GPS vs MapLayers
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GPS
This app provides detailed location data including speed, altitude, and coordinates. It offers various map views and tracks your journey statistics. Customize settings for units, display, and background operation.
- Current heading, course, speed, coordinates, altitude
- Street, topographic, and satellite maps
- Cached maps for offline viewing
- Trace statistics (time, distance, altitude, speed)
- Customizable coordinate and unit formats
- Background tracing and automatic pausing
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"GPS" gives you access to your iPhone's GPS functionality and more. The simple display shows your current: - Heading (where a compass is available). - Course - Speed or Speed Average - Coordinates - Altitude Street and Topographic maps are available along with aerial or satellite photos. Once viewed maps will also be held cached for a day. And trace statistics including: - Time and Distance - Minimum and Maximum Altitude - Average and Maximum speed. Via the settings you can: - Choose between Latitude & Longitude formats and UTM coordinates. - Choose between meters or feet and formats. - Choosing Speed or Average Speed. - Keep your iPhone awake. - Trace while GPS is in the background. - Automatically pause when you stop. - Shutdown when the battery started getting low. more features are on the way... www.onwhat.net/gps
MapLayers
Access a wide variety of maps for outdoor activities, including USGS and Bureau of Land Management charts. Import custom GeoPDF maps and overlay them with different base layers. Track your GPS location and record your travels for review.
- GPS tracking and logging
- Multiple map types
- Custom GeoPDF import
- Map overlays
- Compass navigation
- View current location
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MapLayers is a collection of maps for outdoor activities and more! New in Version 1.4: Compass for navigating to any point on the map New in Version 1.2: App URLs to open individual charts either in app or on the web. New in Version 1.1: GPS Track Logging. You can now record and review your travels!. Discovering and downloading maps for your adventures is easy and fast. Multiple types of maps are available and multiple maps can be viewed at the same time. Custom maps can be imported as GeoPDF and we are adding more maps constantly. Featuring maps from the USGS, Bureau of Land Management and more! Each map is viewable on our custom, spherical based map engine and can be overlaid with various base maps. Your current location can also be shown on the map. SUPPORT We can help! Email team@cartolake.com LEGAL End User License Agreement: https://www.cartolake.com/about/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.cartolake.com/about/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: MapLayers at Free against GPS's $0.99. MapLayers also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). GPS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On 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
MapLayers is free to download; GPS costs $0.99 up front. MapLayers sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $24.99 per year. GPS asks for nothing beyond the download.
MapLayers holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GPS has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
GPS ships an update every 11 months, MapLayers every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GPS | MapLayers |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.4 (7 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #197 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Void Stop Pty Ltd | CartoLake, LLC |
Bugs and requests
GPS
Reported bugs
15 issues- Phone screen goes black with waterproof case
- Maps blank/unavailable
- OpenCycle maps no longer loading
- MPH does not work
- Speed takes long to update and jumps around
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- Average speed greater than max speed
- Update in standby only works briefly
- Coordinates aren't close
- Elevation inaccurate
- Map is horrible
- Gray lines instead of map
- Location doesn't change when moving
- Screen refresh incomplete
- Version not developed for iPhone message
- Crashes phone
Requested features
20 requests- Ability to choose projection (e.g., UTM)
- Substitute other maps
- Facility for feedback/contributions
- Type notes with GPS coordinates
- Save location details as a picture
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- Retina graphics
- More recent SDK technologies
- Red display for night vision
- Trail line follow on map
- Tracking function on map
- Coordinate format selector
- Optional history recording
- More descriptive 'Sleeping' preference name
- Display 'Satellite Signal Not Received' instead of inaccurate coordinates
- Lose the serif typeface
- Integrate compass headings
- Type in GPS coordinates and find a location
- Compass or similar for direction
- Waypoints and other typical outdoors use
- Access to better maps
MapLayers
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
GPS
No in-app purchases
MapLayers
- Basic Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
