Comparison

Outside Maps vs Compass

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

Head to head
About

Outside Maps

View and navigate diverse mapping data on your iPhone or iPad. Access Ordnance Survey maps for Great Britain, worldwide OpenStreetMap, historic maps, and aerial imagery. Features include GPS tracking, compass, and waypoint management.

Highlights
  • View Ordnance Survey maps (Great Britain)
  • Worldwide OpenStreetMap support
  • Historic Ordnance Survey maps
  • Aerial photography
  • Real-time GPS tracking
  • Compass and bearing
  • Waypoint import/export (GPX)
Read full description

*** Please do not use reviews to report bugs or ask for features. I almost never read the reviews and I cannot contact you for additional information! Contact support@outsidemaps.com instead *** Outside Maps is an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch application that enables you to view and navigate a wide variety of mapping data using an easy-to-use touch interface. Outside Maps supports Ordnance Survey mapping for Great Britain at various scales including 1:50000. Outside Maps supports WORLDWIDE coverage for OpenStreetMap, OpenCycleMap and the Stamen and Thunderforest map sources. Outside Maps supports historic 1" Ordnance Survey mapping from 1880-1990 and 1921-1947 courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. Outside Maps supports shaded terrain data for the UK only derived from Ordnance Survey OS Terrain 50. Outside Maps supports shaded terrain data for Scotland only derived from Scottish Government 1m LIDAR. Outside Maps includes ESRI aerial photography courtesy of ESRI. Outside Maps includes the following features: - Intuitive "slippy maps" interface - Native iPad support in both portrait and landscape modes - Current Ordnance Survey mapping is available - OpenStreetMap and derived data is supported at all available resolutions - Historic 1" Ordnance Survey data from 1880-1990 and 1921-1947 - OpenCycleMap support - Thunderforest "Landscape" and "Transport" mapping support - Stamen mapping support - ESRI aerial imagery - Hill-shading mapping for the UK at 50m and selected 1m resolution - Full Ordnance Survey OSTN02 adjustments for highest accuracy (+/- 1m accuracy) - Real-time position tracking via GPS (or WiFi-based positioning) - Compass and bearing (either using GPS and movement tracking or hardware compass if available) - "Lookahead" feature when moving at > 5mph - Waypoints functionality including import and export via GPX format - OS OpenSpace-driven postcode and placename lookup (online only) - Grid reference and latitude/longitude lookup (offline) - what3words support (online only)

About

Compass

This navigation app provides a digital compass and map to help you find your way. It displays your current GPS location, address, and direction, with features like a torchlight and traffic information.

Highlights
  • Digital compass with map integration
  • Displays current GPS location and address
  • Shows true and magnetic north
  • Torchlight function
  • Traffic information
  • Distance measurement
Features
Read full description

Digital Compass Map app for your device! Incredibly simple and very useful compass & map app, Your GPS information like address, latitude, longitude, altitude, speed will be shown on the map. Best Compass with Map, is a smartphone tool available for identify the direction. Easy to use in combination with maps, explore at hand. => How to Use Compass for Maps : - Keep your phone parallel to the ground and turned toward the arrow that you want to define - Combined with maps, navigating the path has never been easier - Compass Map will display on-screen directions and degrees Features: - Display your current position via GPS - Identify your current location accurately on the map - Equivalent measuring system when determining the level of flatness => Features : - Explore places like restaurant, hospital, bar, bank, ATM, coffee shop, gas station etc. - Turn on the Torch Light in dark with one tap - Find traffic around you before you plan to travel out - Get compass directions - Current address will show on the Map - if there are network, the address will auto update periodically - shows direction of north, south, east and west - shows the true north, magnetic north - Large numbers and large rotating bezel - Find area by Lat-Long or Co-ordinates - Distance results will be output in meters, kilometers, nautical mile, feet & miles, yards. - Support coordinate at your position - Display your current position via GPS - Identify your current location accurately on the map

Screenshots

Outside Maps3 screens
Compass4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Outside Maps at 77% against Compass's 0%. Outside Maps also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Compass's advantage is rating (3.8 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (26 vs 2). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Compass sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Outside Maps asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Compass holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 26 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Outside Maps's written reviews are positive against 0% of Compass's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Outside Maps ships an update every 2 months, Compass every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Outside Maps versus Compass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOutside MapsCompass
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (2 ratings)3.8 (26 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings226 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReplicade Ltd.Nalin Savaliya

Customer experience

Outside Maps

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive76.6%
Neutral4.7%
Negative18.8%

Compass

All ratings26 ratings
Positive65.4%
Neutral11.5%
Negative23.1%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Outside Maps

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Compass

One-time1
  • Compass with Maps$4.99

Questions

Is Outside Maps free?
Outside Maps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Compass free?
Compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Outside Maps or Compass?
Compass is rated higher. Outside Maps averages 2.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Compass averages 3.8 from 26 ratings.
Do Outside Maps or Compass have ads?
Compass shows ads; Outside Maps does not.
Which is updated more often, Outside Maps or Compass?
Outside Maps ships an update every 2 months, and Compass every 8 months. Most recently, Outside Maps was updated on June 10, 2026 and Compass on July 7, 2026.

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