# MilGPS vs GPS OS Grid Reference

The clearest difference is price: GPS OS Grid Reference at Free against MilGPS's $12.99. GPS OS Grid Reference also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). MilGPS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

GPS OS Grid Reference is free to download; MilGPS costs $12.99 up front. GPS OS Grid Reference sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per year. MilGPS asks for nothing beyond the download.

MilGPS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MilGPS has 5.5K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of MilGPS's written reviews are positive against 90% of GPS OS Grid Reference's.

MilGPS ships an update monthly, GPS OS Grid Reference every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MilGPS | GPS OS Grid Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/milgps/id405835358/reviews)** | [4.4 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps-os-grid-reference/id993436655/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.5K** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **93.3% of reviews** | 89.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 46 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cascode Labs Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/895755095) | [Tomstrails.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/425642318) |

## What reviewers say

### MilGPS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/milgps/id405835358)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · Navigation, #38 Top Paid, #54 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This field navigation tool displays your location and waypoints on customizable screens. It supports multiple coordinate systems and map datums, and allows for waypoint import/export. Offline map support is available.

**Highlights:** MGRS/USNG/UTM/Lat/Lon display, Waypoint creation and organization, Map visualization with grid lines, Offline MBTiles map support, Multiple datum and format support, GPX waypoint import/export

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Handy, accurate, and customizable
- 🔒 Reliable even without cell service
- 👍 Excellent for land navigation and training
- 👍 Useful for a variety of outdoor activities
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with map loading and zoom
- 🔋 Lack of offline map support
- 🔍 Limited ability to draw/annotate on maps
- 🔍 Difficulty quickly entering coordinates

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes or freezes
- Issues with map orientation and zooming
- Inconsistent behavior when exporting data

**Requested features**

- Add ability to measure distance and direction between waypoints
- Implement live tracking and sharing of locations between devices
- Introduce support for downloading and using offline maps
- Add more options for overlays, shapes, and annotations on maps
- Develop an Apple Watch companion app


### GPS OS Grid Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps-os-grid-reference/id993436655)

This app accurately pinpoints your location on Ordnance Survey maps for Great Britain and Ireland, even without a phone signal. It offers precise grid references, waypoint creation, and navigation features. The display is designed for clarity in all lighting conditions, and it optimizes battery usage.

**Highlights:** Offline map location, Accurate grid references, Waypoint creation and management, High-contrast display, Battery optimization, Share waypoints

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $5.99 | per year |
| Feature Pack - Compass & sharing features. | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎯 Accurate grid references
- 🚀 Fast and quick updates
- 💡 Works without phone signal
- 🗺️ Useful for navigation and backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Blurry satellite maps
- 🧭 Compass not accurate
- 📉 Accuracy dropped recently
- 🗺️ No map data included
- 🚫 Cannot search locations

**Reported bugs**

- Waypoint finder satellite view is blurry
- Compass is not accurate
- Accuracy has dropped recently
- Location services permanently dimmed off (iOS)
- App does not work for users not in England

**Requested features**

- Add map data and search functionality
- Improve satellite map clarity
- Add ability to view location on a map
- Enable navigation from point to point
- Add Apple Watch equivalent app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MilGPS free?

MilGPS costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is GPS OS Grid Reference free?

GPS OS Grid Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MilGPS or GPS OS Grid Reference?

MilGPS is rated higher. MilGPS averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.5K ratings, while GPS OS Grid Reference averages 4.4 from 17 ratings.

### Do MilGPS or GPS OS Grid Reference have ads?

Neither MilGPS nor GPS OS Grid Reference shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MilGPS or GPS OS Grid Reference?

MilGPS ships an update monthly, and GPS OS Grid Reference every 3 months. Most recently, MilGPS was updated on September 26, 2026 and GPS OS Grid Reference on September 22, 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.*