Comparison

Compass Free vs CompassPro

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Measures cardinal points
  • Uses sunlight
  • Aligns finger shadow
  • Indicates directions
Features
Read full description

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.

About

CompassPro

This navigation app offers 100% offline reliability with cached maps, advanced route planning, and 3D map visualization. It provides precise real-time heading, coordinates, and altitude data, making it ideal for various outdoor and urban exploration activities.

Highlights
  • 100% Offline Reliability
  • Advanced Waypoint & Route Planning
  • 3D Map Visualization
  • Elevation Difference View
  • Precision Display
  • Custom 'Expeditions'
Features
Read full description

CompassPro: The Essential Navigation Toolkit. Unparalleled accuracy and reliability. No clutter, no ads. Just a professional-grade navigation system designed for the backcountry, open waters, or urban exploration. FEATURES: 100% Offline Reliability: Cache maps before you go. Access full navigation (maps, coordinates, and routes) with zero cell service. Advanced Waypoint & Route Planning: Long-press to add waypoints. Link them into custom "Expeditions" with real-time path updates. 3D Map Visualization: Seamlessly switch between 3D and flat views to better understand the terrain and elevation ahead. Elevation Difference View: Instantly compare your current altitude to any waypoint to plan smarter ascents and descents. Precision Display: A crystal-clear display for real-time heading, degrees, and cardinal points, plus exact latitude, longitude, and altitude data. USERS: Hikers & Backpackers: Navigate trails with confidence using offline topo maps. Sailors & RVers: Stay oriented on open water or remote roads. Urban Explorers: Navigate new cities and save custom locations. Surveyors & Geocachers: Professional-grade GPS precision for technical work. SUBSCRIPTIONS: 7-day free trial to start Two ways to subscribe: Monthly for $2.99 or Yearly for $29.99 Cancel Anytime Subscription required for full app access Download CompassPro today and get the precision navigation you can trust, 24/7. Privacy Policy: https://www.blackoakled.com/pages/privacy-policy-for-compass-pro-for-explorers Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Compass Free2 screens
CompassPro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CompassPro at 80% against Compass Free's 34%. CompassPro also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.1) and ads (none vs shown). Compass Free's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (49 vs 5). On price and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CompassPro sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Compass Free asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CompassPro holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass Free has 49 ratings behind it against 5, 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 80% of CompassPro's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Compass Free ships an update every 10 months, CompassPro every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Compass Free versus CompassPro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCompass FreeCompassPro
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.1 (49 ratings)4.6 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.4% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings49 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMasayuki AkamatsuBlueCrest Group, LLC

Customer experience

Compass Free

All ratings49 ratings
Positive24.5%
Neutral6.1%
Negative69.4%
Written reviews607 reviews
Positive34.4%
Neutral7.9%
Negative57.7%

CompassPro

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

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

CompassPro

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Compass Free

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

CompassPro

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Compass Free free?
Compass Free is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CompassPro free?
CompassPro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Compass Free or CompassPro?
CompassPro is rated higher. Compass Free averages 2.1 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while CompassPro averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.
Do Compass Free or CompassPro have ads?
Compass Free shows ads; CompassPro does not.
Which is updated more often, Compass Free or CompassPro?
Compass Free ships an update every 10 months, and CompassPro every 2 weeks. Most recently, Compass Free was updated on October 31, 2026 and CompassPro on October 30, 2026.

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