Topo Maps vs C
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Topo Maps
Access detailed topographical maps for hiking and backcountry activities. Download maps for offline use and navigate with features like waypoints, current location tracking, and compass alignment. Search for millions of geographical features.
- Offline topographical map access
- USGS and Canadian map downloads
- Waypoint marking and GPX import/export
- Current location and compass alignment
- Search for geographical features
- Distance and bearing measurement
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* View over 70,000 Natural Resources Canada 1:50,000 and USGS 1:24,000 topographical maps on your iPhone or iPod touch. * Ideal for hiking and other backcountry activities. * Map downloads are FREE! * More than 16 million maps downloaded so far! - iPad owners, please see the app "Topo Maps for iPad". * Users write: " I've bought all the topo map apps and I like this the best " " Scans are gorgeous ... the interface is exceptionally clean " " Downloading maps is easy and fast ... Map displays beautifully and zooms flawlessly " * Includes Canada (at 1:50,000), the contiguous US (at 1:24,000), Alaska (at 1:24,000 and 1:63,360), Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. * Locate the maps you need on the satellite view. To install a map, touch for about half a second. Touch again to view it. * Search by name for over a million towns, peaks, lakes, parks and other features. * No network connection is needed once the maps have been installed. * Mark waypoints, and import and export waypoint files in GPX, KML and CSV formats. * Touch the "current location" button to see where you are, and the compass button to align the map with the ground. * See coordinates in NAD27 or WGS84 degrees, degrees minutes and seconds, UTM, or MGRS formats. * Measure distances (miles, feet and km) and bearings (true and magnetic). The Maps: This app uses high-quality scans of the traditional USGS and NRCan topographic maps which have been the definitive resource for hikers and other backcountry users for many years. You can make the terrain stand out with hill shading, using simulated sunlight from the direction of your choice. In the U.S., this app does not use the new "US Topo" maps because they do not show hiking trails and lack other details: please see the web site for more details. Downloading: US maps are around 8 MB in size and download in a few seconds on a typical home broadband connection. Canadian maps are larger. Both cellular data and WiFi can be used, though WiFi is likely to be more reliable in most cases. - Do please visit https://topomapsapp.com/ for complete instructions, so that you don't miss any features. We have many ideas for additional features to add to future versions of this app; if you have ideas or other questions or comments, contact details can be found on the website, https://topomapsapp.com/. The website also has more screenshots and other information.
C
Access up-to-date nautical charts for global exploration and planning. Save points of interest and routes, record tracks, and view marine weather. Upgrade for offline maps, GPS, and advanced features like shaded relief and AIS.
- Free chart viewer
- Autorouting
- Personal waypoints
- Track recording
- Marine weather forecasts
- Offline map downloads
- High-resolution bathymetry
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The C-MAP® App is the perfect companion for recreational boaters and water-lovers. Available on Mobile, Tablet or PC, you’ll always be able to access the most up to date C-MAP charts, wherever in the world you are. With full features, allowing you to explore, plan and save Points of Interest and Routes from wherever you are, the C-MAP App is the perfect aid to navigation for savvy boaters. The C-MAP App Includes: - FREE Chart Viewer - Autorouting™ – find the best route to your favourite places - Personal Waypoints - Track Recording - Thousands of pre-loaded Points of Interest - Marine Weather Forecast - Weather Along the Route - Weather Overlay - Chart Personalisation - Import & Export GPX Files – share your Routes, Tracks or Waypoints with friends - Measure Distance Tool Upgrade to Premium to unlock additional features, including: - Full GPS Functionality - Offline Map Downloads - REVEAL Shaded Relief - High-Resolution Bathymetry - Custom Depth Shading - AIS & C-MAP Traffic Try before you buy… Experience C-MAP App Premium for yourself, with a free 14-day trial (3-day trial in Denmark and Sweden). The C-MAP App updates on a continual basis, ensuring the latest, most up-to-date maps are always at your fingertips. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Links to Your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Privacy Policy: https://www.brunswick.com/dsar Terms of Service https://appchart.c-map.com/tos.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: C at Free against Topo Maps's $19.99. C also leads on ratings volume (2.3K vs 128) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Topo Maps's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and review sentiment (70% vs 51%). On update cadence, 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
C is free to download; Topo Maps costs $19.99 up front. C sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Topo Maps asks for nothing beyond the download.
C holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: C has 2.3K ratings behind it against 128, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Topo Maps's written reviews are positive against 51% of C's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Topo Maps ships an update every 2 months, C every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Topo Maps | C |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (128 ratings) | 4.5 (2.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 69.6% of reviews — better | 51.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 128 | 2.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #27 — better | #112 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 169 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mappendix Limited | Navico Norway AS |
Customer experience
Topo Maps
C
User reviews
Topo Maps
From 128 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📍 Accurate USGS topographic maps for navigation
- 📱 Offline functionality without cellular service
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscription fees
- 🎯 Precise GPS positioning and waypoint marking
- 📥 Easy map downloading and management
Room to improve
- 🗺️ Outdated map data (10-30+ years old)
- 🔴 Alignment issues in some regions (Central Washington)
- ❌ No GPS tracking/breadcrumb trail feature
- 🚫 Limited geographic coverage (US/Canada only)
- ⚠️ Inconsistent elevation accuracy vs. actual GPS
C
From 2.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate maps and charts
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 📍 Helpful for planning trips and routes
- 🛳️ Useful for both professionals and beginners
- ⚙️ Detailed features like shaded relief and weather info
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- ⚠️ Unreliable GPS tracking and location updates
- 🔌 Offline maps and features not working as expected
- 🤔 Confusing or missing functionality (e.g. route editing)
- 💸 Expensive subscription, not worth the cost
Bugs and requests
Topo Maps
Reported bugs
8 issues- App fails to open on iOS 16.2 and later versions
- Map download errors with spotty connectivity prevent future downloads
- App freezes after recent updates
- GPS location inaccuracy on iPhone (works better on iPad)
- Maps misaligned in certain regions
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- Elevation readings significantly differ from actual GPS altitude
- App crashes when opening on newer iPhone models
- Blue location indicator too large and blocks map details
Requested features
15 requests- GPS tracking with automatic breadcrumb trails
- GPX and KML file import/export capabilities
- Cloud synchronization of waypoints across devices
- Satellite imagery download option
- Track recording and playback functionality
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- Elevation profile visualization
- Batch map downloading (multiple maps simultaneously)
- Waypoint timestamp automation
- Height map vs GPS elevation mode switching
- Line-of-sight calculation with fresnel zone visualization
- European and international map coverage
- 3D map rendering
- Distance measurement tools
- Route linking between waypoints
- Apple Watch integration
C
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes when trying to save tracks or routes
- Offline maps fail to download or disappear
- Depth/contour data inaccurate or not displaying properly
- Login and authentication issues preventing access
Requested features
4 requests- Add mast height/clearance feature
- Improve AIS integration and functionality
- Allow more customization of map views and data
- Provide better customer support and communication
In-app purchases
Topo Maps
No in-app purchases
C
- Embark Advanced Weather$1.991 Month
- Embark Offline Maps USA$2.491 Month
- Annual Subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
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- Annual subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Region14 Days trial2 variants$18.991 Year
- North America14 Days trial$23.491 Year
- Maps Lakes South East USA14 Days trial$25.991 Year
- Annual Subscription14 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Caribbean14 Days trial$32.991 Year
- Maps USA East Coast & Bahamas14 Days trial$39.991 Year









