Compass Free vs Rotary calculator
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.
Rotary calculator
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Calculator that rotates calculation results ~Easy to check calculation results with other people~
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Rotary calculator at every 2 weeks against Compass Free's every 10 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Compass Free ships an update every 10 months, Rotary calculator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Compass Free | Rotary calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.1 (49 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 49 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.8.3 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Masayuki Akamatsu | Hideaki Uchikoshi |
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
Rotary calculator
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Compass Free
No in-app purchases
Rotary calculator
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Compass Free free?
Is Rotary calculator free?
Do Compass Free or Rotary calculator have ads?
Which is updated more often, Compass Free or Rotary calculator?
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