# Elevation vs Back

The clearest difference is rating: Elevation at 4.5 against Back's 3.6. Elevation also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 20 months) and ratings volume (5.4K vs 17). Back's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (41% vs 30%). On price, 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 Back sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Elevation holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elevation has 5.4K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Elevation's written reviews are positive against 41% of Back's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Elevation ships an update every 3 weeks, Back every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elevation | Back |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (5.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elevation-altimeter-map/id480740433/reviews)** | [3.6 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/back-track/id595888131/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.4K** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | **41.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mapnitude Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/473558784) | [Pilot X](https://appshunter.io/developer/551849165) |

## 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


### Back

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/back-track/id595888131)

This navigation tool uses your device's GPS to help you return to saved locations. Mark spots like parking or hotel locations and easily find your way back. Offers customizable display options and power-saving features.

**Highlights:** Save and return to marked locations, Mark current location or enter coordinates, Customizable user interface styles, HUD for location information, Power saving mode, Unlimited preset destinations

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elevation free?

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

### Is Back free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Elevation or Back?

Elevation is rated higher. Elevation averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.4K ratings, while Back averages 3.6 from 17 ratings.

### Do Elevation or Back have ads?

Elevation shows ads; Back does not.

### Which is updated more often, Elevation or Back?

Elevation ships an update every 3 weeks, and Back every 20 months. Most recently, Elevation was updated on September 28, 2026 and Back on September 3, 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.*