Mapboard GIS vs ArchAIDE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mapboard GIS
This iPad app allows users to draw field maps using an Apple Pencil, combining the ease of pen-and-paper with the precision of GIS. It's designed for geologists and others needing interpretive mapping, offering intuitive tools for creating topologically consistent geologic maps.
- Pen-based editing tools
- Intuitive reshaping and snapping
- Iterative topology solver
- Onboard Spatialite GIS engine
- Native GIS software compatibility
- User-configurable data types
- Tether to remote PostGIS
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Mapboard GIS is an iPad app for drawing maps with an Apple Pencil. Mapboard combines the intuitive workflow of pen-and-paper mapping with the precision, flexibility, and scale-independence of geospatial information systems (GIS). Its forward-looking design helps beginner and expert mappers produce multiscale, topologically consistent geologic maps. MOTIVATION AND DESIGN Mapboard GIS was born out of frustration with both paper– and GIS-based mapping workflows. It is primarily designed for geologists but is potentially useful in many situations demanding interpretive mapping. Mapboard attempts to bring digital mapping closer to the intuitive experience provided by paper. A sophisticated open-source spatial engine drives simple tools for drawing, erasing, and reshaping features. Outputs are natively compatible with common GIS software. Mapboard allows mapping time to be spent refining interpretations instead of fighting with technical tools. KEY FEATURES - Editing tools geared towards pen-based mapping - Powerful and intuitive reshaping, snapping, and erasing - Iterative topology solver to fill map units - Sophisticated onboard Spatialite GIS engine - Project files natively readable by standard GIS software (QGIS, ArcGIS, etc.) - User-configurable data types for line and polygon features - Tether to remote PostGIS for work across large datasets and real-time collaboration - Interoperable with standard formats (mbtiles, Spatialite, PostGIS) and open-source + commercial software OTHER FEATURES - Load MBTiles basemaps - Satellite, streets, and topographic basemaps - Dark mode support - Geologic line types TERMS OF USE: https://mapboard-gis.app/terms-of-service PRIVACY POLICY: https://mapboard-gis.app/privacy CHANGELOG: https://mapboard-gis.app/docs/ios/releases
ArchAIDE
This tool assists archaeologists in identifying pottery fragments by analyzing images. It leverages an intelligent system trained on a reference database to classify decorations and forms, streamlining the documentation process for fieldwork.
- Automatic potsherd recognition
- Image analysis for decoration and form
- Reference database for classification
- Save and archive identified sherds
- Share information with the community
- Paperless scientific references
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ArchAIDE App is a tool for the automatic recognition of the archaeological potsherds. The ArchAIDE app is the result of ArchAIDE project (www.archaide.eu): a research and innovation project led by a consortium of European Universities and SMEs, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 under grant agreement No. 693548. ArchAIDE is an innovative app for tablets and smartphones, designed as an essential tool for archaeologists. ArchAIDE wants to optimise and economise the process of pottery identification, making knowledge accessible wherever archaeologists are working. Using the ArchAIDE tools users will be supported by intelligent agents in the identification of the decoration class or the form type of a pottery sherd starting forme an image eventually taken with the mobile device camera. The automatic classification is based on the classes defined in the Reference Database develop by the ArchAIDE project. Anonymous users are missing the capability of storing the sherds in the device and on the ArchAIDE Server. The registration is FREE and gives the users a set of useful functionalities for the documentation of pottery sherds. Registered users may help the ArchAIDE team to improve the intelligent engines enriching its collections with new archaeological classes of ceramics. ArchAIDE is building a wide archaeological collaborative network to do that and everyone can be a part of it. For more information write to archaideproject@gmail.com. Recognising a potsherd with ArchAIDE App is very simple, users have just to: 1) Take a photo via a mobile device 2) send the photo to the system 3) wait few seconds and receive the answers 4) choose the better one 5) save and archive it in your assemblage 6) share the information with the community. ArchAIDE system is now available for Roman Amphorae, Terra Sigillata Italica, Terra Sigillata Hispanica, Majolica of Montelupo. Recognition tools are now available for Roma Terra Sigillata Italica and Majolica of Montelupo Fiorentino. ArchAIDE helps archaeologist to simplify their job, bringing with them paperless scientific references, sharing information with their team and with the archaeological community around the world, collecting, organising and archiving data of archaeological potsherds. Functionalities Users can access 1) ArchAIDE knowledge-base: a collection of search & retrieval tools that allows accessing the database of reference classes for types, decoration and stamps. ArchAIDE system is now available for Roman Amphorae, Roman Terra Sigillata (Italica, Hispanica, and South Gaulish) and Majolica of Montelupo Fiorentino. 2) Decoration recognition process which consists: - Select the image - Modify the image using the manipulation tools - Isolate the sherd in the image - Evaluate the results - Save the results (if the user is logged in and the results are good) - Manually classify the image by visual comparison 3) Shape recognition process which consists: - Image selection and manipulation - Definition of the scale factor - Extraction of the external profile - Extraction of the internal profile - Evaluation of results - Manual classification (alternative) - Save the info in a sherd (for authenticated users) 4) Stamp classification process which consists of a search engine. Authenticated users (only) - May collect and store data through the app. The information about sherds should be registered under a specific assemblage that belongs to a site. All the registered users own at least one site (i.e. “Default site”) in which it exists at least one predefined assemblage (i.e. “Uncategorised”). Sites and assemblages are the minimum context information required to store a sherd. - May synchronise off-line data when they are online. The synchronisation process is seamlessly carried on in the background each time the device is connected to the internet via WI-FI or 3G/4G/5G. Users can access the Synchronisation process through a dedicated monitor.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mapboard GIS at 100% against ArchAIDE's 0%. Mapboard GIS also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.3). ArchAIDE's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, 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. Mapboard GIS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. ArchAIDE asks for nothing beyond the download.
Mapboard GIS holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Mapboard GIS's written reviews are positive against 0% of ArchAIDE's.
Mapboard GIS ships an update every 2 months, ArchAIDE every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mapboard GIS | ArchAIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better | 1.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 161 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daven Quinn | Inera s.r.l. |
Customer experience
Mapboard GIS
ArchAIDE
In-app purchases
Mapboard GIS
- Full Version$29.991 Year
ArchAIDE
No in-app purchases









