Comparison

CalTopo vs APRSSwift

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Offline map downloads
  • Satellite imagery
  • Route planning
  • GPS tracking
  • Weather forecasting
  • Collaborative map sharing
  • Slope angle shading
Features
Currently charting
Read 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.

About

APRSSwift

Track and message on the APRS network with your amateur radio callsign. View nearby stations on a live map, exchange text messages, and decode various packet types. Supports multiple connection methods and includes an Apple Watch app.

Highlights
  • Live APRS map with station tracking
  • Two-way APRS messaging
  • Full packet decoding
  • Multiple connection methods
  • Apple Watch app integration
  • SmartBeaconing for adaptive beaconing
Features
Read full description

APRSSwift brings the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) to your Apple devices — a native, universal amateur-radio app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Report your position to the APRS network, watch nearby stations move on a live map, read a real-time packet log, and exchange APRS text messages — all with your own callsign. FEATURES • Live map with APRS symbols, station tracks, and your own location • Connect via APRS-IS (Internet), a TCP KISS TNC, a Bluetooth TNC (Mobilinkd), or the built-in AFSK sound modem (1200 baud — no extra hardware) • Full packet decoding: position, Mic-E, compressed, objects, items, status, weather, messages, and telemetry • SmartBeaconing — adaptive beacon rate based on speed and turns • Two-way APRS messaging with acknowledgements • Station list with distance, favorites, and proximity alerts • Maidenhead grid locator, metric or imperial units, and dead reckoning • Post APRS objects, send status reports, and view weather & telemetry charts • Apple Watch app: beacon, grid, and nearby stations on your wrist APRSSwift is designed for licensed amateur radio operators. A valid callsign is required; your APRS-IS passcode is generated automatically from it. 73!

Screenshots

CalTopo4 screens
APRSSwift3 screens

Verdict

The call

CalTopo and APRSSwift both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of APRSSwift's written reviews are positive against 56% of CalTopo's. APRSSwift also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). CalTopo's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (7.6K vs 2). On price, rating, ads and monetization model 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. APRSSwift sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. CalTopo asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

APRSSwift 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 2, 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 APRSSwift's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CalTopo ships an update every 2 weeks, APRSSwift every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
CalTopo versus APRSSwift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalTopoAPRSSwift
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (7.6K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.6K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#143 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size165 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCalTopo LLCSevket Bugra CANATA

Customer experience

CalTopo

All ratings7,461 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews131 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral9.9%
Negative33.6%

APRSSwift

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

APRSSwift

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

CalTopo

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

APRSSwift

One-time3
  • Small Support$0.99
  • Medium Support$9.99
  • Large Support$99.99

Questions

Is CalTopo free?
CalTopo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is APRSSwift free?
APRSSwift is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CalTopo or APRSSwift?
APRSSwift is rated higher. CalTopo averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while APRSSwift averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do CalTopo or APRSSwift have ads?
Neither CalTopo nor APRSSwift shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CalTopo or APRSSwift?
CalTopo ships an update every 2 weeks, and APRSSwift every 5 days. Most recently, CalTopo was updated on November 3, 2026 and APRSSwift on October 25, 2026.

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