# 指南针 vs 户外工具箱

The clearest difference is rating: 指南针 at 4.8 against 户外工具箱's 3.0. 指南针 also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium) and ratings volume (44 vs 2). 户外工具箱's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 指南针 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and 户外工具箱 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

指南针 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 指南针 has 44 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of 指南针's written reviews are positive against 75% of 户外工具箱's.

指南针 ships an update every 3 months, 户外工具箱 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 指南针 | 户外工具箱 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps/id6446302179/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps/id6615060497/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 4 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [智平 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1125861933) | [甜 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634153202) |

## What reviewers say

### 指南针

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps/id6446302179)

This app provides real-time environmental data including altitude, pressure, and GPS coordinates. It offers customizable display modes and supports both GPS and phone altimeter data sources. Designed for simplicity and efficiency, it ensures a clean, ad-free user experience.

**Highlights:** Altitude, pressure, and GPS data display, Switchable GPS or phone altimeter sources, Dark and light mode support, UI customization, Ad-free experience, Minimal resource usage

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 指南针PLUS 永久买断会员 | $1.99 | one-time |


### 户外工具箱

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps/id6615060497)

This app provides essential outdoor navigation tools including a compass, GPS coordinates, and sensor data. It also features a watermark camera for geotagging photos and tools for geological measurements, making it ideal for adventurers and professionals.

**Highlights:** Professional compass and GPS coordinates, Geotagging watermark camera, Rock attitude measurement for geologists, Multiple sensors (altitude, pressure, magnetic), Compact and user-friendly interface, Dark mode support

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 月度订阅 | $3.99 | per month |
| 年度订阅 | $12.99 | per year |
| 永久解锁 | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 指南针 free?

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

### Is 户外工具箱 free?

户外工具箱 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 指南针 or 户外工具箱?

指南针 is rated higher. 指南针 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while 户外工具箱 averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do 指南针 or 户外工具箱 have ads?

Neither 指南针 nor 户外工具箱 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 指南针 or 户外工具箱?

指南针 ships an update every 3 months, and 户外工具箱 every 3 weeks. Most recently, 指南针 was updated on October 12, 2026 and 户外工具箱 on October 2, 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.*