Comparison

Simple TOPO vs OpenMaps

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Simple TOPO

This app provides offline outdoor navigation with detailed topographic maps and route planning. It allows users to track their location, share itineraries, and find friends, ensuring safety and ease of use in remote areas.

Highlights
  • High-resolution USGS 24k Topographic charts
  • Easy Waypoint and Route creation
  • Buddy-tracking feature
  • Itinerary sharing for safety
  • Offline chart viewing
  • Real-time track recording
  • Point of Interest database
Features
Read full description

Simple TOPO is a powerful, yet easy-to-use outdoor navigation solution. No matter your outdoor pursuit Simple TOPO will get you there and back home safely – with nothing more than your iPhone or iPad. The free evaluation version displays standard satellite, road, and hybrid maps. An in-app subscription purchase of $2.99/mo or $29.99/yr includes USGS 24k Topo charts, navigational features, and frequent app upgrades. Key Features: • High-resolution USGS 24k Topographic charts • Easy one-touch Waypoint and Route creation. Pre-plan your routes at home or create them in the field with equal ease. Just touch the screen to create new waypoints and routes. • Find your friends outdoors. With our new Buddy-tracking feature, you can see and meet up with your friends while you’re out on the water. If you’re on your secret spot and don’t want to be seen, you can hide your location with the touch of a button. • Stay safe. Easily create and send an itinerary of your trip to a friend or family member. Your itinerary and location history can be forwarded to search and rescue personnel in case of an emergency. • Easy-to-use point-to-point navigation. The red heading bug on the large on-screen compass always directs you to the next point on your route. Navigation is as easy as pointing yourself at the heading bug to stay on course. • No Network. No Problem. Simple TOPO is designed so no internet connection is required to view your charts while in the field. You simply download in advance any charts you’ll need in the field with the touch of a button. • Record your tracks. Track your position in real-time and later view your track history. • Fully indexed point of interest (POI) database including weather, tides, currents, your buddies, and more. -------------------- Subscription prices: One year - $29.99 Monthly - $2.99 -Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. -Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. -You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product. -You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings in the Apple Settings app after purchase. -No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. This does not affect your statutory rights. -Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. -We will be collecting information about your use of the app both when you are online and offline. To find out more please see our privacy policy. -------------------- By purchasing a subscription or downloading an app you agree that you have read and accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. http://www.redskyengineering.com/terms-of-use/ http://www.redskyengineering.com/privacy-policy/ NOTE: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Though Simple TOPO will function without a GPS as a chart reader, a GPS-enabled device is required for point-to-point navigation. Third-party Bluetooth GPS units are available to enable GPS for iOS devices such as WiFi-only iPads that do not include a GPS receiver. For offline use where no Internet connection is available, charts must be pre-cached while still on-line and connected, any charts downloaded while online will be available for offline use.

About

OpenMaps

Access detailed, open-source topographic maps for all your outdoor adventures. Plan hikes, discover trails, and navigate with confidence using community-driven data from OpenStreetMap.

Highlights
  • Detailed topographic maps
  • OpenStreetMap (OSM) data
  • Live tile mapping
  • Route planning
  • Community-driven data
  • Offline map access (implied by planning/navigation)
Features
Read full description

OpenMaps turns your iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac into a complete outdoor and marine navigation kit — powered by free, community-sourced OpenStreetMap data. OUTDOOR & MARINE IN ONE APP Switch between an Outdoor profile (hiking, trekking, mountain biking, trail running) and a Marine profile with OpenSeaMap nautical overlays — buoys, lighthouses, depths and harbours. One app for the trail and the water. WORKS WHERE THERE'S NO SIGNAL Topographic tiles are cached on device and can be pre-downloaded, so your map keeps working deep in the mountains or offshore where there's no connection. EVERYTHING YOU NEED OUTDOORS • 6 open-source topographic & nautical map styles • Draw routes tap-by-tap with live distance & elevation • Turn-by-turn directions with haptic guidance • Import and export Garmin FIT files, plus GPX • Find nearby POIs: refuges, water, peaks, marinas, fuel and more • Built-in tools: compass, altimeter, sunrise/sunset, coordinates • Live weather, wind and conditions for your location ON YOUR WRIST & ON YOUR DESK • Apple Watch app: record workouts with HealthKit, standalone map, Digital Crown zoom, Always-On mode and on-wrist route navigation • Watch complications & widgets: altimeter, nearest POI, live workout, weather • Mac app: menu bar access, Spotlight search and Quick Look map previews OPENMAPS PRO Remove all ads and support development. One subscription covers iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac. • Monthly — €1.99 / month • Yearly — €9.99 / year Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Payment is charged to your Apple ID on confirmation. Manage or cancel anytime in iOS Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://privacypolicyhub.vercel.app/openmaps/en

Screenshots

Simple TOPO4 screens
OpenMaps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simple TOPO at 100% against OpenMaps's 10%. Simple TOPO also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and ads (none vs shown). OpenMaps's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 51 months) and ratings volume (16 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Simple TOPO sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and OpenMaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple TOPO holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenMaps has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Simple TOPO's written reviews are positive against 10% of OpenMaps's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple TOPO ships an update every 51 months, OpenMaps every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Simple TOPO versus OpenMaps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple TOPOOpenMaps
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better3.9 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better9.7% of reviews
Number of ratings116 — better
Update frequencyEvery 51 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS7.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRed Sky Engineering, LLCImmaginet Srl

Customer experience

Simple TOPO

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

OpenMaps

All ratings16 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive9.7%
Neutral9.7%
Negative80.6%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Simple TOPO

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Simple Topo - 12 Month$29.991 Year
2 purchases

OpenMaps

Subscriptions2
  • OpenMaps Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Open Maps Pro Yearly Plan$22.991 Year

Questions

Is Simple TOPO free?
Simple TOPO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is OpenMaps free?
OpenMaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Simple TOPO or OpenMaps?
Simple TOPO is rated higher. Simple TOPO averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while OpenMaps averages 3.9 from 16 ratings.
Do Simple TOPO or OpenMaps have ads?
OpenMaps shows ads; Simple TOPO does not.
Which is updated more often, Simple TOPO or OpenMaps?
Simple TOPO ships an update every 51 months, and OpenMaps every 2 months. Most recently, Simple TOPO was updated on September 18, 2026 and OpenMaps on October 10, 2026.

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