Comparison

Touch GIS vs FDsidekick

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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 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

About

FDsidekick

This app offers quick access to preflight and inflight notes and utilities. It includes features for customizing notecards, viewing imported PDFs, and a specialized aviation calculator. You can also create PA scripts and jot down notes with stylus support.

Highlights
  • Customizable Notecard with Autofill
  • PDF Reference Viewer
  • Aviation Calculator
  • PA Script Creator
  • Touch/Stylus Notepad
Features
Read full description

FDsidekick provides ease-of-access for preflight and inflight notes and utilities. -Notecard: Customize and Autofill your card for easy flight plan review -References: Easily view imported PDFs -Calculator: With Aviation-related functions and memory -PA: Easily create a script for the Welcome Aboard PA -Notepad: Jot down notes via touch with support for Apple Pencil

Screenshots

Touch GIS4 screens
FDsidekick4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FDsidekick at 5.0 against Touch GIS's 4.0. FDsidekick also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Touch GIS's advantage is ratings volume (32 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Touch GIS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. FDsidekick asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FDsidekick holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Touch GIS has 32 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Touch GIS ships an update every 3 weeks, FDsidekick every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Touch GIS versus FDsidekick: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTouch GISFDsidekick
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (32 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings32 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTouchGISErik Patrinostro

Customer experience

Touch GIS

All ratings32 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral9.4%
Negative21.9%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral13.3%
Negative36.7%

FDsidekick

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Touch GIS

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Subscription (Monthly)$29.991 Month
  • Pro License (Annual)$299.991 Year
None

FDsidekick

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Touch GIS free?
Touch GIS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FDsidekick free?
FDsidekick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Touch GIS or FDsidekick?
FDsidekick is rated higher. Touch GIS averages 4.0 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while FDsidekick averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Touch GIS or FDsidekick have ads?
Neither Touch GIS nor FDsidekick shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Touch GIS or FDsidekick?
Touch GIS ships an update every 3 weeks, and FDsidekick every 5 days. Most recently, Touch GIS was updated on November 6, 2026 and FDsidekick on October 31, 2026.

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