch Compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AR_Compass free?
AR_Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Watch Compass or AR_Compass have ads?
Neither Watch Compass nor AR_Compass shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Watch Compass or AR_Compass?
Watch Compass ships an update every 2 weeks, and AR_Compass every 5 months. Most recently, Watch Compass was updated on October 24, 2026 and AR_Compass on October 10, 2026.

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