Comparison

Spyglass vs Crowsflight

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Spyglass

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
Read full description

Spyglass is an essential offline GPS app for outdoors and off-road navigation. Packed with tools it serves as binoculars, heads-up display, hi-tech compass with offline maps, gyrocompass, GPS receiver, waypoint tracker, speedometer, altimeter, Sun, Moon and star finder, gyro horizon, rangefinder, coordinate converter, sextant, inclinometer, angular calculator and camera. It saves your custom places and waypoints, navigates precisely to them later, shows them on maps and using real-time augmented reality displays detailed GPS info, measures distances, sizes, angles, and does a lot more. COMPASS & GYROCOMPASS Accuracy improvement techniques, special compass modes and calibration methods available in Spyglass only make it a real instrument – the most advanced and accurate digital compass. FINDER, TRACKER & AR NAVIGATION Spyglass operates in 3D and uses augmented reality to show real-time object positions, info and directions to them overlaid over camera or maps. Save current position, add points from maps, manually enter location coordinates and bearings, add stars by hand or use a built-in star catalogue. Find saved places and objects later simply by following directional arrows. Spyglass tracks multiple targets simultaneously and shows their info – distance, direction, azimuth, elevation and estimated time of arrival. Copy, paste and share locations, coordinates and map links using many supported formats. GPS, SPEEDOMETER & ALTIMETER Find and track your location and get detailed real-time GPS data – coordinates in dozens of formats, altitude, course, current, maximum and vertical speed, using imperial, metric, nautical and surveying units. OFFLINE MAPS See your and targets’ positions on maps using different map styles and alternative map providers – plan waypoints and measure distances. Offline maps optimized for retina displays are available for download. TRACK STARS, SUN AND MOON & NAVIGATE BY STARS Track positions of stars, Sun and Moon with arc second precision – use them as a reference to calibrate compass for maximum accuracy. OPTICAL RANGEFINDER Measure distances to objects in real time with a rangefinder reticle similar to sniper sights. SEXTANT, ANGULAR CALCULATOR AND INCLINOMETER Find out heights of objects and distances to them – measure visually and calculate dimensions and distances. CAMERA Take pictures overlaid with all available GPS, positional and directional data. DEMO & HELP Videos: http://j.mp/spyglass_vids Manuals: http://j.mp/spyglass_help If you need specific map sources for hiking, cycling, skiing and many more outdoor activities, feel free to enjoy Spyglass PLUS. At confirmation of the Spyglass PLUS purchase, payment will be charged to your iTunes account, and it will be charged for renewal within 24-hours before the end of the current period. Automatic renewal can be turned off at any time in your Account Settings after purchase. After the cancellation of the renewal, Spyglass Plus will expire at the end of the current period. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us at https://spyglassnav.com Privacy Policy: https://www.unblip.com/tmp/privacy_and_terms/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.unblip.com/tmp/privacy_and_terms/terms.html

About

Crowsflight

This app offers intuitive, mapless navigation using GPS and a compass. It displays distance and heading, allowing you to drop markers, search for destinations by address or what3words, and view saved locations on a map. It works offline for navigation and supports iCloud sync.

Highlights
  • Mapless GPS navigation
  • Heading pointer
  • Drop location markers
  • Search by address or what3words
  • Offline navigation
  • iCloud location sync
  • Apple Watch support
Features
Read full description

Crowsflight is a GPS compass that simply points. No instructions, maps to read or paths to follow. When we ask for directions on the street, a friendly finger pointing towards the destination is often more than enough. By combining location data (GPS) with the compass, Crowsflight provides mapless navigation in an intuitive, glance-at-it kind of way. It uses only GPS to navigate, so once you’ve loaded your destination/s, you don’t need a data connection to navigate. Crowsflight is perfect for wandering around foreign cities. MAIN VIEW -Displays distance in metric or imperial units -Drop a marker at your current position (if you have a data connection, Crowsflight will attempt to autoname your location) -Heading pointer changes width as the compass/GPS accuracy increases or decreases LIST VIEW -Search for a new destination by address or placename -Input latitude and longitude manually (e.g. open search, enter 40.692,-73.944) -search for what3words (offline) -Location list view shows your relative distance to each location, so you can see how places compare (distances are scaled logarithmically, so shorter distances show greater difference) -Rearrange your location list by long-pressing the row -Share your current location via email -Launch Maps to get turn-by-turn directions MAP VIEW -Map view shows and allows you to select all your saved locations. It’s another way to see what is around you. -Drag and drop pins in map view to pinpoint and adjust locations -Longpress in map view to save a new location on your map. (if you have a data connection, Crowsflight will attempt to autoname your location) OTHER FEATURES -Works offline (searching is the only function that requires an internet connection) -Opens custom url schemes (e.g. crowsflight://&ll=42.923580,-78.793953&q=BUFFALO). You can send Crowsflight destinations to yourself and friends via email. To get the browser bookmarklet for easy sharing, go to http://cwandt.com/#crowsflight -Backup your locations to your computer through iTunes file sharing -save and sync locations to iCloud APPLE WATCH - same pointing interface as iPhone app - swipe to select from locations that you've add on your phone. -pro tip: If your running app keeps taking over as frontmost app, you can double press the crown to switch back to the last app. *Crowsflight is not meant for driving. Most cars have too much magnetic interference to show the compass reliably in the car anyways. You probably want turn by turn directions if you’re driving, but just in case you were thinking about it...we don’t recommend it.

Screenshots

Spyglass4 screens
Crowsflight4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Crowsflight at none against Spyglass's 4. Crowsflight also leads on ads (none vs shown). Spyglass's advantage is ratings volume (3.9K vs 33) and chart position (#149 vs unranked). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Spyglass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Crowsflight asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Spyglass against 4.6 for Crowsflight. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spyglass has 3.9K ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Spyglass's written reviews are positive against 72% of Crowsflight's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spyglass ships an update every 6 weeks, Crowsflight every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Spyglass versus Crowsflight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpyglassCrowsflight
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.9K ratings) — better4.6 (33 ratings)
Positive reviews80.2% of reviews — better72.2% of reviews
Number of ratings3.9K — better33
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#149 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.4 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPavel AhafonauCW&T

Customer experience

Spyglass

All ratings3,864 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral3.0%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews435 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral4.1%
Negative15.6%

Crowsflight

All ratings33 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.0%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews115 reviews
Positive72.2%
Neutral12.2%
Negative15.7%

User reviews

Spyglass

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗺️ 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

Room to improve

  • 🔋 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

Crowsflight

From 33 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple, intuitive interface design
  • 🧭 Accurate directional compass pointing to destinations
  • 📍 Offline functionality without requiring data/WiFi
  • 🚶 Excellent for walking and urban exploration
  • 💡 Innovative concept - shows direction and distance instead of turn-by-turn

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compass calibration issues and inaccurate readings
  • 🔍 Search function returns incorrect or distant locations
  • 📱 Small font sizes difficult to read
  • 🎯 Inconsistent location accuracy
  • ⚠️ Persistent warning messages that can't be dismissed

Bugs and requests

Spyglass

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Crowsflight

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Compass won't calibrate properly
  • Directional readings off by 90+ degrees
  • App freezes at instruction screen
  • App opens spontaneously after unlocking phone
  • Search function returns locations in wrong countries
Show 8 more
  • What3Words integration no longer works
  • Location name disappears when tapped, preventing copy/paste
  • Pop-up info bubbles won't disappear and block navigation
  • App thinks user is in wrong location (e.g., New York when elsewhere)
  • Distance calculations wildly inaccurate (e.g., 1.26 miles when at saved location)
  • Yellow compass arc doesn't move/respond
  • Search buttons disappear from bottom of screen
  • App stopped tracking after updates

Requested features

18 requests
  • Apple Watch support
  • Gyroscope-based active pointer for hands-free navigation
  • Metric kilometers display option
  • Ability to organize locations into groups/categories
  • GPS-based accuracy instead of compass-only
Show 13 more
  • Larger, configurable font sizes
  • Dark mode or color theme options
  • Help/tutorial menu for new users
  • Elevation information for destinations
  • LED light option for night navigation
  • Search by intersection (e.g., 6th Ave & 3rd St)
  • Sort search results by proximity
  • SMS sharing of locations in addition to email
  • Integration with What3Words addresses
  • Multiple location list organization
  • Ability to enter GPS coordinates in DMS format
  • Alias/naming system for GPS coordinates
  • Train transit option in addition to walk/bike/car/plane

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Spyglass

Subscriptions3
  • Spyglass Plus$3.991 Month
  • Spyglass Plus (Month)3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Spyglass Plus (Year)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Spyglass Pro (Lifetime)$39.99
None

Crowsflight

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spyglass free?
Spyglass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Crowsflight free?
Crowsflight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Spyglass or Crowsflight?
Spyglass is rated higher. Spyglass averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Crowsflight averages 4.6 from 33 ratings.
Do Spyglass or Crowsflight have ads?
Spyglass shows ads; Crowsflight does not.
Which is updated more often, Spyglass or Crowsflight?
Spyglass ships an update every 6 weeks, and Crowsflight every 3 months. Most recently, Spyglass was updated on October 14, 2026 and Crowsflight on October 8, 2026.

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