# Scale GPS vs maps.earth

The clearest difference is rating: Scale GPS at 5.0 against maps.earth's 3.0. Scale GPS also leads on device support (3 vs 1). maps.earth's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 36 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scale GPS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 5 respectively.

Scale GPS ships an update every 36 months, maps.earth monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scale GPS | maps.earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scale-gps/id1663165390/reviews)** | [3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapsearth/id6479329515/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 36 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 213 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scale8](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663165392) | [Michael Kirk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023813384) |

## What reviewers say

### Scale GPS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scale-gps/id1663165390)

This application allows users to track vehicles like cars and bikes, and record travel routes globally. It offers real-time navigation, traffic avoidance, and estimated arrival times for various destinations. Save routes for future trips and explore new travel paths.

**Highlights:** Vehicle tracking (cars, bikes, buses), Global route tracking, Real-time GPS navigation, Traffic avoidance and ETA updates, Route saving for future trips, Fuel consumption reporting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### maps.earth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapsearth/id6479329515)

Discover the world with low-stress directions powered by OpenStreetMap. This open-source application prioritizes user privacy by not displaying ads or selling data, focusing solely on providing a pleasant mapping experience.

**Highlights:** World exploration, Low-stress directions, OpenStreetMap powered, Ad-free experience, Data privacy focused, Open source

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scale GPS free?

Scale GPS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is maps.earth free?

maps.earth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scale GPS or maps.earth?

Scale GPS is rated higher. Scale GPS averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while maps.earth averages 3.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Scale GPS or maps.earth have ads?

Neither Scale GPS nor maps.earth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scale GPS or maps.earth?

Scale GPS ships an update every 36 months, and maps.earth monthly. Most recently, Scale GPS was updated on October 1, 2026 and maps.earth on October 9, 2026.

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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.*