# Map Notes vs Open Maps

The clearest difference is update cadence: Open Maps at every 4 days against Map Notes's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Map Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Open Maps sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Map Notes ships an update every 3 weeks, Open Maps every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Map Notes | Open Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 290 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Zhuoyao lu](https://appshunter.io/developer/894406093) | [Knecht, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1127317529) |

## What reviewers say

### Map Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/map-notes/id6447806875)

This app allows users to draw directly on maps, add custom pins with icons, and plan journeys with direction calculation. It converts sketches into navigable paths and saves all annotations as part of the map, syncing across devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Draw directly on maps, Create pins with custom icons, Calculate directions, Convert drawings to navigable paths, Save annotations as part of the map, Attach tags, info, and photos, Sync across devices with iCloud

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $34.99 | per year |


### Open Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-maps-create-and-share/id6599727781)

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Basic (Monthly) | $5.99 | per month |
| Pro (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro (Monthly) | $11.99 | per month |
| Basic (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Basic (Annual) | $59.99 | per year |
| Pro (Annual) | $99.99 | per year |
| Pro (Annual) | $119.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Map Notes free?

Map Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Open Maps free?

Open Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Map Notes or Open Maps have ads?

Neither Map Notes nor Open Maps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Map Notes or Open Maps?

Map Notes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Open Maps every 4 days. Most recently, Map Notes was updated on October 4, 2026 and Open Maps 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.*