# Compass Free vs Compass

The clearest difference is rating: Compass at 4.1 against Compass Free's 2.1. Compass also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 34%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Compass holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 182 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Compass Free's written reviews are positive against 73% of Compass's.

Compass Free ships an update every 22 months, Compass every 41 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Free | Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-free/id284735786/reviews) | **[4.1 (182 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass/id546228063/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 50 | **182** |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | **72.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 22 months** | Every 41 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **6.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masayuki Akamatsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/284722836) | [Horizon Business, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431586531) |

## 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


### Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass/id546228063)

This application displays your current direction and heading in a large, easy-to-read format. Customize the look by selecting your preferred background and arrow style to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Large format display, Direction and heading indicator, Selectable background, Selectable arrow style

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Large and easy to see
- 👍 Works well and dependable
- 👍 Quick and no setup
- 👍 Accurate and spot on

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate readings
- 🐛 Does not work on iPad
- 🐛 Only works when flat
- 🐛 Ads present
- 🐛 Wildly different readings between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Inaccurate readings compared to native app
- Compass does not work if phone is mounted on dash
- Compass does not work on iPad
- Compass readings are all over the map

**Requested features**

- Indicate reciprocal bearing
- Option to remove ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass Free free?

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

### Is Compass free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Compass Free or Compass?

Compass is rated higher. Compass Free averages 2.1 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Compass averages 4.1 from 182 ratings.

### Do Compass Free or Compass have ads?

Compass Free shows ads; Compass does not.

### Which is updated more often, Compass Free or Compass?

Compass Free ships an update every 22 months, and Compass every 41 months. Most recently, Compass Free was updated on October 16, 2026 and Compass on October 15, 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.*