Compass Free vs Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Compass Free
This app functions as a sundial to determine cardinal directions using sunlight. Align the shadow of your finger with the app's shading to find north, south, east, and west.
- Measures cardinal points
- Uses sunlight
- Aligns finger shadow
- Indicates directions
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You can find directions without a magnetic compass, as long as there is sunlight. Hold your finger upright at the center of the screen and turn your device. Just line up the white line with your finger's shadow, and the correct directions are shown. It needs neither GPS nor a network connection and works completely standalone. Just make sure your device's clock is set correctly.
Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS
This app provides real-time GPS elevation tracking for your current location. It's ideal for outdoor activities, travel, or simply satisfying your curiosity about altitude. The app is designed for simplicity and accuracy, working offline with minimal battery consumption.
- Current altitude display
- GPS accuracy indicator
- Clean, easy-to-read interface
- Offline functionality
- Minimal battery usage
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Know your exact elevation, anywhere. Altimeter ∞ shows your real-time GPS altitude in feet or meters with a live accuracy indicator — no signup, no clutter. Built for hikers, climbers, skiers, cyclists, drone pilots, paragliders, and travelers who need a fast, dependable altitude reader. Features: • Live GPS altitude in meters or feet • One-tap unit toggle • GPS accuracy display • Works offline once located • Minimal battery use • Clean, glanceable interface Optional Premium removes ads with a monthly or lifetime in-app purchase. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/alti-meter/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS at 4.6 against Compass Free's 2.1. Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (1K vs 49). Compass Free's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and device support (4 vs 2). On price 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. Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Compass Free asks for nothing beyond the download.
Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS has 1K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Compass Free's written reviews are positive against 50% of Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS's.
Compass Free ships an update every 10 months, Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Compass Free | Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.1 (49 ratings) | 4.6 (1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 49 | 1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Masayuki Akamatsu | Fawkes Wei |
Customer experience
Compass Free
Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS
Bugs and requests
Compass Free
Reported bugs
2 issues- Causes device freezes or crashes
- Inaccurate compass readings
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for southern hemisphere
- Integrate with GPS for more accurate direction
- Provide night mode or moonlight option
- Improve instructions and user guidance
Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Compass Free
No in-app purchases
Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Yearly$7.991 Year
- Lifetime$7.99
Questions
Is Compass Free free?
Is Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS free?
Which has better reviews, Compass Free or Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS?
Do Compass Free or Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS have ads?
Which is updated more often, Compass Free or Altimeter ∞ Elevation GPS?
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