# Compass Free vs Compass & GPS

The clearest difference is rating: Compass & GPS at 4.7 against Compass Free's 2.1. Compass & GPS also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (13K vs 49). Compass Free's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Compass & GPS holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass & GPS has 13K ratings behind it against 49, 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 47% of Compass & GPS's.

Compass Free ships an update every 10 months, Compass & GPS every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Free | Compass & GPS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-free/id284735786/reviews) | **[4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-and-gps/id900837187/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | **47.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 5 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masayuki Akamatsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/284722836) | [EONSOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/899851112) |

## 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 & GPS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-and-gps/id900837187)

This utility app provides a digital compass to help you determine cardinal directions. It's useful for outdoor activities, travel, or low-visibility conditions, and also displays GPS altitude and your current location on a map.

**Highlights:** Digital compass, Cardinal direction display, GPS altitude, Bearing (azimuth) display, Location sharing, Map view, Tilt indicator

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Fast and accurate
- 💡 Useful for navigation
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Calibration issues
- 🐛 Inaccurate compass readings
- 🐛 Doesn't work on certain devices
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data sharing

**Reported bugs**

- Compass needle stuck or not moving
- App freezes or crashes
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Add option to disable recalibration requests
- Improve compass accuracy and reliability
- Integrate with mapping features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass Free free?

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

### Is Compass & GPS free?

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

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

Compass & GPS is rated higher. Compass Free averages 2.1 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Compass & GPS averages 4.7 from 13K ratings.

### Do Compass Free or Compass & GPS have ads?

Both Compass Free and Compass & GPS show ads.

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

Compass Free ships an update every 10 months, and Compass & GPS every 9 days. Most recently, Compass Free was updated on October 24, 2026 and Compass & GPS on October 27, 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.*