# Spyglass vs MagVar

The clearest difference is price: Spyglass at Free against MagVar's $0.99. Spyglass also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 23 months) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 1). MagVar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Spyglass is free to download; MagVar costs $0.99 up front. Spyglass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. MagVar asks for nothing beyond the download.

MagVar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spyglass has 3.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Spyglass's written reviews are positive against 100% of MagVar's.

Spyglass ships an update every 6 weeks, MagVar every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spyglass | MagVar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spyglass/id332639548/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magvar/id1670958717/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#166** | — |
| Size | 66 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pavel Ahafonau](https://appshunter.io/developer/319585607) | [Robert Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/299475042) |

## What reviewers say

### Spyglass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spyglass/id332639548)

**Currently charting:** #166 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app is a comprehensive offline navigation tool for outdoor and off-road adventures. It combines a high-tech compass, GPS receiver, and augmented reality display with numerous tools for tracking, measuring, and celestial observation.

**Highlights:** Offline GPS and maps, Augmented reality display, Advanced compass and gyrocompass, Waypoint tracking and navigation, Sun, Moon, and star finder, Optical rangefinder, Camera with GPS data overlay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spyglass Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Spyglass Plus (Month) | $3.99 | per month |
| Spyglass Plus (Year) | $29.99 | per year |
| Spyglass Pro (Lifetime) | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Excellent navigation and mapping features
- 🔍 Highly accurate compass and location tracking
- 🔭 Useful augmented reality and sextant functions
- 📸 Ability to capture geotagged photos
- 🛠️ Comprehensive set of tools and utilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤔 Steep learning curve and complex interface
- 🗺️ Outdated or incomplete map data in some regions
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes reported
- 💰 Subscription model for advanced features

**Reported bugs**

- Compass not always accurate or consistent
- Freezing or unresponsive issues after updates
- Difficulty syncing waypoints and locations

**Requested features**

- Improved waypoint and location management
- Larger text and UI elements for better readability
- Integration with popular mapping and navigation apps
- Offline elevation data and terrain analysis
- Apple Watch companion app for on-the-go use


### MagVar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magvar/id1670958717)

This navigation tool calculates magnetic variation, the difference between true and magnetic north, essential for plotting courses on maps. It's designed for pilots, sailors, cartographers, and anyone using maps and a compass.

**Highlights:** Magnetic variation calculation, True vs. magnetic north difference, Map overlay display, Accurate for 2025-2029, Declination and inclination calculation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spyglass free?

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

### Is MagVar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spyglass or MagVar?

MagVar is rated higher. Spyglass averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while MagVar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Spyglass or MagVar have ads?

Spyglass shows ads; MagVar does not.

### Which is updated more often, Spyglass or MagVar?

Spyglass ships an update every 6 weeks, and MagVar every 23 months. Most recently, Spyglass was updated on October 31, 2026 and MagVar on November 3, 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.*