# Compass Direction vs Compass & Altimeter

The clearest difference is update cadence: Compass Direction at every 3 days against Compass & Altimeter's monthly. Compass & Altimeter's advantage is review sentiment (46% vs 34%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Compass Direction sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Compass & Altimeter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Compass Direction against 4.6 for Compass & Altimeter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.7K and 2.4K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of Compass Direction's written reviews are positive against 46% of Compass & Altimeter's.

Compass Direction ships an update every 3 days, Compass & Altimeter monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Direction | Compass & Altimeter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-direction-digital/id1620523385/reviews) | [4.6 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-and-altimeter/id1624852951/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 2.4K |
| Positive reviews | 34.5% of reviews | **46.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #175 | **#128** |
| Size | 4 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rihab Mehboob](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441916319) | [明力 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1460236088) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass Direction

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-direction-digital/id1620523385)

**Currently charting:** #175 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides accurate compass headings and directions with a real-time GPS map. Easily switch between map and camera views, and access features like altitude, speed, and a torch. Enjoy a beautiful and intuitive interface with haptic feedback and accessibility support.

**Highlights:** Accurate compass headings and directions, Real-time GPS map with zoom, Altitude, latitude, and longitude display, Speedometer, Integrated torch, Switch between map and camera view

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compass 1 Week | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Compass 1 Week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Compass 1 Month | $5.99 | per month |
| Compass 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Compass 1 Year | $24.99 | per year |
| Compass 6 Months | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| Compass 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Compass Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |
| Compass Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Accurate and easy to use
- 💡 Useful for specific use cases
- 👍 Visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate compass direction
- 🔒 Requires subscription to use
- 🔒 No free trial
- 🐛 Doesn't work as expected
- 🔒 Forces users to subscribe

**Reported bugs**

- Compass always showing wrong directions
- App freezes or becomes non-functional
- Restore purchase feature not working
- App crashing or not loading properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to calibrate the compass
- Option to purchase a one-time fee instead of subscription
- Offline map support
- Ability to set waypoints and get directions


### Compass & Altimeter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-and-altimeter/id1624852951)

**Currently charting:** #128 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides precise geographical orientation with a compass and displays vital data like altitude, weather, and location. It helps users navigate, record locations, and measure real-time GPS speed, making it a useful travel companion.

**Highlights:** Accurate compass functionality, Display altitude, longitude, and latitude, Real-time weather information, Location recording, GPS speed measurement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compass Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Compass Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Compass Premium | $18.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful compass feature
- 🚀 Smooth performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate on iPad mini
- 🐛 Drifts out of alignment over time
- 💰 Forced premium subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Compass doesn't move
- Latitude/longitude doesn't work
- Difficult to cancel subscription

**Requested features**

- Add km/h speed option
- Improve iPad landscape mode support
- Provide a free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass Direction free?

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

### Is Compass & Altimeter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Compass Direction or Compass & Altimeter?

Compass Direction and Compass & Altimeter are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.7K and 2.4K ratings respectively.

### Do Compass Direction or Compass & Altimeter have ads?

Both Compass Direction and Compass & Altimeter show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass Direction or Compass & Altimeter?

Compass Direction ships an update every 3 days, and Compass & Altimeter monthly. Most recently, Compass Direction was updated on September 24, 2026 and Compass & Altimeter on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Compass Direction or Compass & Altimeter?

Compass Direction currently peaks at #175 in the App Store charts, and Compass & Altimeter at #128. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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