# Calamus vs MapMe

The clearest difference is rating: MapMe at 4.4 against Calamus's 3.3. MapMe also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 33%) and update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). Calamus's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calamus sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and MapMe sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MapMe holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 83 and 35 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Calamus's written reviews are positive against 58% of MapMe's.

Calamus ships an update monthly, MapMe every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calamus | MapMe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calamus/id1457518364/reviews) | **[4.4 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapme-map-maker-for-dnd-5e/id1597773803/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **83** | 35 |
| Positive reviews | 32.5% of reviews | **58.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 46 MB | 333 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [TrapStreet Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457518363) | [Ferdinand Werner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497700819) |

## What reviewers say

### Calamus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calamus/id1457518364)

Create expansive battlemaps with hand-drawn tiles for tabletop RPGs. Design custom character tokens and host real-time games where players can move their own pieces. Engage in robust chat, sending messages as yourself or any in-game token.

**Highlights:** Create large battlemaps, Dozens of hand-drawn tiles, Custom PC, NPC, FOE tokens, Host real-time games, Player character movement, Robust in-game chat, Send messages as tokens

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calamus Player Only | $0.99 | per month |
| Full Version - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Calamus Monthly Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Full Version - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Calamus Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| All Epic Token Icons | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Tokens Slots (6) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full Roommaker | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Epic Token Rings | $2.99 | one-time |
| Player Enhanced Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Pretty interface and icons
- 👍 Easy to start making maps
- 💡 Great for D&D campaigns
- 👍 Good art style
- 🚀 Fast to fix bugs

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Difficult to correct mistakes
- ❌ No undo option
- ❌ Clunky with Apple Pencil
- ❌ Missing assets even with subscription
- ❌ Walls erase when removing objects

**Reported bugs**

- No undo option
- Walls erase when removing objects
- Rune password login issues
- Water turns light blue when saving/cropping
- App repeatedly asks for password

**Requested features**

- Add undo option
- Improve Apple Pencil support
- Add more assets like columns
- Add desert themed items
- Add steering wheel and crows nest


### MapMe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapme-map-maker-for-dnd-5e/id1597773803)

Design immersive battle maps for Dungeons & Dragons with this intuitive map maker. Optimized for iPad with Apple Pencil support, it allows for offline creation and importing of custom assets. Regular updates and a user-driven roadmap ensure continuous improvement.

**Highlights:** Custom battle map creation, Designed for Dungeon Masters, Apple Pencil support, Import Dungeondraft assets, User-friendly interface, Offline mode, Regular updates

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MapMe Plus Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| MapMe Plus Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| MapMe Plus - Infinity | $149.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calamus free?

Calamus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MapMe free?

MapMe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calamus or MapMe?

MapMe is rated higher. Calamus averages 3.3 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while MapMe averages 4.4 from 35 ratings.

### Do Calamus or MapMe have ads?

MapMe shows ads; Calamus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Calamus or MapMe?

Calamus ships an update monthly, and MapMe every 11 days. Most recently, Calamus was updated on November 2, 2026 and MapMe on November 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*