# Avenza Maps vs Mapcha

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mapcha at none against Avenza Maps's 10. Mapcha also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.0). Avenza Maps's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (129K vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Avenza Maps sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $34.99 per year. Mapcha asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mapcha holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Avenza Maps has 129K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Avenza Maps's written reviews are positive against 50% of Mapcha's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Avenza Maps ships an update every 2 months, Mapcha every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Avenza Maps | Mapcha |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (129K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avenza-maps-offline-mapping/id388424049/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapcha/id956671318/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **129K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **51.2% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | — |
| Size | 335 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Avenza Systems Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/387212805) | [Marc Baldwin](https://appshunter.io/developer/640084769) |

## What reviewers say

### Avenza Maps

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

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Grossing · Navigation, #74 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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| 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


### Mapcha

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapcha/id956671318)

Overlay your paper maps onto your device's screen to see your current location, even offline. Simply calibrate by matching points on your paper map to digital maps.

**Highlights:** Overlay paper maps on digital maps, See current location on paper maps, Offline map usage, Calibrate maps using known points, Use device camera or photo library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Avenza Maps free?

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

### Is Mapcha free?

Mapcha is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Avenza Maps or Mapcha?

Mapcha is rated higher. Avenza Maps averages 4.8 out of 5 from 129K ratings, while Mapcha averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Avenza Maps or Mapcha have ads?

Neither Avenza Maps nor Mapcha shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Avenza Maps or Mapcha?

Avenza Maps ships an update every 2 months, and Mapcha every 11 months. Most recently, Avenza Maps was updated on November 9, 2026 and Mapcha on November 1, 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.*