# Elevation vs Compass & Altimeter

Elevation and Compass & Altimeter both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 46% of Compass & Altimeter's written reviews are positive against 30% of Elevation's. Compass & Altimeter also leads on chart position (#142 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Elevation's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elevation sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month and Compass & Altimeter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Elevation against 4.6 for Compass & Altimeter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.5K and 2.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 30% of Elevation's written reviews are positive against 46% of Compass & Altimeter's.

Elevation ships an update every 4 weeks, Compass & Altimeter monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elevation | Compass & Altimeter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elevation-altimeter-map/id480740433/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-and-altimeter/id1624852951/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.5K** | 2.5K |
| Positive reviews | 29.9% of reviews | **46.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#142** |
| Size | 53 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mapnitude Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/473558784) | [明力 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1460236088) |

## What reviewers say

### Elevation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elevation-altimeter-map/id480740433)

Easily find your current elevation, altitude, and height above sea level. This app allows you to check elevations by touching the map, entering an address, or using your device's GPS or barometer. It also provides valuable data for flood prediction and outdoor planning.

**Highlights:** Find current elevation and altitude, Check elevation by map touch or address input, Utilize GPS and barometer for altitude, Record and display GPS altitude path, Standalone barometer functionality, Support for UTM and MGRS coordinates, Export timestamp, altitude, pressure, and coordinates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Upgrade | $4.49 | per month |
| Plus Upgrade | $25.99 | per 6 months |
| Plus Upgrade | $48.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works great
- 👍 Helpful for research
- 👍 Useful for tracking elevation during storms
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on opening
- 🐛 Elevation readings are inaccurate
- 🐛 Doesn't work consistently
- 💰 Too many ads
- 🤔 Confusing user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Elevation readings not working
- App freezes or crashes frequently
- Inconsistent behavior across locations

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality
- Display elevation in feet instead of meters
- Improve accuracy of elevation readings


### Compass & Altimeter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-and-altimeter/id1624852951)

**Currently charting:** #142 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides precise geographical orientation with a compass and displays vital data like altitude, weather, and location. It helps users navigate, record locations, and measure real-time GPS speed, making it a useful travel companion.

**Highlights:** Accurate compass functionality, Display altitude, longitude, and latitude, Real-time weather information, Location recording, GPS speed measurement

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compass Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Compass Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Compass Premium | $18.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful compass feature
- 🚀 Smooth performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate on iPad mini
- 🐛 Drifts out of alignment over time
- 💰 Forced premium subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Compass doesn't move
- Latitude/longitude doesn't work
- Difficult to cancel subscription

**Requested features**

- Add km/h speed option
- Improve iPad landscape mode support
- Provide a free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elevation free?

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

### Is Compass & Altimeter free?

Compass & Altimeter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Elevation or Compass & Altimeter?

Compass & Altimeter is rated higher. Elevation averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.5K ratings, while Compass & Altimeter averages 4.6 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do Elevation or Compass & Altimeter have ads?

Both Elevation and Compass & Altimeter show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elevation or Compass & Altimeter?

Elevation ships an update every 4 weeks, and Compass & Altimeter monthly. Most recently, Elevation was updated on October 23, 2026 and Compass & Altimeter on October 24, 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.*