# compass vs Compass mini

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Compass mini at 96% against compass's 32%. Compass mini also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. compass sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Compass mini sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Compass mini holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 121 and 61 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of compass's written reviews are positive against 96% of Compass mini's.

compass ships an update every 3 weeks, Compass mini every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | compass | Compass mini |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-latitude-and-longitude/id1597253813/reviews) | **[4.8 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-mini/id6443833141/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **121** | 61 |
| Positive reviews | 32.4% of reviews | **95.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [美霞 熊](https://appshunter.io/developer/1597250425) | [鑫 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439411405) |

## What reviewers say

### compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-latitude-and-longitude/id1597253813)

This tool provides detailed location information including weather, longitude, latitude, and altitude. It also offers GPS speed measurement and the ability to capture photos with location data embedded.

**Highlights:** Display longitude, latitude, altitude, and weather, Real-time GPS information, GPS speed measurement, Altitude and wind direction recording, Camera photography with location data, Ad-free experience with subscription

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 指南针定位专业版 | $0.99 | per month |
| 指南针定位专业版 | $14.99 | per year |


### Compass mini

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-mini/id6443833141)

This app provides a minimalist compass for identifying direction. It also displays altitude, barometric pressure, and coordinate information for your current location. Additional features include sunrise/sunset times and solar angles, with offline usability and widget support.

**Highlights:** Direction identification, Altitude and barometric pressure, Coordinate navigation, Location bookmarking, Sunrise and sunset times, Solar elevation and azimuth, Offline usability

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compass mini · Pro | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful and elegant design
- 🚫 No annoying ads
- 🧹 Clean and simple interface
- 🧭 Accurate compass functionality
- ⛰️ Displays altitude information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Occasional frame drops on settings
- 💰 In-app purchases are expensive
- ⚠️ Calibration can be difficult

**Reported bugs**

- Clicking settings causes frame drops
- Altitude display issues in some locations
- No compass widget available
- Latitude and longitude are阉割 (阉割 means 'castrated' or 'removed', implying it's disabled/unavailable in China)
- watchOS 11 app not available despite update log

**Requested features**

- Switch angle to elevation in the center
- More precise location targeting (e.g., to landmarks)
- WatchOS integration
- Change daytime color scheme for solar trajectory widget
- Discount for in-app purchases


## Frequently asked questions

### Is compass free?

compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Compass mini free?

Compass mini is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, compass or Compass mini?

Compass mini is rated higher. compass averages 4.5 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while Compass mini averages 4.8 from 61 ratings.

### Do compass or Compass mini have ads?

compass shows ads; Compass mini does not.

### Which is updated more often, compass or Compass mini?

compass ships an update every 3 weeks, and Compass mini every 5 weeks. Most recently, compass was updated on November 7, 2026 and Compass mini on November 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*