Comparison

Gold Maps vs Detector Maps

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

Head to head
About

Gold Maps

Discover gold deposits and historical mining sites across Australia. This app provides detailed maps and placemarks to guide your prospecting adventures. Explore known alluvial deposits and current mining locations to find your next treasure.

Highlights
  • Gold deposit discovery
  • Historical mine locations
  • Alluvial deposit mapping
  • Current mining site data
  • Thousands of placemarks
  • Gem maps for select states
Features
Read full description

Discover gold deposits and fuel your weekend fossicking adventures with Gold Maps Australia! Our innovative app eliminates the guesswork by combining comprehensive data from state resource authorities, offering a seamless view of historical mines, known alluvial deposits, and current mining sites across the entire nation. With thousands of placemarks dotted throughout Australia and integrated gem maps for select states, there's always fresh, gold-bearing ground to explore. Whether you're a seasoned prospector or a curious explorer, Gold Maps Australia provides the detailed, reliable information you need to uncover your next treasure. Always exercise caution when visiting old mines and diggings—travel with a buddy, avoid hazardous areas like open mine shafts, and respect private property by seeking permission where necessary. Familiarize yourself with local mining regulations and bag limits to ensure your adventure remains both safe and legal. Let Gold Maps Australia be your trusted guide to the rich, hidden treasures of our great land.

About

Detector Maps

This app provides advanced geological data and GPS tools for gold prospecting in Australia, the US, and New Zealand. It offers offline map access, breadcrumb tracking, and waypoint marking to help users explore efficiently and locate potential gold-bearing areas.

Highlights
  • Advanced geological and gold-focused data
  • Offline map and data layer downloads
  • Breadcrumb trail tracking (background GPS)
  • Waypoint marking with field notes
  • Real-time GPS navigation
  • Historic gold mines and workings layers
Features
Read full description

Detector Maps is the field tool that keeps you on the gold - and on the relics. Built by geologists for prospectors, relic hunters and metal detectorists across the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, it pairs geological data and historical maps with rock-solid GPS so you spend your time on high-potential ground, not guessing. Whether you are swinging a detector for gold nuggets, coin shooting an old homestead, hunting Civil War relics or panning a creek, it puts serious research intelligence in your pocket - and it works offline, where the finds actually are. COIN & RELIC HUNTING - NATIONWIDE Research old towns, ghost towns, homesteads, schoolhouses and long-forgotten gathering places - the ground where old coins, buttons, buckles and relics are still waiting. - Historical map overlays: hunt the buildings, roads and fields the modern map forgot - Historic USGS Topo maps, coast to coast - LiDAR that reveals cellar holes, old roads and house sites hiding under the trees - Plan permissions with confidence before you knock GOLD PROSPECTING - 15 STATES Serious geology for nugget hunting, from California to the Carolinas. Detect where gold has already been found, then find what the old-timers missed. - Historic gold mines, diggings and workings - proven gold ground - Surface geochemistry with pathfinder-element filtering - Current and expired mining claims, updated every weekday - 1-metre LiDAR hillshade that reveals old workings worth a closer swing DETECTOR ACADEMY A built-in crash course: 34 short video lessons, most under a minute - layers, LiDAR, waypoints, trails, offline maps and Pro tools. DETECTOR GRIDS Plan complete, methodical coverage of a site with adjustable search lanes you follow while recording your trail - never grid the same ground twice. BREADCRUMB TRAIL TRACKING (BACKGROUND GPS) Record your exact trail even with the app in the background or the screen off. See where you have walked and save paths for the next trip. WHY WE REQUEST "ALLOW ALL THE TIME" LOCATION ACCESS Detector Maps only uses background location when you switch breadcrumb tracking ON, keeping an unbroken log while your phone is idle. Disable it anytime in the app or device settings. WAYPOINT MARKING AND FIND LOGGING Drop waypoints on coins, relics, gold finds and old workings. Add names, notes and photos, then sync securely between your phone and the web app so your finds are never lost. REAL-TIME GPS NAVIGATION Watch boundaries, geology, historical maps and terrain update around you as you move - a GPS built for prospecting, coin shooting and relic hunting. COVERAGE USA COIN & RELIC: Nationwide USA GOLD: CA, AL, NC, AZ, NV, ID, OR, UT, CO, MT, WA, SC, VA, GA, NM AUSTRALIA: QLD, NSW, VIC, WA, SA, TAS, NT NEW ZEALAND: historic goldfields, geology and offline maps CANADA: British Columbia SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION All plans include every map, standard data layers, offline downloads, and access to Australia, USA, New Zealand, Canada (BC) and the UK. USA Pricing - Explorer Monthly: $7.99 USD; Explorer Yearly: $59.99; Pro Monthly: $11.99 USD; Pro Yearly: $99.99 USD. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Pricing may vary by region. PRIVACY AND DATA Your location, trails and waypoints are used only for core app functionality. Delete your account anytime: Profile > Delete Account > type "confirm" > tap Delete. Privacy Policy: https://app.detectormaps.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://app.detectormaps.com/license-agreement Whether you swing a GPX 6000, an Equinox, a Manticore, a Deus or a Gold Monster - or a sluice or a pan - Detector Maps helps you cover more ground, log your best finds, and read productive terrain like a professional.

Screenshots

Gold Maps3 screens
Detector Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Detector Maps at Free against Gold Maps's $39.99. Detector Maps also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (74% vs 50%). Gold Maps's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On 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

Detector Maps is free to download; Gold Maps costs $39.99 up front. Detector Maps sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Gold Maps asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gold Maps ships an update every 2 months, Detector Maps every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Gold Maps versus Detector Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGold MapsDetector Maps
Price$39.99Free — better
Rating—4.7 (248 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews73.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—248 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#170 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size158 MB140 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAPP ASPIRESGOLD DISCOVERY SOLUTIONS PTY LTD

Customer experience

Gold Maps

Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

Detector Maps

All ratings248 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral1.6%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive73.6%
Neutral2.8%
Negative23.6%

Bugs and requests

Gold Maps

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Detector Maps

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Issues with subscription and login
  • LiDAR not working in certain areas

Requested features

2 requests
  • Expand coverage to more areas
  • Improve data accuracy and consistency

In-app purchases

None

Gold Maps

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Detector Maps

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Explorer Plan$7.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan$11.991 Month
  • Yearly Explorer Plan7 Days trial$59.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Gold Maps free?
Gold Maps costs $39.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Detector Maps free?
Detector Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Gold Maps or Detector Maps have ads?
Detector Maps shows ads; Gold Maps does not.
Which is updated more often, Gold Maps or Detector Maps?
Gold Maps ships an update every 2 months, and Detector Maps every 6 days. Most recently, Gold Maps was updated on September 15, 2026 and Detector Maps on September 25, 2026.

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