Scenic Map vs Map Stretch
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scenic Map
Explore the world with detailed 3D topographic maps, accessible even offline. Stream and cache global maps for use without cell service. Features include satellite overlays, customizable map styles, and GPS tracking for navigation and route replay.
- Global 3D topographic maps
- Offline map caching
- Satellite image overlays
- Customizable map styles
- GPS tracking and route replay
- GPX track import/export
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A 3D topo map with coverage of the entire world. The map is streamed directly from Apple's servers and cached on your device for use when there is no cell coverage. Use Scenic Map in a car, a boat, a plane or while hiking. It is like having the entire Earth in your pocket. Satellite image overlays add breathtaking detail and realism to the maps (tap preset 2 or 4). You can use them as you travel to see what is hidden from view at ground level. This takes moving maps to a whole new level. To get started, tap the arrow button in the toolbar to begin GPS tracking and center the map at your current location. The spinner in the status bar shows that the map is being loaded. The spinner stops when the map is fully cached at that location. You can scroll around the map or tilt the map with a two finger vertical swipe to see it in 3D. Use the two finger vertical swipe gesture to tilt the map for a 3D view. Scroll like a map or fly like a flight simulator. Enable Joystick Gestures in the Settings menu and then fly around the terrain using a virtual joystick. Prefer only 2D maps? Enable the 2D Map option in the Settings menu. Scenic Map is simply the best 3D topo map available for a mobile device. You will see incredible detail while scrolling, rotating and zooming perfectly smoothly. You will see every road even if you zoom out to the altitude of a satellite. As you zoom in, you will see every small bump and hollow of the Earth and terrain features as small as ten meters. Unlike old fashioned topo maps, Scenic Map’s roads and trails are up to date thanks to OpenStreetMap.org. It contains polygons for urban areas, shopping malls, an ever growing number of buildings and many other features, The best lake, pond, stream and rivers from the USGS and Canadian public databases are also included. Your tracks can be replayed with video like controls to speed up, slow down, pause, restart or skip to the end. You can display existing tracks while recording another if you want to retrace your route. When online, you can automatically create a route from your current GPS location to any other point on the map. Tracks can be received from or sent to other apps in GPX format. GPS recording stops automatically after you have remained stationary for some time or you can choose to manually stop tracking by tapping on the top track in the Tracks view. Never before have maps been this customizable. For example, you can turn on or off the roads. You can change the lighting direction or remove terrain shading entirely. You can display contour lines even over satellite images. There are five presets which let you quickly switch between map styles. Use Metric, English or Nautical units and choose one of four different coordinate displays including UTM. Want to learn more about a map feature? Tap the target icon and center the feature under the compass rose to display its name, type, urban area, county, state, elevation and coordinates. You will also see a bearing line back to your current GPS location or from your location to a selected waypoint. The status bar shows the bearing direction and distance along with the map and GPS elevation, the track length, and your current speed and direction of travel. In-app documentation is provided in the Help section at the top of the Settings menu. Links are provided in the documentation to detailed coverage maps, tutorial videos, installation guide and blog at ScenicMap.com Map data © OpenStreetMap and contributors under the Open Database License Scenic Map supports GPS tracking while the app is in the background. Caution: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Map Stretch
Overlay custom images onto interactive maps to navigate using your device's GPS and compass. Record, edit, and share your routes and drawings. Access hundreds of public maps from the National Park Service and other users.
- Overlay custom images onto interactive maps
- Navigate with GPS and compass
- Record, edit, and share routes
- Access public National Park Service maps
- Import/export maps in KML/KMZ formats
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View hundreds of public maps from the National Park Service and other users. Can't find a map? Stretch your own image onto the interactive map, then use your compass and GPS to navigate with ease. Map Stretch features an easy to use interface with no hassles or hidden fees of any kind, EVER! Map Stretch now features GPS tracking to record your route. Tracks and drawings can be easily edited, saved and shared with others. A Quick Overlay Example: You are handed a brochure with a map highlighting interesting places to visit... With Map Stretch, you can: - Find that someone has already stretched and shared the map from your brochure and add it to your map with a single tap. OR - Snap a photo of the map in the brochure. - Stretch it to match the map on your phone. - Know exactly where you are (and which direction you are facing) on the brochure map at all times. Details: + Map Stretch is completely free and requires no login or registration. + Sharing your stretched photos is optional and is done anonymously. + Map Stretch Lines and Overlays can be imported and exported in Google Earth kml and kmz formats.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Scenic Map at 4.7 against Map Stretch's 4.2. Map Stretch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Scenic Map sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Map Stretch asks for nothing beyond the download.
Scenic Map holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Scenic Map's written reviews are positive against 78% of Map Stretch's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Scenic Map ships an update every 3 months, Map Stretch every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on August 28, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scenic Map | Map Stretch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better | 4.2 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 10 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GrangerFX | Walk About Apps |
Customer experience
Scenic Map
Map Stretch
In-app purchases
Scenic Map
- Scenic Map Features$4.99
Map Stretch
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Scenic Map free?
Is Map Stretch free?
Which has better reviews, Scenic Map or Map Stretch?
Do Scenic Map or Map Stretch have ads?
Which is updated more often, Scenic Map or Map Stretch?
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