# Compass Free vs Simon Plug&Drive

The clearest difference is ads: Simon Plug&Drive at none against Compass Free's shown. Simon Plug&Drive also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 16 months). Compass Free's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Compass Free ships an update every 16 months, Simon Plug&Drive every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Free | Simon Plug&Drive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.1 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-free/id284735786/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **49** | — |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masayuki Akamatsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/284722836) | [Simon](https://appshunter.io/developer/531284305) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass Free

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-free/id284735786)

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.

**Highlights:** Measures cardinal points, Uses sunlight, Aligns finger shadow, Indicates directions

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple to use
- 🌞 Works with sun position
- 🆓 Free app
- 💡 Clever concept
- 🧭 Useful for basic navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🌤️ Requires sunlight to function
- 🌍 Not suitable for southern hemisphere
- 📍 Lacks GPS integration
- 🕰️ Doesn't adjust for daylight savings
- 🤷‍♂️ Unclear instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Causes device freezes or crashes
- Inaccurate compass readings

**Requested features**

- Add support for southern hemisphere
- Integrate with GPS for more accurate direction
- Provide night mode or moonlight option
- Improve instructions and user guidance


### Simon Plug&Drive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simon-plug-and-drive/id1633641300)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass Free free?

Compass Free is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Simon Plug&Drive free?

Simon Plug&Drive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Compass Free or Simon Plug&Drive have ads?

Compass Free shows ads; Simon Plug&Drive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Compass Free or Simon Plug&Drive?

Compass Free ships an update every 16 months, and Simon Plug&Drive every 2 months. Most recently, Compass Free was updated on October 22, 2026 and Simon Plug&Drive on October 5, 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.*