Comparison

Tactical Navigator vs GPS & Map Toolbox

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

Head to head
About

Tactical Navigator

This app provides advanced navigation and planning tools for outdoor enthusiasts and military personnel. It offers a comprehensive set of features for saving locations, calculating distances and directions, and managing operational data.

Highlights
  • Compass
  • Multiple coordinate systems (MGRS, UTM)
  • Save and manage multiple locations
  • Distance and direction calculations
  • Route planning
  • MIL-STD-2525C symbology
  • Data sharing and export
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Tactical Navigator (“TacNav”) is a mobile application tool for communications, operations, and outdoor planning--perfect for any military or outdoor enthusiast! Whether you want to save a training location or your best fishing spot, this app is for you. Tactical Navigator comes with the following features: Basic App Features • Compass • Day of Year & UTC Time always visible • Add many locations to the map at the same time • Coordinate systems: Degrees, DM.m, DMS, MGRS, and UTM • Search by address or any coordinate format • Elevation • Current weather conditions and temperature • Local and Military time • Choice of Metric or Imperial measurement values Enhanced Map Actions • Distance & Direction • ETA to a location • Calculate a Satellite Look Angle • Calculate an offset coordinate given distance & direction • Trace a path • Routes (great for land navigation) • Calculate Area • Add a radius around a location Other Great Features • Use MIL-STD-2525C symbology to change your location's icon • Save notes to your saved locations • Open Turn-by-Turn apps for driving directions with 3rd party apps (Apple Maps, Google Maps™, and Waze) • Universal application for use on iPhone or iPad • iCloud integration to sync across your devices and auto-backup your data • Angle of Device (ex. to assist positioning a ground satellite) • Share your data with other TacNav users via encrypted AirDrop™ or email • Export your data to KML Thank you for your support and using TacNav. US Army LTC Kevin Militello - Owner & Developer Disclaimers: • Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life • TacNav is not endorsed by any government agency

About

GPS & Map Toolbox

This app serves as a comprehensive GPS location database tool. It allows users to save, organize, share, and analyze location data with extensive customization. Features are unlocked through in-app purchases, catering to various professional and advanced needs.

Highlights
  • Save and organize location data
  • Convert between coordinate formats
  • Add custom text and note properties
  • Display map overlays
  • Import/export data in various file types
  • Group locations into Areas, Tracks, and Routes
  • Attach photos to locations
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

◦ This is the ultimate GPS location database tool designed to save, organize, share, display, import, export, and analyze location records and their properties. ◦ Extensive customization options make this app useful for everyone from salesmen, hikers, farmers, hunters, scientists, land/site surveyors, search & rescue, police, and military. ◦ The features are organized into levels so you only need to buy what you need. The basic features are available in the core app. The other feature levels can be added through an in-app purchase. ▼ BASIC Features (built into the core app) ▼ •Organize location data into Data Sets and basic Groups. •View and convert between coordinate formats (Degrees Decimal, Degree/Minutes, and Degrees/Minutes/Seconds). •Custom text and note properties. •Display a single map overlay for each location. •Raw GPS data. •Share data with other devices running this app. •Send locations to third-party apps for mapping and navigation. •Extensive in-app help screens explain all features and options. ▼ PROFESSIONAL Features (available through an in-app purchase) ▼ •Group locations into Areas, Track/Paths, and Routes. -Display groups on the map with customizable lines and fills. -Perform calculations on groups. •Additional coordinate formats: UTM (Standard and Extended), USNG, and MGRS. •Display Secondary coordinate. •Custom properties such as numbers (with and without units) along with automatic data detection. •Export data sets to third-party apps. •Additional map marker style options. •Export file types: GPX, KML/KMZ, CSV (comma separated values), TXT (tab delimited values). •Business Search. •Full-screen map screenshots. ▼ ADVANCED Features (available through an in-app purchase) ▼ •Attach photos to data sets and locations. •Additional coordinate formats: British National Grid, and Dutch National Grid. •Location templates allow you to specify custom properties that are automatically created with every new location. •import file types: GPX, KML/KMZ, CSV (comma separated values), TXT (tab delimited values). •View location data from multiple data sets simultaneously. •Multiple map overlays per location with additional types. •Text based Routing (bearing and direction between points in route). ▼ Extra Data Sources (available through an in-app purchase) ▼ •Use non-Apple data sources (Google and OpenStreetMaps) for map data. This includes map view, elevation, geocoding, business/place search, and street view.

Screenshots

Tactical Navigator4 screens
GPS & Map Toolbox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tactical Navigator at 3.7 against GPS & Map Toolbox's 3.1. Tactical Navigator also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). GPS & Map Toolbox's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On review sentiment, ratings volume, 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

Tactical Navigator costs $4.99 and GPS & Map Toolbox $1.99 up front. GPS & Map Toolbox sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Tactical Navigator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tactical Navigator holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 14 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Tactical Navigator's written reviews are positive against 62% of GPS & Map Toolbox's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tactical Navigator ships an update every 2 months, GPS & Map Toolbox monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Tactical Navigator versus GPS & Map Toolbox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTactical NavigatorGPS & Map Toolbox
Price$4.99$1.99 — better
Rating3.7 (9 ratings) — better3.1 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews67.3% of reviews — better61.5% of reviews
Number of ratings914 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#190#184 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOrange Clover LLCAudama Software, Inc.

Customer experience

Tactical Navigator

All ratings9 ratings
Positive55.6%
Neutral22.2%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive67.3%
Neutral14.3%
Negative18.4%

GPS & Map Toolbox

All ratings14 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative33.8%

Bugs and requests

Tactical Navigator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

GPS & Map Toolbox

Reported bugs

26 issues
  • App locks up
  • App won't save
  • App crashes on KMZ import
  • App crashes when switching map sources
  • Always on tracking is a privacy problem
Show 21 more
  • Import function problems
  • Send by email not working
  • Transfer files format unknown
  • Satellite image color fades
  • Elevation numbers are very inaccurate
  • Locked up all day trying to locate elevation changes
  • Showed elevation of 87ft when user is 5ft above sea level
  • Does not import KML files
  • Only exports KML files
  • Not compatible for world wide GPS/map navigations
  • Only works in US/Canada
  • Only understands UTMs in NAD83
  • Critical limitation prevents data exchange
  • Missing copy of coordinates
  • Missing French localization
  • Bing maps are locked
  • Cannot change viewing direction
  • Does nothing for me
  • Not user friendly
  • No tracking function
  • No way to import common formats (kml, gpx, etc)

Requested features

17 requests
  • Advanced upgrade for more options
  • Update to 64bit for iOS 11 compatibility
  • Update maps
  • BNG and elevation features
  • User-friendly KMZ file creation for offline use
Show 12 more
  • Downloadable PDF user manual
  • More color selections for pins
  • Display information in all data logs on map
  • Ability to choose and display multiple data logs
  • More objects for places besides pins
  • Ability to measure distances for pursuits
  • Import .gpx and .kml files
  • Tracking function
  • Ability to choose between magnetic north and true north
  • More distance and coordinate systems
  • Ability to display multiple distance formats
  • Ability to hard set distances

In-app purchases

None

Tactical Navigator

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

GPS & Map Toolbox

Subscriptions1
  • Add Extra Data Sources$1.991 Month
One-time3
  • Add Professional Features$14.99
  • Add Advanced Features$14.99
  • Add Advanced Features$29.99

Questions

Is Tactical Navigator free?
Tactical Navigator costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GPS & Map Toolbox free?
GPS & Map Toolbox costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tactical Navigator or GPS & Map Toolbox?
Tactical Navigator is rated higher. Tactical Navigator averages 3.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while GPS & Map Toolbox averages 3.1 from 14 ratings.
Do Tactical Navigator or GPS & Map Toolbox have ads?
Neither Tactical Navigator nor GPS & Map Toolbox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tactical Navigator or GPS & Map Toolbox?
Tactical Navigator ships an update every 2 months, and GPS & Map Toolbox monthly. Most recently, Tactical Navigator was updated on October 17, 2026 and GPS & Map Toolbox on October 20, 2026.
Which is more popular, Tactical Navigator or GPS & Map Toolbox?
Tactical Navigator currently peaks at #190 in the App Store charts, and GPS & Map Toolbox at #184. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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