# Compass mini vs Archies Explorer

The clearest difference is update cadence: Archies Explorer at every 5 days against Compass mini's every 5 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Compass mini sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Archies Explorer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Compass mini ships an update every 5 weeks, Archies Explorer every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass mini | Archies Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-mini/id6443833141/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **61** | — |
| Positive reviews | 95.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 8 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **15.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [鑫 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439411405) | [Robert E. Farney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896360906) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass mini

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-mini/id6443833141)

This app provides a minimalist compass for identifying direction. It also displays altitude, barometric pressure, and coordinate information for your current location. Additional features include sunrise/sunset times and solar angles, with offline usability and widget support.

**Highlights:** Direction identification, Altitude and barometric pressure, Coordinate navigation, Location bookmarking, Sunrise and sunset times, Solar elevation and azimuth, Offline usability

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compass mini · Pro | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful and elegant design
- 🚫 No annoying ads
- 🧹 Clean and simple interface
- 🧭 Accurate compass functionality
- ⛰️ Displays altitude information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Occasional frame drops on settings
- 💰 In-app purchases are expensive
- ⚠️ Calibration can be difficult

**Reported bugs**

- Clicking settings causes frame drops
- Altitude display issues in some locations
- No compass widget available
- Latitude and longitude are阉割 (阉割 means 'castrated' or 'removed', implying it's disabled/unavailable in China)
- watchOS 11 app not available despite update log

**Requested features**

- Switch angle to elevation in the center
- More precise location targeting (e.g., to landmarks)
- WatchOS integration
- Change daytime color scheme for solar trajectory widget
- Discount for in-app purchases


### Archies Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archies-explorer/id6781099326)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Archies Explorer Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass mini free?

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

### Is Archies Explorer free?

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

### Do Compass mini or Archies Explorer have ads?

Neither Compass mini nor Archies Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass mini or Archies Explorer?

Compass mini ships an update every 5 weeks, and Archies Explorer every 5 days. Most recently, Compass mini was updated on November 3, 2026 and Archies Explorer on October 24, 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.*