GPS Kit vs Theodolite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GPS Kit
This app provides a top-of-the-line GPS system for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals. It offers offline mapping, powerful waypoint management with photos and notes, and intelligent data collection for activities like hiking, hunting, and cycling anywhere in the world.
- Offline mapping with no data connection required
- Waypoint management with photos and notes
- Supports KML, KMZ, and GPX data import/export
- Customizable dashboard with various parameters
- Real-time navigation to waypoints
- Weather stations for point forecasts (U.S. only)
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- TIME Magazine’s 15 Fantastic Gadgets “Perfect for hiking or mountain biking.” - TUAW.com “The GPS Kit app... has a number of excellent outdoor uses, especially [for] hiking, biking or geocaching.” - NBC’s ‘The Browser’ Radio Show “Most beneficial for adventure-type guys.” _________________________________________________________ Top-of-the-line GPS system for adventurers and professionals in the great outdoors. Designed for outdoor activities such as: hiking, hunting, camping, skiing, cycling, geocaching, mountain biking, motorcycling, off-roading, fishing, and other romping in or out of the backcountry—ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. GPS Kit is a full-featured GPS system for the iPhone that combines all the functionality of expensive handheld units with the power of wireless technology. Using advanced technology optimized for the iPhone, GPS Kit offers a superbly easy-to-use system that puts data from a wide range of sensors at your fingertips. Highest Quality Mapping - Fastest maps in the App Store - Smooth, elegant interaction - Offline Mode enables use out of cell range - No data connection required if map is cached - Use your own map sources Simple, Powerful Data Handling - Mail links for Google Earth & map viewing - Full-color thumbnails of data sets - Group tracks and waypoints together - Most options for export and import of data - Open KML, KMZ, & GPX from Mail & Safari - Attach KML & GPX files to email - Export GPX & KML through iTunes - Share your adventures on Facebook and Twitter Powerful Waypoints - Add photos and notes to waypoints - Drag map to reposition as coordinates update - UTM, USNG, MGRS - Long-press to quickly drop a waypoint - Navigate to waypoints using compass - Magnetic compass (3GS, 4, iPad) - Option to use current travel direction on compass - See distance to waypoint update in real-time Weather Stations (U.S. Only) - Create "weather stations" to get point forecasts - Get data specific to your fishing hole, ski tour, etc. - Data provided by the National Weather Service - Unlimited stations Intelligent Data Collection - Uses maximum GPS accuracy - Real satellite positioning even without cell signal - Auto-segmentation of tracks for clean tracks Fully Customizable Dashboard - Gorgeous high contrast display - Huge variety of parameters and units - Time, Trip Time, Track Time - Elevation Change - Formatted Position (Lat/Lng, UTM, MGRS, USNG) - Accuracy, Speed, Odometer, Avg Speed - Max Speed, Pace, Avg. Pace - Moving Time, Stopped Time, Direction - 3-Axis Inclinometer and Glide Ratio - Customizable cell on map Loaded with Related Utilities - Elevation and speed graphs - On-map tracking controls and timer - On-map ruler - Multi-touch area measurements * Use of "Squawk!" requires an Internet connection and extended use may adversely impact battery life Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life
Theodolite
This app combines a compass, inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, and map with augmented reality features. Capture photos and videos with overlaid geographical data, and navigate using detailed offline maps. Share locations and collaborate with others for various outdoor and professional uses.
- Augmented reality viewfinder
- Compass and inclinometer
- GPS and map navigation
- Data-overlay photo/video camera
- Offline map support
- Rangefinder and nav calculator
- Coordinate system support
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Theodolite is a multi-function viewfinder that combines a compass, two-axis inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, map, nav calculator, and geo-overlay photo/movie camera into one indispensable app. Theodolite was one of the very first augmented reality (AR) apps when it was released in 2009, and it’s been downloaded and used by millions of customers since then. Uses are endless, and the app is great for land measurements, outdoor sports, sightseeing, navigation, and finding your way around. Theodolite is a pro grade app and is used extensively by surveyors, geologists, architects, engineers, competitive sportsmen, first responders, military personnel, and search and rescue workers around the world. Theodolite lets you take data-overlay photos and movies with 2X-8X zoom. Overlay geographical data, angle markings, date/time, author/company info, and project notes directly on photos and movies for later reference. The same data is written into the metadata record of images, making image files self-contained data records. Third-party apps can tap into Theodolite's advanced camera functions with a camera sharing feature. View current position on the built-in map with optional offline Outdoors maps that include topo contours, roads, trails, landmarks, campgrounds, ski lifts, and more. Live map markers continually update distance/heading relative to the current location and also show wayfinding info in the main viewfinder. Draw polygons on the map to mark things like property boundaries and trails, and import/export polygon data via KML. Share map markers and nav calculator points with other users of Theodolite via text messages or e-mail. This powerful capability opens up a wide range of collaborative uses including team land surveying, accident investigations, spotting wild fires, triangulation of landmarks, and advanced tactical observation and targeting. With an optional in-app purchase to enable team tracking, you can share location with up to 20 people on Theodolite's map. Theodolite includes features for serious users like a reference angle mode, nav calculator, map marker import/export, manual and automatic data logging with CSV and KML export, clipboard integration, %grade display, mil compass readout, optical rangefinders (including a mil-based reticle, sniper-style stadiametric graphs, and a variable 4X-24X scope), and night filters to improve use in dark conditions. Theodolite can provide location in military grid reference system (MGRS) coordinates, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, British/Irish National Grids, US National Grid, Maidenhead locator system, Map Grid of Australia, and six latitude/longitude formats. Optional US State Plane coordinates include SPCS27 and SPCS83 zones covering all US States. The optional Datum Pack adds over 230 geodetic datums to the app to improve position computation from GPS data, covering regions and countries on all continents around the world. AR Layers include navigational aids like the sun, moon, planets, and Polaris (North star), and the optional US Mountain Summits layer that shows over 70,000 US mountain summits in the viewfinder. Theodolite has been shown in Apple Keynotes, featured on the App Store, and has been a #1 selling Navigation app in App Stores around the world. Since its introduction in 2009, Theodolite has defined augmented reality navigation. The app continually introduces new technologies, pushing the limits of iOS app development and taking advantage of new hardware capabilities. Find out why Apple named Theodolite one of the most amazing apps available and showed it being used to explore the Great Wall of China. Where will you take it on your next adventure? Note: Theodolite is an iPhone app -- see “Theodolite HD” for use on an iPad. And be sure to check out the all-new "Theodolite for Watch" and put Theodolite on your wrist!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GPS Kit at none against Theodolite's 8. GPS Kit also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Theodolite's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (88% vs 58%). On ratings volume, ads 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
GPS Kit costs $9.99 and Theodolite $8.99 up front. Theodolite sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. GPS Kit asks for nothing beyond the download.
Theodolite holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 367 and 906 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of GPS Kit's written reviews are positive against 88% of Theodolite's.
GPS Kit ships an update every 2 months, Theodolite every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | GPS Kit | Theodolite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $8.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (367 ratings) | 4.7 (906 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 58.3% of reviews | 87.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 367 | 906 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #37 | #6 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garafa, LLC | Craig Hunter |
Customer experience
GPS Kit
Theodolite
Bugs and requests
GPS Kit
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes when importing/exporting data
- Inaccurate speed and distance tracking
- Disappearing waypoints and tracks
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- Improved map rendering and zooming
- Customizable dashboard and data fields
- Ability to import/export GPX files
- Waypoint and route sharing features
- Altitude profile and elevation data
Theodolite
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
GPS Kit
No in-app purchases
Theodolite
- 1,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$0.99
- Team Tracking$1.99
- World Datum Pack$2.99
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- US Mountain Summits AR Layer$2.99
- 5,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$4.99
- 10,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$8.99
- 20,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$17.99
- US State Plane Coordinates$24.99









