# Compass Free vs CardKeep

The clearest difference is price: Compass Free at Free against CardKeep's $2.99. Compass Free also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). CardKeep's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Compass Free is free to download; CardKeep costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Compass Free ships an update every 22 months, CardKeep every 28 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Free | CardKeep |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[2.1 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-free/id284735786/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **50** | — |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 22 months** | Every 28 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 0 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masayuki Akamatsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/284722836) | [Jonathan Judelson](https://appshunter.io/developer/813495416) |

## 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


### CardKeep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardkeep/id6503636629)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass Free free?

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

### Is CardKeep free?

CardKeep costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Compass Free or CardKeep have ads?

Compass Free shows ads; CardKeep does not.

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

Compass Free ships an update every 22 months, and CardKeep every 28 months. Most recently, Compass Free was updated on October 12, 2026 and CardKeep on October 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*