# Compass vs Live Transcribe

The clearest difference is rating: Live Transcribe at 4.6 against Compass's 4.1. Live Transcribe also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 41 months) and ratings volume (8.1K vs 190). Compass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (73% vs 58%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Live Transcribe sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

Live Transcribe holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Live Transcribe has 8.1K ratings behind it against 190, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Compass's written reviews are positive against 58% of Live Transcribe's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Compass ships an update every 41 months, Live Transcribe every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | Live Transcribe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (190 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass/id546228063/reviews) | **[4.6 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/live-transcribe/id1471473738/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 190 | **8.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **72.5% of reviews** | 57.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 41 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#119** |
| Size | 13 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horizon Business, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431586531) | [Mighty Fine Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/973529494) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass/id546228063)

This application displays your current direction and heading in a large, easy-to-read format. Customize the look by selecting your preferred background and arrow style to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Large format display, Direction and heading indicator, Selectable background, Selectable arrow style

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Large and easy to see
- 👍 Works well and dependable
- 👍 Quick and no setup
- 👍 Accurate and spot on

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate readings
- 🐛 Does not work on iPad
- 🐛 Only works when flat
- 🐛 Ads present
- 🐛 Wildly different readings between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Inaccurate readings compared to native app
- Compass does not work if phone is mounted on dash
- Compass does not work on iPad
- Compass readings are all over the map

**Requested features**

- Indicate reciprocal bearing
- Option to remove ads


### Live Transcribe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/live-transcribe/id1471473738)

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

This app provides real-time speech-to-text transcription for d/Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. It supports over 145 languages and offers features like adjustable text size, dark mode, and the ability to save and share transcripts, making conversations more accessible.

**Highlights:** Real-time transcription, 145+ languages supported, Adjustable text size, Dark mode, Save and share transcripts, Offline transcription for 9 languages

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Live Transcribe Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Live Transcribe Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Live Transcribe Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Starter | $9.99 | per month |
| Try Real-Time Transcription | $49.99 | per year |
| Live Transcribe Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Starter | $79.99 | per year |
| Live Transcribe Yearly | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate transcription
- 💡 Helpful for hard of hearing
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for doctor's appointments
- 👍 Saves conversations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Limited free trial
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🐛 Struggles with background noise and accents
- 🔒 Confusing subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Transcription stops unexpectedly
- Deletes correct transcription
- Incompatible with some devices

**Requested features**

- Distinguish between multiple speakers
- Ability to use on Mac
- More than 5 hours of premium transcription per month
- Improved accuracy for medical/technical terms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass free?

Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Live Transcribe free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Compass or Live Transcribe?

Live Transcribe is rated higher. Compass averages 4.1 out of 5 from 190 ratings, while Live Transcribe averages 4.6 from 8.1K ratings.

### Do Compass or Live Transcribe have ads?

Neither Compass nor Live Transcribe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass or Live Transcribe?

Compass ships an update every 41 months, and Live Transcribe every 4 days. Most recently, Compass was updated on November 6, 2026 and Live Transcribe on November 10, 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.*