CalTopo vs NomadIQ
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CalTopo
Plan and navigate off-grid adventures with detailed offline maps and real-time weather forecasts. Trusted by professionals, this app offers seamless syncing and collaborative planning for backcountry pursuits.
- Offline map downloads
- Satellite imagery
- Route planning
- GPS tracking
- Weather forecasting
- Collaborative map sharing
- Slope angle shading
Read full descriptionHide full description
New on CalTopo: the CalTopo app is now satellite ready, allowing you to use many features of the app offline with satellite data! Take the best mapping app with you wherever you go with the CalTopo app for iOS. Trusted by professional mountain guides, avalanche educators, and search and rescue teams, CalTopo has all the features you need to plan your next off-grid pursuit. Seamless integration between CalTopo online and your mobile device allows you to access and update your maps no matter where you are. Any changes you make will automatically sync across all devices, making exporting and importing your latest map a thing of the past. The CalTopo app allows you to easily take your planning and navigation to the next level. Real time decision making in backcountry terrain is made easy with the ability to download maps and layers like slope angle shading to your device for offline use. Plan for conditions on your route with sun exposure, wind, precipitation and avalanche forecasts. View and track your location on the map using GPS, even if you are offline. Share maps with your teams or travel partners to plan collaboratively, and to ensure everyone has the necessary data. Monitor real time updates from the field, like your friends progress on a long outing with live tracking on shared maps. Plan and navigate your next adventure with the CalTopo App today! Map layers include: • MapBuilder Topo, Hybrid and Overlay • Forest Service Maps • Scanned Topos • Global Imagery • Shaded Relief • Slope Angle Shading (including high resolution elevation data where available) • Parcel data • Public Lands • Weekly Satellite Imagery • NAIP Satellite Imagery • Sun Exposure • Marine Charts • Weather Forecasting (including wind, precipitation, and temperatures) • Snow and Water Gauge Data • Fire History/Activity • And many more Support and Feature Requests: Email us at help@caltopo.com.
NomadIQ
This navigation app provides curated map layers sourced from geospatial scientists, catering to diverse users from digital nomads to outdoor enthusiasts. Users can subscribe to specific map sets to enhance their exploration and planning needs.
- Curated map content
- Subscription-based layers
- Geospatial data
- Offline navigation support
- Customizable map sets
Read full descriptionHide full description
Digital nomads, weekend warriors, and hunters of all things from dinner in the backcountry to a house in the city. NomadIQ is a mobile app to help people navigate a changing world. It sources map content from top geospatial scientists and allows each user to subscribe to their own set of curated layers. Life is a journey, take only what you need.
Screenshots
Verdict
CalTopo and NomadIQ both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of NomadIQ's written reviews are positive against 56% of CalTopo's. CalTopo's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (7.6K vs 17). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. NomadIQ sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per year. CalTopo asks for nothing beyond the download.
NomadIQ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CalTopo has 7.6K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of CalTopo's written reviews are positive against 100% of NomadIQ's.
CalTopo ships an update every 2 weeks, NomadIQ monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CalTopo | NomadIQ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (7.6K ratings) | 5.0 (17 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 56.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7.6K — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #119 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 165 MB | 105 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CalTopo LLC | NomadIQ, LLC |
Customer experience
CalTopo
NomadIQ
Bugs and requests
CalTopo
Reported bugs
4 issues- Trails and tracks disappearing
- Coordinate display issues
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Incompatibility with older devices
Requested features
5 requests- Add 3D map view
- Implement route snapping to trails
- Improve offline map download capabilities
- Add photo geotagging functionality
- Implement course-up map orientation
NomadIQ
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CalTopo
No in-app purchases
NomadIQ
- USGS Terrain Hillshade$0.991 Year
- terraPulse Water Cover$1.991 Year
- NCLD Land Cover$1.991 Year
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- terraPulse Tree Cover$1.991 Year
- terraPulse US Public Land$1.991 Year
- USDA Cropland Data Layer 2021$1.991 Year
- terraPulse Elevation (meters)$1.991 Year
- USA Flood Hazard Areas$1.991 Year
- LandScan Global$1.991 Year
- terraPulse Biomass$2.991 Year








