Comparison

MapChart App vs Preview3D

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

Head to head
About

MapChart App

Create custom maps by coloring them with various tools and options. Save, load, and share your creations. Offers a wide selection of map types, from world and historical maps to fantasy and video game maps.

Highlights
  • Wide variety of map types
  • Intuitive map coloring
  • Customizable map elements
  • Save and load creations
  • Share to social media
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Make Cool Maps Easily with MapChart App! MapChart, the #1 map-making website, is now an app! Perfect for anyone who loves coloring maps, learning geography, or exploring history and fantasy maps. Whether you're into making your own fantasy worlds, alternate history maps, or just want to visualize your data, we've got you covered: · Maps to Choose From: · World maps · Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia, Oceania · USA states/counties/congressional districts · Subdivision maps: counties, provinces, and more · Video game maps: Hearts of Iron IV, Victoria 3, and Europa Universalis IV · Historical maps: 1815, 1880, 1914, 1938, World War I, World War II · Single country maps: UK, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and 20+ more · Fantasy maps: Westeros and Tamriel · Color your World: Pick your favorite colors and start painting your map. Add a legend to the map, change its background, or use patterns. Easy and fun! · Share with Friends or Save: Once you’re done, show it off on social media or download it to use in your projects, blogs, or just to have it. · Save and Load your maps: Made a map you’re proud of? Save it on your device and come back to it anytime. · Premium versions with a one-time purchase. Enjoy unlimited saved maps, endless palette colors, and an ad-free experience. · Cool Features Just for You: · Pick from a massive list of maps, from big areas to special niches. · Intuitive map coloring for anyone to try. · Customize your map to make it uniquely yours. · Save your creations and show them off anytime. · Works offline. Whether you’re a fan of geography, dreaming up an alternative world, or just want to map out your adventures, MapChart makes it simple and fun. Perfect for school projects, personal hobbies, or just for fun. Start your map-making adventure with MapChart today and bring any map you can imagine to life!

About

Preview3D

View and inspect a wide range of 3D file formats natively on your iPhone and iPad. Supports CAD, mesh, and 3D printing files with detailed information and AR capabilities. Offline functionality ensures privacy and speed.

Highlights
  • Native viewer for STEP, STL, 3MF, G-code, and more
  • Detailed model inspection (dimensions, volume, surface area)
  • Full-color 3MF rendering
  • Augmented Reality (AR) Quick Look integration
  • Offline functionality, no account or web uploads
  • Quick Look and 3D thumbnail support in Files app
  • Universal purchase for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Read full description

Preview3D is a fast, native iPhone and iPad viewer for the 3D formats you actually use — from CAD to mesh to 3D printing — in one clean window. Open a STEP file from a vendor, a painted 3MF from your slicer, or an STL someone sent you, and see it instantly — in the app, or right in the Files app with Quick Look and 3D thumbnails. No web uploads, no account, no clutter. SUPPORTED FORMATS • STEP / STP, STL, OBJ, PLY • glTF / GLB, USDZ / USD, COLLADA (DAE) • 3MF — including painted multi-material prints • FBX, 3DS, X3D, LWO, MS3D, AC, AMF, OFF and more (via Assimp) • G-code and PrusaSlicer binary G-code (.bgcode) REAL STEP SUPPORT Preview3D reads STEP with a pure-Swift B-rep kernel: watertight tessellation and crease-aware normals straight from the exact geometry, so cylinders stay smooth and edges stay crisp. Files that carry colors (STYLED_ITEM) render each part in its assigned color. INSPECT Open the info panel for bounding-box dimensions, volume, surface area, watertightness and structure — solids, faces, edges, triangles and vertices. 3D-PRINTING FILES Open your slicer's G-code or PrusaSlicer .bgcode, orbit the print toolpath in 3D, flip to the embedded preview image, and read the print stats — time, filament, weight, layer height and material. 3MF, IN FULL COLOR Multi-material painting from PrusaSlicer and Bambu Studio is decoded and rendered in its filament colors — including fine sub-facet brush detail — so you can preview a finished multi-color print before it leaves the slicer. Colors written into a 3MF by CAD tools and converters show too. SEE IT IN YOUR ROOM View any model in AR with AR Quick Look — place it on your desk or the floor and walk around it. SCAN A CODE, SEE THE MODEL A Preview3D QR code next to a printed model opens it in 3D and AR — even for someone who hasn't installed the app, through an App Clip. Make codes for your own Printables models, free, at preview3d.xfanta.com/qr. QUICK LOOK & THUMBNAILS Preview supported files right in the Files app, and get real 3D thumbnails — including STEP, painted 3MF, COLLADA (DAE), FBX and 3DS that iOS can't render on its own. Keep your models in the Preview3D folder in Files and reopen them anytime. SHARE Send a PNG snapshot of the current view to any app. Placing a model in AR? Share it as USDZ right from there. BUILT FOR IPHONE AND IPAD A real native app built on SceneKit and Metal — quick to launch, quick to orbit. Fully offline: everything runs on your device, no account, no network. iOS and iPadOS 17 or later. BUY ONCE, USE EVERYWHERE Preview3D is a universal purchase: one purchase covers the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps. The Mac version adds PMI / GD&T (AP242) reading, assembly trees with per-part isolation, and one-click conversion to STL, OBJ, GLB and USDZ. Note: measurements are produced by automated tessellation and are provided for convenience — always verify against your authoritative CAD source for manufacturing-critical work.

Screenshots

MapChart App4 screens
Preview3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MapChart App at Free against Preview3D's $9.99. MapChart App also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Preview3D's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (100% vs 83%). On update cadence, 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

MapChart App is free to download; Preview3D costs $9.99 up front. MapChart App sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Preview3D asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MapChart App ships an update weekly, Preview3D every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
MapChart App versus Preview3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMapChart AppPreview3D
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating4.8 (4.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.8K — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size173 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMinas GiannekasMichal Fanta

Customer experience

MapChart App

All ratings4,807 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews824 reviews
Positive82.8%
Neutral7.4%
Negative9.8%

Preview3D

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

MapChart App

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Saved maps sometimes deleted unexpectedly
  • Borders not aligning properly on some maps
  • Difficulty selecting/coloring small regions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add drawing/border editing tools
  • Implement more historical map options
  • Allow custom country/region creation
  • Improve export/save functionality
  • Add more detailed subdivision maps

Preview3D

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

MapChart App

One-time3
  • MapChart Premium to Max$2.99
  • MapChart Premium$4.99
  • MapChart Premium Max$8.99
None

Preview3D

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MapChart App free?
MapChart App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Preview3D free?
Preview3D costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do MapChart App or Preview3D have ads?
Neither MapChart App nor Preview3D shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MapChart App or Preview3D?
MapChart App ships an update weekly, and Preview3D every 5 days. Most recently, MapChart App was updated on October 10, 2026 and Preview3D on October 4, 2026.

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