# Avenza Maps vs GIS Kit

The clearest difference is price: Avenza Maps at Free against GIS Kit's $99.99. Avenza Maps also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (128K vs 12). GIS Kit's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Avenza Maps is free to download; GIS Kit costs $99.99 up front. Avenza Maps sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $32.99 per year and GIS Kit sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Avenza Maps holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Avenza Maps has 128K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Avenza Maps's written reviews are positive against 50% of GIS Kit's.

Avenza Maps ships an update every 2 months, GIS Kit every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Avenza Maps | GIS Kit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $99.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (128K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avenza-maps-offline-mapping/id388424049/reviews)** | [4.1 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gis-kit/id429688355/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **128K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **51.6% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#17** | — |
| Size | 335 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Avenza Systems Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/387212805) | [Garafa, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/284829377) |

## What reviewers say

### Avenza Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avenza-maps-offline-mapping/id388424049)

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Grossing · Navigation, #57 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Navigate any terrain with offline GPS maps, even without cell service. Explore a vast Map Store for hiking, biking, and travel, or import your own custom maps. Record tracks, add notes, and identify your location precisely.

**Highlights:** Offline GPS navigation, Real-time GPS position and direction, Record GPS tracks, Add photos and notes to locations, Import custom maps, Map Store with professional maps

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Avenza Maps Plus | $32.99 | per year |
| Avenza Maps Plus | $34.99 | per year |
| Avenza Maps Pro | $169.99 | per year |
| Forest Service Topo Product | $0.99 | one-time |
| Garmin Tier 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| BaseImage, LLC Map Product | $0.99 | one-time |
| Western Michigan University Map Product | $2.99 | one-time |
| US Forest Service R5 Map Product | $4.99 | one-time |
| US Forest Service R6 Product | $4.99 | one-time |
| Map the Xperience Map Product | $4.99 | one-time |
| US Forest Service R2 Map Product | $4.99 | one-time |
| US Forest Service R4 Product | $4.99 | one-time |
| National Geographic Map Product | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🗺️ Accurate GPS tracking
- 📥 Offline maps
- 💾 Ability to download maps
- 🗺️ Detailed topographic maps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🗺️ Inaccurate map placement
- 💰 Expensive maps
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 🤔 Confusing interface

**Reported bugs**

- Maps disappearing after updates
- Airdrop functionality issues
- Compatibility problems with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to stitch/overlay multiple maps
- Apple CarPlay integration
- Improved map search and discovery
- Easier map management and organization
- Ability to export/share recorded tracks


### GIS Kit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gis-kit/id429688355)

This app provides powerful mobile mapping and field data collection for iPhone and iPad. It allows users to view and collect geographic data offline, import various file formats, and organize information by projects and layers. It's designed for professional use without requiring desktop software or prior GIS training.

**Highlights:** Offline mapping and data collection, Import Shapefiles, KML/KMZ, Collect point, line, and polygon features, Customizable attribute fields, Project and layer organization, Wireless data import/export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GIS Pro Upgrade | $199.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Avenza Maps free?

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

### Is GIS Kit free?

GIS Kit costs $99.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Avenza Maps or GIS Kit?

Avenza Maps is rated higher. Avenza Maps averages 4.8 out of 5 from 128K ratings, while GIS Kit averages 4.1 from 12 ratings.

### Do Avenza Maps or GIS Kit have ads?

Neither Avenza Maps nor GIS Kit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Avenza Maps or GIS Kit?

Avenza Maps ships an update every 2 months, and GIS Kit every 6 weeks. Most recently, Avenza Maps was updated on October 19, 2026 and GIS Kit on October 17, 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.*