Comparison

You Need A Map vs Forest Maps 2

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

Head to head
About

You Need A Map

This app provides detailed offline 3D topographic maps of the entire USA. It includes terrain, roads, water bodies, and landmarks, functioning even without a cell signal. It's ideal for navigation and emergency situations where connectivity is unreliable.

Highlights
  • Offline 3D topographic maps
  • Covers all 50 US states
  • Works without cell signal
  • Shows terrain, roads, and landmarks
  • GPS tracking and track replay
  • Detailed feature information display
  • Satellite image overlays
Features
Read full description

If you get lost or in an emergency, YOU NEED A MAP! A map that covers the entire USA, all 50 states. A map that works everywhere even without a cell phone signal. A map that shows not just roads but also terrain, streams, lakes and other landmarks. Note: If you would prefer a small app that caches online maps covering the entire world, please see the More by GrangerFX section below and try the free Scenic Map app. Get You Need A Map if you want an offline map the entire USA as a single large download. The paid apps have built in maps with full resolution terrain. Your iPhone has a great online map but all it takes is one wrong turn and you could find yourself lost with no cell phone signal. What is the fastest way back to the highway? Should you go forwards or back? Is there a better road just a short distance away? Is there a raging stream or an steep cliff between you and the road? YOU NEED A MAP! You Need A Map is a huge application. It has to be. It contains every mountain, hill, stream, lake, pond, freeway, highway, local road and track. In addition it contains many buildings, trails, railways, points of interest and polygon features. It has everything you need to find out where you are and what is around you anywhere in the USA. Most navigation apps on the iPhone and iPad must transfer all their maps from servers on the internet. This can be slow in areas with only 2G coverage or completely unavailable in wilderness areas where a map would be most useful. You Need A Map solves this problem by storing maps directly on your iPhone or iPad. This extremely fast high quality software renderer is the first of its kind for mobile devices. If you do have a cellular or WiFi internet connect, Satellite image overlays add breathtaking detail and realism to the maps (tap preset 2 or 4 when Online Map is enabled). You can use them as you travel to see what is hidden from view at ground level. This takes moving maps to a whole new level. Tap the arrow in the toolbar to enable GPS tracking. As you move, you will generate a track file which you can replay. You can also import GPX tracks generated in other programs and play them. While recording or playing a track, the map will be centered on the current location and rotated towards the direction of travel and rendered in 2D or 3D with silky smooth animation. When playing a track, you can speed up, slow down, pause, restart or skip to the end. Send your GPX tracks to other apps or email them. Want to learn more about a map feature? Click the target icon and center it under the compass rose to display its name, feature type, urban area, state, elevation and coordinates. You will also see a bearing line back to your current GPS location or from your location to a selected waypoint. The status will display the direction and distance along with the map and GPS elevation, the track length, and your current speed and direction of travel You Need A Map uses the same code as Scenic Map and has most of the same features. These include many map customization options, customizable waypoints, direction and bearing information, a smooth scrolling moving map display while driving or flying, city search and much more. You can also get the full feature set of Scenic Map with an in-app purchase including the new online maps of the entire world. Documentation, detailed coverage maps, installation guide and blog are available on ScenicMap.com You Need A Map covers the entire USA including all 50 states Map data © OpenStreetMap and contributors under the Open Database License You Need A Map supports GPS tracking while the app is in the background. Caution: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

Forest Maps 2

Access detailed maps of all U.S. National Forests on your mobile device. Save favorite locations and synchronize them across devices. Offline map downloads and track recording are available with a Pro upgrade.

Highlights
  • U.S. Forest Service maps
  • Continuous map view
  • Favorite spot markers
  • iCloud synchronization
  • Offline map downloads
  • GPS location tracking
  • Track recording and export
Features
Read full description

Forest service maps on your iPhone or iPad! This app includes all areas mapped by the United States Forest Service. The map is a single, continuous map, so there's no need to search through menus to find the map you need. Save favorite spots with map markers that use iCloud to synchronize across your devices. Upgrade to Pro and get: • Map downloads. Going off the grid? Download entire forests for use when the Internet is unavailable. GPS-enabled devices such as the iPhone and the Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad show your current location on the map, even when you have no network connection. • Track recording. Record your track to see where you've been. Each track shows its distance, duration, average speed, and elevation profile. Share your tracks with other Forest Maps users, open them in Google Earth, or export to a GPX file. This app was not created by and is not affiliated with the United States National Forest Service.

Screenshots

You Need A Map4 screens
Forest Maps 22 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Forest Maps 2 at 4.7 against You Need A Map's 4.4. Forest Maps 2 also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (588 vs 53). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. You Need A Map sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Forest Maps 2 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

Forest Maps 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forest Maps 2 has 588 ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of You Need A Map's written reviews are positive against 78% of Forest Maps 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

You Need A Map ships an update every 4 months, Forest Maps 2 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
You Need A Map versus Forest Maps 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterYou Need A MapForest Maps 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (53 ratings)4.7 (588 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.9% of reviews78.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings53588 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.112.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGrangerFXKinnaman Software LLC

Customer experience

You Need A Map

All ratings53 ratings
Positive86.8%
Neutral1.9%
Negative11.3%
Written reviews89 reviews
Positive71.9%
Neutral11.2%
Negative16.9%

Forest Maps 2

All ratings588 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive78.1%
Neutral7.8%
Negative14.1%

User reviews

You Need A Map

From 53 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗺️ Excellent offline maps
  • ⛰️ Detailed terrain and 3D view
  • 📸 Useful for photography planning
  • ✈️ Great for pilots and aviation
  • 🌲 Ideal for backcountry/remote areas

Room to improve

  • 💾 Large file size
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🗺️ Missing specific locations (e.g., Isle Royale)
  • 📉 Outdated map data in some areas
  • ❓ Unintuitive at times

Forest Maps 2

From 588 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent maps
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💯 Reliable and accurate
  • 🗺️ Detailed topographical maps
  • 📥 Ability to download entire forest maps

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing
  • 🗺️ Maps can be outdated in some areas
  • 💰 Paid upgrade required for full functionality
  • 📍 Difficulty in dropping precise pins or markers

Bugs and requests

You Need A Map

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Dark mode alphanumeric display issue
  • App crashes when touching GPS icon
  • App won't open after update
  • Download issues
  • 3D feature purchase unavailable

Requested features

9 requests
  • Prioritize favorite waypoints
  • Update satellite imagery
  • Improve search functionality for towns/streets
  • Add BLM and state trust land overlays
  • Add Retina display graphics for new iPads
Show 4 more
  • Provide a user guide within the app
  • Add status icon for GPS signal acquisition
  • Make maps selectable by region to reduce download size
  • Improve street name alignment/readability

Forest Maps 2

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incompatibility issues with iOS 13
  • Tracking feature not always working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to import/export waypoints and locations
  • Integration with other navigation apps
  • Overlays for MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) data
  • Browser version for route planning
  • More customization options for pins and markers

In-app purchases

2 purchases

You Need A Map

One-time2
  • 3D MappingFree
  • Scenic Map Features$4.99
1 purchases

Forest Maps 2

One-time1
  • Pro Upgrade$2.99

Questions

Is You Need A Map free?
You Need A Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Forest Maps 2 free?
Forest Maps 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, You Need A Map or Forest Maps 2?
Forest Maps 2 is rated higher. You Need A Map averages 4.4 out of 5 from 53 ratings, while Forest Maps 2 averages 4.7 from 588 ratings.
Do You Need A Map or Forest Maps 2 have ads?
Neither You Need A Map nor Forest Maps 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, You Need A Map or Forest Maps 2?
You Need A Map ships an update every 4 months, and Forest Maps 2 every 6 weeks. Most recently, You Need A Map was updated on October 8, 2026 and Forest Maps 2 on October 13, 2026.

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