Maps for OSM vs Ascend Maps
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Maps for OSM
Explore detailed maps from OpenStreetMap with offline capabilities. Record tracks, add notes, and capture photos or videos directly on the map. This open-source application offers robust data management and backup features.
- Offline map tile preloading
- Place markers and notes
- Photo and video capture
- GPX track recording and export
- Data backup and restore
- Open source
Read full descriptionHide full description
View maps from OpenStreetMap (app is not affiliated with OSM organization). Choose your own tile server. Preload tiles for offline use. Set place markers, take photos, video, audios. Write notes. Record, import and export tracks in gpx format. Backup and restore all your data. Free use, no ads. This app is open source. The code can be found at https://github.com/mr-elbe5/Maps-For-OSM-IOS.git Further information on https://en.elbe5.de
Ascend Maps
This app provides customizable outdoor maps with offline capabilities. It features 3D terrain, track recording, saved places management, and the ability to save map tiles for offline use. Explore the outdoors with detailed, personalized navigation tools.
- Offline search
- 3D terrain
- Track recording and editing
- Saved places management
- Customizable map styles
- Offline map tile saving
Read full descriptionHide full description
Ascend is an open source app for vector and raster maps. Features include 3D terrain, offline search, track recording and editing, managing saved places, saving map tiles for offline use, and more. CUSTOMIZABLE * Includes a simple, customizable style for OpenStreetMap vector tiles with modes for hiking, biking, and transit. * Overlay customizable hillshading, shaded relief, contour lines, and slope angle shading calculated in real-time over any base map. * Supports plugins for search, routing, map sources and more. * Add new online map sources and combine layers to create new maps. * Generate and import your own vector tiles. COMPREHENSIVE * Offline search * Wikipedia search * Manage saved places * Show geotagged photos from your Photo Library. * Create and edit routes * Record and edit tracks for hiking, fitness, and more * Save map tiles for offline use Learn more at https://github.com/styluslabs/maps
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Maps for OSM at every 3 weeks against Ascend Maps's every 6 months. Ascend Maps's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Maps for OSM against 5.0 for Ascend Maps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
Maps for OSM ships an update every 3 weeks, Ascend Maps every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Maps for OSM | Ascend Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Roennau | Matthew White |
Customer experience
Maps for OSM
Ascend Maps
In-app purchases
Maps for OSM
No in-app purchases
Ascend Maps
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Maps for OSM free?
Is Ascend Maps free?
Which has better reviews, Maps for OSM or Ascend Maps?
Do Maps for OSM or Ascend Maps have ads?
Which is updated more often, Maps for OSM or Ascend Maps?
Other comparisons
