Touch GIS vs Map Canvas
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Touch GIS
This professional tool simplifies field data collection and mapping. It allows users to create and customize data forms, collect various data types offline, and export them to standard GIS formats. Professionals across diverse fields utilize it to enhance their fieldwork.
- Create Points, Lines, Polygons, Circles
- Customizable attribute forms
- Offline map tile saving
- Export to industry standard formats
- Attach photos to locations
- Clinometer tool for orientation
- Add custom base maps and overlays
Read full descriptionHide full description
Touch GIS is the most intuitive professional field data collection and mapping tool. It's a super-powered field notebook enabling you to collect any kind of data, in any environment, online or offline, and transfer it easily to your preferred desktop GIS. We believe your data collection tools should amplify your capabilities, not limit them, which is why we focus on keeping your forms and attributes totally customizable in the field. Join thousands of professionals utilizing Touch GIS as their mobile GIS app to enhance their field work in geologic mapping, ecological mapping, civil engineering, mineral exploration and mining, natural resource management, landscape architecture, and more. FEATURES - Easily capture new Points, Lines, Polygons, and Circles in the field. - Quickly and accurately draw new lines and polygons with free draw mode and vertex snapping. - Adjust feature class attribute forms in the field at any time. - Get multiple perspectives by switching between basemaps in the field. - Download basemaps for offline use. - Export to many industry standard formats. - Snap, mark up, and attach photos to locations. - Measure planar and linear feature orientation using our clinometer tool with strike/dip, dip/dip direction, or trend/plunge formats. - Add custom base maps with WMS/WMTS. - Add raster images like Geospatial PDFS or GeoTiffs and other overlays to your map to see your location in context. - Add team members so your whole team has access. Supported file types: - Shapefiles - KML and KMZ - Geospatial PDF / GeoPDF - GeoPackage (GPKG) - GeoJSON - GPX - CSV - World File - Geotiff - JPG - PNG Customizable attribute types: - Description - Date & Time - Photos - List Of Values - Checkbox - Address - Number - Website - Phone Number - Attitude / Orientation for Geologic features Pre-loaded feature classes supporting many different use-cases: - Forestry - Geology - Real Estate - Stream Surveys - Water Infrastructure - Wetlands management - Create your own fully customizable data attribute forms, and update them in the field as needed. Terms of Service: https://www.touchgis.app/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.touchgis.app/privacy
Map Canvas
This app allows users to sketch, annotate, and plan routes directly on a world map. It supports importing and exporting geographic data files and offers tools for drawing and pathfinding. Users can also share their map creations online.
- Draw and annotate on world maps
- Pathfinding tools
- Import GeoJSON and GPX files
- Export data for sharing
- Journaling and illustration on maps
Read full descriptionHide full description
Map Canvas is a tool for planning, journalling and illustration on Apple map. This app comes with a set of tools for drawing, annotating and pathfinding. Data can be imported as GeoJSON and GPX files.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Map Canvas at 4.5 against Touch GIS's 4.0. Map Canvas also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 50%) and ratings volume (100 vs 32). Touch GIS's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Touch GIS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month and Map Canvas sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Map Canvas holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 100 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Touch GIS's written reviews are positive against 79% of Map Canvas's.
Touch GIS ships an update every 3 weeks, Map Canvas fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Touch GIS | Map Canvas |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (32 ratings) | 4.5 (100 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 78.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 32 | 100 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 79 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TouchGIS | Ka Chun Wong |
Customer experience
Touch GIS
Map Canvas
In-app purchases
Touch GIS
- Pro Subscription (Monthly)$29.991 Month
- Pro License (Annual)$299.991 Year
Map Canvas
- 3-Days Free TrialFree
- Map Canvas Watch App$0.99
- Donation$2.99









