Comparison

Pure GPS vs GPS & Maps

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

Head to head
About

Pure GPS

This app provides straightforward GPS navigation using latitude and longitude coordinates. It offers a clean interface for storing and directing users to waypoints, with features like maps, speed, and heading display. Locations can be added manually, by current position, or via map press, and waypoints can be shared via email.

Highlights
  • Store and direct to waypoints
  • Latitude and longitude input
  • Map display
  • Metric and customary measurements
  • Speed and heading display
  • Share waypoints via email
  • Background waypoint proximity alerts
Features
Read full description

Pure GPS stores and directs users to waypoints using latitude and longitude coordinates. Pure GPS delivers the necessary functionality to utilize the iPhone's built-in GPS in a simple clean interface. The best thing about Pure GPS is its simplicity. If you plug in the latitude and longitude, Pure GPS will direct you to your destination. It's as easy as that! With Pure GPS there is no need to understand a complicated interface. Pure GPS features maps, metric and customary measurements, speed and heading. Locations can be entered into Pure GPS by entering in coordinates, by marking the user's current location, or by a long press on the map. Now users can share a waypoint with a friend through email! Users can store multiple waypoints and navigate to them. The user can also save their current position as a waypoint to navigate back to later. In addition, Pure GPS can notify you when you get close to your waypoint even while running in the background. Pure GPS does not require users to create an account or share their waypoints in any manner. If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please contact us! You can do so through the app in the Settings page. We'd love to hear from you. Please note that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

GPS & Maps

This app provides precise location tracking, altitude, and speed measurements for various outdoor activities. Save and display waypoints on a map, utilize a compass, and access different map data sources. An integrated flashlight aids in low-light conditions.

Highlights
  • Precise GPS tracking
  • Altitude and speed logging
  • Waypoint saving and display
  • Integrated compass
  • Multiple coordinate formats
  • Map widgets
  • Flashlight functionality
Features
Read full description

GPS & Maps is a simple, yet powerful GPS app for supporting navigation and outdoor activities like geocaching, sailing, skating, trekking, biking or traveling by airplane. It measures your position, height and acceleration with accuracy information and in different units like feet, meter, miles and kilometers. Your highest altitude and speed will also be logged. You can show and save your current position or other waypoints on a map and pick one of the following formats to view your coordinates: - GPS Coordinates (Latitude/Longitude) - Decimal Degrees - Degrees/Minutes/Seconds - UTM: Universal Transverse Mercator - MGRS: Military Grid Reference System GPS & Maps is a must have for geocachers, due to the easy switching between coordinates and map. The integrated flashlight enables users like geocachers to find targets even in dark environments without having to use a separate device. Via in-app purchase you can add some useful features to GPS & Maps: - Premium Edition: Unlock all of the following features. - Waypoints: Save your current location as a marker on the map. Add new locations like geo caches to the map by entering GPS coordinates. Pick different colors for waypoints. Export waypoints via e-mail. Show or hide saved waypoints on the map. - Map Widgets: The draggable Map Widgets show your location, altitude, speed, address and GPS accuracy directly on the map. You can change the widget transparency and textcolor in the settings to optimize readability on different map tiles and map data sources like Google Maps or Open Street Map. - Compass: The compass shows your heading relative to magnetic north or true north (configurable in the settings) and your current location coordinates. It also shows additional information like street, city and country. If you buy Compass and Map Widgets the Compass will also be displays as a widget on the map. - Open Street Map: This feature enhances the map with additional map data from Open Street Map. - Google Maps: This feature enhances the map with additional map data from Google Maps. The map modes 'standard', 'satellite', 'hybrid' and 'terrain' can be selected in the options menu. - iCloud Backup & Restore Please keep in mind that the accuracy of your position and acceleration always depends on the intensity of the available GPS signal. Compass and heading information are only available on devices with magnetometer.

Screenshots

Pure GPS2 screens
GPS & Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pure GPS at none against GPS & Maps's 7. Pure GPS also leads on review sentiment (74% vs 63%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). GPS & Maps's advantage is ratings volume (2.3K vs 100). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. GPS & Maps sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Pure GPS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GPS & Maps holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GPS & Maps has 2.3K ratings behind it against 100, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 74% of Pure GPS's written reviews are positive against 63% of GPS & Maps's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Pure GPS versus GPS & Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPure GPSGPS & Maps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (100 ratings)4.4 (2.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.2% of reviews — better62.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1002.3K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCodeBurnersKraus und Karnath GbR 2Kit Consulting

Customer experience

Pure GPS

All ratings91 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.4%
Negative9.9%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive74.2%
Neutral3.3%
Negative22.5%

GPS & Maps

All ratings2,249 ratings
Positive86.1%
Neutral5.1%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews240 reviews
Positive62.9%
Neutral6.3%
Negative30.8%

User reviews

Pure GPS

From 100 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
  • 🎯 Accurate GPS waypoint navigation
  • 💾 Easy waypoint saving and management
  • 🚀 Lightweight app with minimal battery drain
  • 📍 Offline GPS functionality without internet

Room to improve

  • 📺 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes
  • ⚠️ Poor customer support responsiveness
  • 📱 Outdated UI design and appearance
  • 🔧 Lack of recent updates (last updated 2019)

GPS & Maps

From 2.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Clear and precise
  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Streamlined GPS app
  • 💡 Excellent tracking service
  • 🚀 Accurate and reliable

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Does not display full screen on iPad
  • 🐛 Compass is not working
  • 💰 Features held behind paywall
  • 🐛 Waypoints are inaccurate
  • 🐛 Compass is over 90 degrees out

Bugs and requests

Pure GPS

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Map screen crashes app when clicked
  • Email export feature causes crashes
  • Compass heading freezes intermittently
  • Accuracy radius stuck at 200+ feet after updates
  • Waypoint coordinates round incorrectly
Show 5 more
  • Distance calculations inaccurate and fluctuating
  • App incompatible with latest iOS versions
  • GPS signal detection issues in some locations
  • Waypoint navigation doesn't stop at destination
  • App runs in background draining battery

Requested features

15 requests
  • Ad-free premium version or subscription option
  • Offline map caching support
  • Custom waypoint icons and colors
  • Alphabetical waypoint list sorting
  • Audible alarm when approaching waypoints
Show 10 more
  • Breadcrumb trail/path history feature
  • Multiple coordinate format options (DMS, decimal degrees)
  • Cloud backup and multi-device synchronization
  • Bearing display in degrees
  • SMS location sharing capability
  • UI modernization and redesign
  • Quick search feature for stored waypoints
  • Metric measurement option
  • Hide/show specific pins on map
  • Improved keyboard handling in UI

GPS & Maps

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Waypoints drop in wrong location
  • Compass not working
  • Coordinates are inaccurate

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to draw lines between waypoints
  • Ability to add notes to waypoints
  • Ability to add photos to waypoints
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to enter coordinates manually
Show 1 more
  • Ability to measure distance between points

In-app purchases

None

Pure GPS

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

GPS & Maps

One-time7
  • Smart Compass$0.99
  • Map Widgets$0.99
  • Open Street Map$0.99
Show 4 more
  • Google Maps$0.99
  • POI / Waypoints$0.99
  • Remove Ads$0.99
  • Premium Editon$4.99

Questions

Is Pure GPS free?
Pure GPS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GPS & Maps free?
GPS & Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pure GPS or GPS & Maps?
GPS & Maps is rated higher. Pure GPS averages 4.3 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while GPS & Maps averages 4.4 from 2.3K ratings.
Do Pure GPS or GPS & Maps have ads?
Both Pure GPS and GPS & Maps show ads.
Which is updated more often, Pure GPS or GPS & Maps?
Pure GPS ships an update monthly, and GPS & Maps monthly. Most recently, Pure GPS was updated on October 23, 2026 and GPS & Maps on November 1, 2026.

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