Comparison

WristRoute Lite vs Pro Compass for Watch

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

Head to head
About

WristRoute Lite

This app provides standalone GPS navigation for outdoor activities on your Apple Watch. It supports offline use with cached topographic and OpenStreetMap maps, allowing you to follow routes and track progress without an internet connection. Battery-saving options are included for extended use.

Highlights
  • Standalone Apple Watch GPS
  • Offline GPX file support
  • Topographic and OpenStreetMap maps
  • Cached maps for offline use
  • Battery saving options
  • Elevation profile tracking
Read full description

WristRoute Lite is a standalone Apple Watch GPS application for hiking, biking, and other offline activities. Neither the iPhone or Internet is needed for field operation. WristRoute Lite can read GPX files containing waypoints, routes, and tracks. Download a GPX file for an upcoming hike, load it on your watch, and now you can follow the route line on a map, or track your uphill progress against an elevation profile. WristRoute uses the latest generation of topographic maps from the USGS: US Topo. Outside the continental United States an OpenStreetMap derived map is used. Maps are cached for offline use. WristRoute is designed for all day use with battery saving options. GPS Battery Saver turns on the GPS only as needed. Map display can also be turned off, displaying just GPX route lines and waypoints. This free LIte version does not include ability to export watch created waypoints and tracks or to bulk cache maps. Please upgrade to full version (not "Lite") to use those features.

About

Pro Compass for Watch

This app replicates classic pocket compasses with advanced 3D graphics for realistic operation on your wrist. It provides true/magnetic compass modes, sun/moon positions, GPS, altitude, and a waypoint manager with map integration. Customize settings and color schemes for optimal viewing.

Highlights
  • Realistic 3D compass rendering
  • True and magnetic compass modes
  • Sun and moon position tracking
  • GPS location and altitude display
  • Waypoint manager with map view
  • Inclinometer with bubble levels
  • Customizable settings and color schemes
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The legendary iOS compass app is now available for Apple Watch! Pro Compass replicates the look and feel of classic pocket compass hardware in use since the 1800s. The app uses advanced graphics technologies (normally reserved for games) to render 3D floating compass hardware for realistic operation. Pro Compass offers true and magnetic compass modes using a damped rosette-style compass ring. Local sun and moon position are shown on the compass ring and continually updated. Pro Compass also displays location and altitude, and contains a built-in two-axis inclinometer that drives two independent bubble levels and a bullseye level.  New in Pro Compass for Watch version 2 is a map screen and waypoint manager. You can add waypoints on the map or at your current location, and view waypoints on the compass ring to visualize their bearing from your current location. Pro Compass has settings for compass mode (true or magnetic, degrees or mils), distance/altitude units (feet or meters), and position format (decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds, MGRS, USNG, UTM, UTM-B, and Maidenhead Locator System). The app has six color schemes, including two night vision modes - midnight red and luminescent green. Pro Compass for Watch is recommended for Apple Watch Series 5 and later (including Ultra). Apple Watch Series 4 and older do not have a compass sensor and will not show compass data. On older devices, the app uses the device's gyro sensor to measure rotation. You can twist the watch's digital crown to adjust and calibrate the gyro to the sun position, moon position, or a known bearing. Using these references, the "gyro compass" is able to give bearing. The calibration can be repeated as often as desired to give accurate results. Accuracy note: Pro Compass reports accuracy from the magnetometer sensor in your watch. To improve results, operate Pro Compass away from magnets, electronics, or sources of electro-magnetic interference, including car dashboards, aircraft cockpits, metal structures, and other devices. Developer note: like all our apps, we plan to continually improve and evolve Pro Compass for Watch. Please contact us with feature requests, suggestions, and general feedback. We'd love to hear what you're doing with the app!

Screenshots

WristRoute Lite3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: WristRoute Lite at Free against Pro Compass for Watch's $1.99. Pro Compass for Watch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (4.2 vs 3.7). On review sentiment, update cadence, 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

WristRoute Lite is free to download; Pro Compass for Watch costs $1.99 up front. WristRoute Lite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pro Compass for Watch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pro Compass for Watch holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 20 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of WristRoute Lite's written reviews are positive against 39% of Pro Compass for Watch's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WristRoute Lite ships an update every 4 months, Pro Compass for Watch every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
WristRoute Lite versus Pro Compass for Watch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWristRoute LitePro Compass for Watch
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating3.7 (6 ratings)4.2 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews — better38.6% of reviews
Number of ratings620 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#34 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEastridge TechnologyCraig Hunter

Customer experience

WristRoute Lite

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%

Pro Compass for Watch

All ratings19 ratings
Positive78.9%
Neutral5.3%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive38.6%
Neutral15.9%
Negative45.5%

Bugs and requests

WristRoute Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Pro Compass for Watch

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App crashes
  • Direction indicator shows NA
  • GPS map shows incorrect location
  • Compass not available on some devices
  • App not found/received after purchase
Show 3 more
  • App doesn't reinstall after unpairing watch
  • App forgets location permissions
  • Bubbles move backwards

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add BNG as grid reference option
  • Add iPhone companion app for waypoint management
  • Include Sun Shadow Bearing option
  • Increase number of waypoints beyond 5
  • Make sun and moon indicators bigger and bolder
Show 3 more
  • Add option to use 6400 mils instead of 360 degrees
  • Add calibration option
  • Add a lock button for the crown

In-app purchases

1 purchases

WristRoute Lite

One-time1
  • WristRoute Lite Upgrade$9.99
None

Pro Compass for Watch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WristRoute Lite free?
WristRoute Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pro Compass for Watch free?
Pro Compass for Watch costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WristRoute Lite or Pro Compass for Watch?
Pro Compass for Watch is rated higher. WristRoute Lite averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Pro Compass for Watch averages 4.2 from 20 ratings.
Do WristRoute Lite or Pro Compass for Watch have ads?
Neither WristRoute Lite nor Pro Compass for Watch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WristRoute Lite or Pro Compass for Watch?
WristRoute Lite ships an update every 4 months, and Pro Compass for Watch every 3 months. Most recently, WristRoute Lite was updated on October 24, 2026 and Pro Compass for Watch on October 25, 2026.

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