# MapTap vs maps.earth

The clearest difference is update cadence: maps.earth at monthly against MapTap's every 6 months. maps.earth also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 23%). MapTap's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 3.5). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

MapTap holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of MapTap's written reviews are positive against 50% of maps.earth's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MapTap ships an update every 6 months, maps.earth monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 9, 2026 and June 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapTap | maps.earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maptap/id312212429/reviews)** | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapsearth/id6479329515/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mobile Geographics](https://appshunter.io/developer/286844996) | [Michael Kirk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023813384) |

## What reviewers say

### MapTap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maptap/id312212429)

Explore diverse map layers including satellite, topographic, nautical charts, and street views. Compare multiple map sources side-by-side for comprehensive geographic information.

**Highlights:** Multiple map layer comparisons, Satellite and hybrid views, USGS topographic maps, NOAA nautical charts, OpenStreetMap integration

**In-app purchases:** none


### maps.earth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapsearth/id6479329515)

Discover the world with low-stress directions powered by OpenStreetMap. This open-source application prioritizes user privacy by not displaying ads or selling data, focusing solely on providing a pleasant mapping experience.

**Highlights:** World exploration, Low-stress directions, OpenStreetMap powered, Ad-free experience, Data privacy focused, Open source

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MapTap free?

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

### Is maps.earth free?

maps.earth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MapTap or maps.earth?

MapTap is rated higher. MapTap averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while maps.earth averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do MapTap or maps.earth have ads?

Neither MapTap nor maps.earth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MapTap or maps.earth?

MapTap ships an update every 6 months, and maps.earth monthly. Most recently, MapTap was updated on July 9, 2026 and maps.earth on June 23, 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.*