# Elevation vs Terrain Radar Altimeter

Elevation and Terrain Radar Altimeter both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Terrain Radar Altimeter's written reviews are positive against 30% of Elevation's. Terrain Radar Altimeter also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Elevation's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (5.5K vs 782). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elevation sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month and Terrain Radar Altimeter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Terrain Radar Altimeter holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elevation has 5.5K ratings behind it against 782, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Elevation's written reviews are positive against 85% of Terrain Radar Altimeter's.

Elevation ships an update every 4 weeks, Terrain Radar Altimeter every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elevation | Terrain Radar Altimeter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elevation-altimeter-map/id480740433/reviews) | **[4.7 (782 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terrain-radar-altimeter/id552794874/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.5K** | 782 |
| Positive reviews | 29.9% of reviews | **84.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 21 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) | [Nestele Engineering](https://appshunter.io/developer/543718331) |

## 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


### Terrain Radar Altimeter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terrain-radar-altimeter/id552794874)

Measure the elevation of locations within a 500-meter radius using device sensors and online geo-information. Discover the height of nearby hills and distant mountains with real-time altitude calculations and a precise elevation chart.

**Highlights:** Measure elevation within 500 meters, Real-time altitude calculation, Precise elevation chart, Digital elevation model, Display in meters or feet

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Long-Range Radar | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 Accurate elevation measurements
- ⚡ Fast and responsive performance
- 🗺️ Useful terrain radar visualization
- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🆓 Free version works well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🌐 Requires internet connection to function
- 📡 Limited range (5km in paid version)
- 🗺️ Satellite view only, lacks standard map options
- 🎨 Garish color scheme for elevation display
- 📍 No location/coordinate information display

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after updates
- Paid features disappeared after app rebranding
- Direction orientation 180 degrees off
- Altitude readings slightly inaccurate in some locations
- UI elements obstruct map view

**Requested features**

- Compass or bearing indicator
- Standard map view with street names (hybrid view)
- Larger radius coverage (50km+)
- Coordinate display and data export
- Adjustable elevation profile scaling


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elevation free?

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

### Is Terrain Radar Altimeter free?

Terrain Radar Altimeter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Elevation or Terrain Radar Altimeter?

Terrain Radar Altimeter is rated higher. Elevation averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.5K ratings, while Terrain Radar Altimeter averages 4.7 from 782 ratings.

### Do Elevation or Terrain Radar Altimeter have ads?

Elevation shows ads; Terrain Radar Altimeter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Elevation or Terrain Radar Altimeter?

Elevation ships an update every 4 weeks, and Terrain Radar Altimeter every 3 months. Most recently, Elevation was updated on October 29, 2026 and Terrain Radar Altimeter on October 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*