Comparison

Cartographer vs Tracesmap

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

Head to head
About

Cartographer

Features
Read full description

Cartographer is a toolkit for map lovers. - Measure distances, perimeters, and areas by tapping points on the map. - Save places to your Atlas with names, notes, colors, and icons, then group them into collections. - Compare two maps side by side with ease. Terms of service can be found here: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Tracesmap

Features
Read full description

TracesMap combines GPS trace recording and OpenStreetMap POI editing in one app, built for mapping on the go. Record your journeys, upload GPX traces directly to OpenStreetMap, and help improve the world's free map. KEY FEATURES - Record GPX Traces: Capture your GPS tracks with distance-based or time-based recording methods. - Direct OSM Upload: Seamlessly upload your traces to OpenStreetMap with one tap. - Add & Edit POIs: Place new points of interest on the map or edit tags on existing OSM nodes and polygons, with a live tag preview as you edit. - Brand & Place Search: Find businesses and places by name using the Name Suggestion Index (NSI) and apply the matching OSM tags automatically. - Multiple Map Styles: Choose from Carto Vector, Topo Vector, Topo Raster, OSM Raster, and Thunderforest Transport. - Live Dashboard: View real-time speed, elevation, GPS accuracy, and recording stats on-screen. - Public Traces: Browse public GPS traces from other OpenStreetMap contributors in your area. - Metric & Imperial Units: Switch between km/m and mi/ft in settings. - Exclusion Zones: Set locations where GPS recording is automatically paused for privacy. - Background Recording: Keep recording even when the app is in the background. - Cloud Sync: Sync your trace data across devices. - Multilingual: Available in English, French, German, Dutch, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. TracesMap is built for the OpenStreetMap community. Log in with your OSM account to start recording traces and editing POIs that help mappers worldwide. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Screenshots

Cartographer3 screens
Tracesmap4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tracesmap at none against Cartographer's 5. Tracesmap also leads on iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Cartographer sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Tracesmap asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Cartographer versus Tracesmap: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCartographerTracesmap
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyโ€”Fortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.6 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size3 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSecond Party Software LLCTracestrack Map Service

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Cartographer

Subscriptions2
  • Cartographer Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Cartographer Pro Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
  • Big Tip$14.99
None

Tracesmap

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cartographer free?
Cartographer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tracesmap free?
Tracesmap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Cartographer or Tracesmap have ads?
Neither Cartographer nor Tracesmap shows ads.

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