# GPS vs MapLayers

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | GPS | MapLayers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps/id298395058/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maplayers/id6446806262/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#197** | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Void Stop Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/298395061) | [CartoLake, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1604655747) |

## What reviewers say

### GPS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps/id298395058)

**Currently charting:** #197 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to read
- 👍 Accurate GPS data
- 👍 Works as described
- 👍 Good for basic GPS needs
- 👍 Clean interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Maps don't load
- 👎 Inaccurate coordinates/speed
- 👎 Useless without navigation
- 👎 No turn-by-turn directions
- 👎 High error margin

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### MapLayers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maplayers/id6446806262)

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.

**Highlights:** GPS tracking and logging, Multiple map types, Custom GeoPDF import, Map overlays, Compass navigation, View current location

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GPS free?

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

### Is MapLayers free?

MapLayers is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, GPS or MapLayers?

MapLayers is rated higher. GPS averages 2.4 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while MapLayers averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do GPS or MapLayers have ads?

MapLayers shows ads; GPS does not.

### Which is updated more often, GPS or MapLayers?

GPS ships an update every 11 months, and MapLayers every 3 weeks. Most recently, GPS was updated on October 29, 2026 and MapLayers 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.*