Comparison

Tactical NAV vs Mgrs & Utm Map

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

Head to head
About

Tactical NAV

This military-grade navigation app provides highly accurate positioning and mission planning tools for service members. It offers offline mapping, precision targeting, and waypoint plotting with military graphics, ensuring reliable operation in any environment.

Highlights
  • Precision targeting platform
  • Offline mapping
  • Waypoint plotting with military graphics
  • Tactical drawing mode
  • Location and photo sharing
  • Compass FastLock function
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

BACKGROUND: Built from the ground up in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan, Tactical NAV (also known as TACNAV-X) was developed by a U.S. Army Field Artillery officer with the vision of crafting a low-cost and highly accurate mobile navigation platform tailored for the U.S. military. Tactical NAV’s journey began in the Pech and Korengal Valleys of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. U.S. Army Capt. Jonathan J. Springer, a Field Artilleryman serving as a Fire Support Officer with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), embarked on the development of this tactical navigation platform immediately following the memorial services for Spc. Blair D. Thompson and Spc. Jared C. Plunk, who were killed in action on June 25, 2010. Despite initial rejections by the Department of Defense, Captain Springer remained steadfast in his mission to continue developing Tactical NAV — even to this day. His ultimate goals were (and still are) to make a positive difference for other soldiers and service members and to honor the men and women killed and wounded in battle. He used his life savings to fund and develop TACNAV-X, all with the ultimate hope of saving military lives, and helping his fellow service members in accomplishing their missions at home and abroad. Tactical NAV officially launched on the App Store on February 14, 2011. BUILT FOR ACCURACY: TACNAV-X’s performance accurately matches that of the AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR). MISSION: Empower military service members with a highly accurate and powerful mobile navigation platform. VISION: Assist and support our nation’s service members with their mobile navigational needs and enable them to operate and win in both training and combat environments. BOTTOM LINE: Tactical NAV has successfully undergone evaluation against Nett Warrior, ATAK, BFT, and other military targeting and navigation systems. Its accuracy is within 1mm of officially approved DoD equipment. IAPs & SUBSCRIPTIONS: Currently, offline mapping mode is available as a monthly or yearly subscription, or as a one-time purchase. Drawing mode, previously an in-app purchase, is now included free for all users. All revenue generated from these features contributes to further development and updates, and a portion of the proceeds are donated to charities that specifically benefit disabled veterans. KEY FEATURES: • A military-quality precision targeting platform • Purpose-built for the individual Soldier • Offline mapping capabilities (complete usage of the app with no emission of a cellular signal) • WGS-84 standard (MGRS, UTM, BNG, and USNG coordinates) • Tactical drawing mode (useful for mission planning, building overlays, targeting, etc.) • Waypoint plotting functionality with military graphics (per FM 1-02.2) • Compass “FastLock” function for capturing quick and precise azimuths • Snap and save photographs onto the main map to increase situational awareness • Location, waypoint, and photo-sharing capabilities (via email and text) • One-button night mode function for low-light situations • Apple Watch support included for free • ‘Go to Grid’ feature for precision planning, drawing of overlays, and dropping waypoints • iOS/iPadOS native code built for austere and contested environments IMPORTANT NOTES: The Department of Defense does not endorse Tactical NAV and TACNAV-X. The app should not replace a government-issued device during life-threatening or combat operations. SUPPORT: If you have any questions about the app, please contact Jonathan Springer directly at jon@tacnavx.com.

About

Mgrs & Utm Map

Navigate the outdoors with precision using GPS and multiple coordinate systems. Ideal for military, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts, it displays your accurate position on various map layers and supports KML import/export.

Highlights
  • GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS support
  • Accurate position display
  • Multiple map layers
  • KML import/export
  • Outdoor activity helper
Features
Read full description

This application is GPS and coordinate systems helper especially for military personnel. It is also a complete helper for mountaineering, trekking and hiking, cross running, scouting, hunting, fishing, geocaching, off-road navigation and all other outdoor activities and sports. With satellite navigation systems such as GPS, GALILEO and GLONASS (GNSS) supported by your device and your sensors, you can see your most accurate position on different map layers. *Import/Export KML

Screenshots

Tactical NAV4 screens
Mgrs & Utm Map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Mgrs & Utm Map at Free against Tactical NAV's $8.99. Mgrs & Utm Map also leads on ratings volume (2.5K vs 320). Tactical NAV's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (74% vs 54%). On rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Mgrs & Utm Map is free to download; Tactical NAV costs $8.99 up front. Tactical NAV sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Mgrs & Utm Map sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mgrs & Utm Map holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mgrs & Utm Map has 2.5K ratings behind it against 320, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 74% of Tactical NAV's written reviews are positive against 54% of Mgrs & Utm Map's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tactical NAV ships an update every 3 weeks, Mgrs & Utm Map every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Tactical NAV versus Mgrs & Utm Map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTactical NAVMgrs & Utm Map
Price$8.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (320 ratings)4.6 (2.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.7% of reviews — better54.3% of reviews
Number of ratings3202.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#8 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTacNav Systems LLCVahid Cataltas

Customer experience

Tactical NAV

All ratings320 ratings
Positive83.1%
Neutral5.0%
Negative11.9%
Written reviews167 reviews
Positive73.7%
Neutral5.4%
Negative21.0%

Mgrs & Utm Map

All ratings2,521 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral4.2%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews265 reviews
Positive54.3%
Neutral13.6%
Negative32.1%

User reviews

Tactical NAV

From 320 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent accuracy and precision
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🔒 Secure offline functionality
  • 💡 Versatile for military, law enforcement, and civilian use
  • 👍 Responsive and helpful customer support

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 💰 Additional features require paid subscription
  • 🔒 Lack of sharing/collaboration options
  • 🔍 Limited terrain/topographic map views

Mgrs & Utm Map

From 2.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Excellent for military utilities
  • ⭐ Surprisingly powerful and accurate for a free app
  • ⭐ Great app to have, recommended

Room to improve

  • 🚫 Ads block crucial information like coordinates
  • 🚫 Layers and features not working as expected
  • 🚫 App crashes and becomes unusable
  • 🚫 Paid version doesn't work as advertised

Bugs and requests

Tactical NAV

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Compass navigation issues when device is rotated
  • Waypoint data loss after app crashes
  • Forced updates preventing app usage

Requested features

5 requests
  • Landscape mode support
  • Troop/team tracking capabilities
  • Integrated 9-line and call for fire functions
  • Ability to import/export GPX files
  • Improved drawing tools and overlay options

Mgrs & Utm Map

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Issues with importing and exporting KML files
  • Inability to plot grids and see coordinates
  • App constantly re-centers to user's location

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline map support
  • Ability to rename and manage layers
  • Compass calibration and orientation options
  • Sharing and syncing of waypoints/markers
  • More map types and grid formats (e.g. British National Grid)

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Tactical NAV

One-time5
  • Drawing Mode$4.99
  • Offline mapping for 3 months$6.99
  • Offline mapping for 1 month$9.99
Show 2 more
  • Offline mapping for 1 year$24.99
  • Offline mapping for life time$39.99
1 purchases

Mgrs & Utm Map

One-time1
  • Pro Features$24.99

Questions

Is Tactical NAV free?
Tactical NAV costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Mgrs & Utm Map free?
Mgrs & Utm Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tactical NAV or Mgrs & Utm Map?
Mgrs & Utm Map is rated higher. Tactical NAV averages 4.4 out of 5 from 320 ratings, while Mgrs & Utm Map averages 4.6 from 2.5K ratings.
Do Tactical NAV or Mgrs & Utm Map have ads?
Mgrs & Utm Map shows ads; Tactical NAV does not.
Which is updated more often, Tactical NAV or Mgrs & Utm Map?
Tactical NAV ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mgrs & Utm Map every 2 months. Most recently, Tactical NAV was updated on September 25, 2026 and Mgrs & Utm Map on September 24, 2026.

Other comparisons