# Distance Tool vs RulerGPS

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RulerGPS at 100% against Distance Tool's 58%. RulerGPS also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Distance Tool's advantage is ratings volume (2.2K vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

RulerGPS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Distance Tool has 2.2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Distance Tool's written reviews are positive against 100% of RulerGPS's.

Distance Tool ships an update every 2 months, RulerGPS every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Distance Tool | RulerGPS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | — |
| Rating | [4.4 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distance-tool/id478687476/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rulergps/id1608946814/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 58.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 20 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applorium Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688522804) | [William Kirkpatrick](https://appshunter.io/developer/1608944971) |

## What reviewers say

### Distance Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distance-tool/id478687476)

Calculate distances between points and areas of polygons on a map. Supports metric and imperial units, GPS location, and freehand drawing. Altitude calculation is also available, with or without data connectivity.

**Highlights:** Distance calculation between points, Area calculation for polygons, GPS location dropping, Metric and imperial units, Altitude calculation, Freehand drawing, Follow mode for real-time calculation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Distance Calculator Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Distance Measure Premium - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Distance Calculator Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Distance Measure Premium - Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium - freehand & follow | $7.99 | one-time |
| Distance Tool Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate measurements
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💡 Useful for various applications (farming, surveying, etc.)
- 🚀 Works well in remote areas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy pin drop functionality
- 🐛 Inaccurate distance measurements
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features
- 🐛 Difficulty unsubscribing from paid plans

**Reported bugs**

- GPS not working on certain devices
- App crashes when trying to access location services
- Saved routes not loading properly
- Inconsistent distance calculations

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit/reposition dropped pins
- Option to toggle visibility of distance labels
- Support for entering coordinates manually
- Improved map quality and zooming capabilities


### RulerGPS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rulergps/id1608946814)

Measure distances between two physical locations using your phone's GPS. Simply tap start at one point, walk to the second, and tap end to see the measured distance. It's useful for various outdoor activities and quick estimations.

**Highlights:** GPS distance measurement, Tap start and end points, Supports yards, feet, miles, meters, kilometers, Optional decimal precision, Map view toggle, Last measurement saved

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Distance Tool free?

Distance Tool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is RulerGPS free?

Pricing for RulerGPS is not currently listed on the App Store.

### Which has better reviews, Distance Tool or RulerGPS?

RulerGPS is rated higher. Distance Tool averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while RulerGPS averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Distance Tool or RulerGPS have ads?

Neither Distance Tool nor RulerGPS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Distance Tool or RulerGPS?

Distance Tool ships an update every 2 months, and RulerGPS every 5 months. Most recently, Distance Tool was updated on October 29, 2026 and RulerGPS on October 8, 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.*