# Compass vs Route Scout

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Route Scout at 80% against Compass's 12%. Route Scout also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.4 vs 3.0). Compass's advantage is chart position (#173 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Route Scout is free to download; Compass costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Route Scout holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Route Scout has 32 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Compass's written reviews are positive against 80% of Route Scout's.

Compass ships an update every 6 months, Route Scout weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | Route Scout |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass/id288420566/reviews) | **[4.4 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/route-scout-gps-topo-mapper/id1030966878/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **32** |
| Positive reviews | 11.6% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#173** | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Piet Jonas](https://appshunter.io/developer/288060167) | [Joseph Bartels](https://appshunter.io/developer/888786341) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass/id288420566)

**Currently charting:** #173 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

Provides a digital compass using your device's magnetic sensor or a sun-based calculation. Ideal for outdoor adventures like hiking and camping, offering reliable direction finding even without magnetic interference.

**Highlights:** Magnetic compass functionality, Sun compass for direction finding, Works without magnetic interference, Suitable for hiking and camping, Utilizes device sensors

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well on older devices
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Offers sun and magnetic compass options
- 👍 Maintains compatibility with older iOS versions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Does not work as a traditional compass
- 👎 Requires sunlight to function
- 👎 Misleading app description
- 👎 Users feel ripped off/scammed
- 👎 Inaccurate direction readings

**Reported bugs**

- Compass needle doesn't move
- Inaccurate direction readings
- App doesn't work on iPhone/iPod Touch
- App is slow
- App uses location services and Google Maps, subject to distortions

**Requested features**

- Add text to main display indicating "Point iPhone at the sun"
- Remove unnecessary website buttons


### Route Scout

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/route-scout-gps-topo-mapper/id1030966878)

Record outdoor activities like hiking with detailed metrics including mileage, elevation, and speed. Navigate using offline topographic maps and receive audio alerts for nearby waypoints or when you go off-trail. Import and export routes in various GPX formats.

**Highlights:** Offline topographic maps, Route recording and tracking, Waypoint management, Audio alerts for navigation, GPX import/export, Elevation and speed tracking

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass free?

Compass costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Route Scout free?

Route Scout is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Compass or Route Scout?

Route Scout is rated higher. Compass averages 3.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Route Scout averages 4.4 from 32 ratings.

### Do Compass or Route Scout have ads?

Neither Compass nor Route Scout shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass or Route Scout?

Compass ships an update every 6 months, and Route Scout weekly. Most recently, Compass was updated on October 31, 2026 and Route Scout on November 1, 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.*