Comparison

Scenic Map Western USA vs BigMap

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

Head to head
About

Scenic Map Western USA

Explore detailed 3D topographic maps of the Western USA and Hawaii offline. Access global online maps with automatic caching for use without cell service. Enjoy smooth zooming, customizable map layers, and GPS tracking to record and replay your routes.

Highlights
  • Offline 3D topographic maps
  • Global online map access
  • Automatic map caching
  • GPS tracking and route recording
  • Customizable map layers and styles
  • Detailed terrain features and roads
  • 3D map tilting and flight simulator mode
Features
Read full description

A 3D topo map of the Western USA and Hawaii. The vector map data is contained within the app and can be used without an internet connection. Use it in a car, a boat, a plane or while hiking. It is like having more than a third of the country in your pocket. Scenic Map now covers the entire world via online maps. The maps are cached automatically so they can still be used when there is no cell coverage. Turn on Online Map in the Settings menu and you can then scroll or go to any location on the planet. Satellite image overlays add breathtaking detail and realism to the maps (tap preset 2 or 4 when Online Map is enabled). You can use them as you travel to see what is hidden from view at ground level. This takes moving maps to a whole new level. Use the two finger vertical swipe gesture to tilt the map for a 3D view. Scroll like a map or fly like a flight simulator. Enable Joystick Gestures in the Settings menu and then fly around the terrain using a virtual joystick. Prefer only 2D maps? Enable the 2D Map option in the Settings menu. Scenic Map is simply the best 3D topo map available for a mobile device. You will see incredible detail while scrolling, rotating and zooming perfectly smoothly. You will see every road even if you zoom out to the altitude of a satellite. As you zoom in, you will see every small bump and hollow of the Earth and terrain features as small as ten meters. Unlike old fashioned topo maps, Scenic Map’s roads and trails are up to date thanks to OpenStreetMap.org. It contains polygons for urban areas, shopping malls, an ever growing number of buildings and many other features, The best lake, pond, stream and rivers from the USGS and Canadian public databases are also included. Tap the GPS center button to begin tracking your location. As you move, you will generate a track file. Tracks can be replayed with video like controls to speed up, slow down, pause, restart or skip to the end. You can display existing tracks while recording another if you want to retrace your route. When online, you can automatically create a route from your current GPS location to any other point on the map. Tracks can be received from or sent to other apps in GPX format. GPS recording stops automatically after you have remained stationary for some time or you can choose to manually stop tracking by tapping on the top track in the Tracks view. Never before have maps been this customizable. For example, you can turn on or off the roads. You can change the lighting direction or remove terrain shading entirely. You can display contour lines even over satellite images. There are five presets which let you quickly switch between map styles. Use Metric, English or Nautical units and choose one of four different coordinate displays including UTM. Want to learn more about a map feature? Tap the target icon and center the feature under the compass rose to display its name, type, urban area, county, state, elevation and coordinates. You will also see a bearing line back to your current GPS location or from your location to a selected waypoint. The status bar shows the bearing direction and distance along with the map and GPS elevation, the track length, and your current speed and direction of travel. In-app documentation is provided in the Help section at the top of the Settings menu. Links are provided in the documentation to detailed coverage maps, tutorial videos, installation guide and blog at ScenicMap.com Map data © OpenStreetMap and contributors under the Open Database License Scenic Map supports GPS tracking while the app is in the background. Caution: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

BigMap

This app offers a minimalist fullscreen map experience for iPhone and iPad. With a single long press, users can access three different map views and six distinct map settings, along with the ability to search for specific locations and streets.

Highlights
  • Minimalist fullscreen map
  • Three different map views
  • Six map settings
  • Search for places and streets
  • iPhone and iPad compatible
Features
Read full description

With one long press on the map you can see three different maps and six different map settings. You can also search for places and streets. The fullscreen map app for iPhone and iPad!

Screenshots

Scenic Map Western USA4 screens
BigMap4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BigMap at 4.5 against Scenic Map Western USA's 4.2. BigMap also leads on ratings volume (296 vs 13) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Scenic Map Western USA's advantage is review sentiment (61% vs 44%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Scenic Map Western USA costs $4.99 and BigMap $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BigMap holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BigMap has 296 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Scenic Map Western USA's written reviews are positive against 44% of BigMap's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Scenic Map Western USA ships an update every 5 months, BigMap every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Scenic Map Western USA versus BigMap: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScenic Map Western USABigMap
Price$4.99$2.99 — better
Rating4.2 (13 ratings)4.5 (296 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.7% of reviews — better44.4% of reviews
Number of ratings13296 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.111.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGrangerFXCorvin Hartmann

Customer experience

Scenic Map Western USA

All ratings13 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive60.7%
Neutral3.6%
Negative35.7%

BigMap

All ratings295 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral6.8%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral22.2%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Scenic Map Western USA

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Slow map rendering
  • Stuck in update mode
  • Cannot update app
  • Map navigation broken (spins in circles)
  • Interface issues (joystick mode)
Show 6 more
  • Sunlight icon obscures map
  • Map boundaries outside coverage area
  • Street names inaccurate/missing
  • Buildings are outlines
  • Missing map coverage for parts of CO and NM
  • Updates not installing due to storage issues

Requested features

8 requests
  • Import waypoints from Google Maps or GPX
  • Name presets
  • Combine multiple map apps into one
  • Black background for night driving
  • Ability to trace and save bicycle routes to photos
Show 3 more
  • Option to turn off sunlight icon in map view
  • More detail on trails
  • Identify county and forest service roads

BigMap

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Scenic Map Western USA

No in-app purchases

None

BigMap

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Scenic Map Western USA free?
Scenic Map Western USA costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BigMap free?
BigMap costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Scenic Map Western USA or BigMap?
BigMap is rated higher. Scenic Map Western USA averages 4.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while BigMap averages 4.5 from 296 ratings.
Do Scenic Map Western USA or BigMap have ads?
Neither Scenic Map Western USA nor BigMap shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scenic Map Western USA or BigMap?
Scenic Map Western USA ships an update every 5 months, and BigMap every 2 months. Most recently, Scenic Map Western USA was updated on November 1, 2026 and BigMap on November 2, 2026.

Other comparisons