MapGenie vs SF Journal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MapGenie
This fan-made map app helps players navigate a popular fantasy RPG. Discover over 3,000 locations, including gear, quests, and secrets, with a progress tracker and note-taking features. It covers all game acts and offers quick search functionality.
- Over 3,000 locations
- 40+ categories
- Quicksearch functionality
- Progress tracker
- Note-taking
- All Acts covered
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An unofficial fan-made map for BG3. Explore the map to track down legendary gear and discover hidden quests! FEATURES: • Over 3,000 locations - Find all Waypoints, Side Quests, Puzzles, Unique Equipment, Illithid Tadpoles & Chests! • 40+ categories - including Bosses, Inspirational Events, Companions, Soul Coins & more! • Quicksearch - just type the name of a location to instantly find what you're looking for. • Sync progress with the website: https://mapgenie.io/baldurs-gate-3 • Progress Tracker - mark locations as found and track the progress of your collectables. • Take Notes - marking places of interest by adding notes to the map. • All Acts - maps for Act 1, Act 2 & Act 3 included! If you find a bug, or have any suggestions for the app, please use the 'Send Feedback' option below to let us know! Disclaimer: MapGenie is in no way affiliated with Larian (the developers of BG3!)
SF Journal
This app serves as an unofficial companion for a popular space exploration game. It offers a centralized hub for managing exploration progress, tracking missions, and accessing lore. The interface is designed for long gaming sessions, providing essential game context without needing to switch away from the game.
- Star system exploration with planet details
- Galaxy map for organized exploration
- Resource and crafting material lookup
- Character skill and progression planning
- Mission and quest tracking
- Lore recap timeline
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SF Journal is an unofficial companion for Starfield players who want exploration, progression, and story context in one place—without juggling wikis and spreadsheets. Explore the Settled Systems Browse star systems, search quickly, and open rich planet and moon pages with stats, traits, resources, and survey-style discovery tracking. Galaxy map Chart the stars and keep your exploration organized from a single hub. Resources & reference Look up materials with search-friendly lists—handy for crafting and gathering. Character skills Review skills by category and tier so you can plan ranks and progression. Missions & story Track main quests, side content, factions, and more from a structured mission hub—know what’s done and what’s left. Story before you play Read The Story So Far as a timeline-style recap of the lore that leads into the game. Built for long sessions A dark, HUD-inspired interface that’s easy on the eyes when you’re checking the app alongside the game. Disclaimer Starfield Journal is an independent companion app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, ZeniMax Media Inc., Microsoft Corporation, or their affiliates. STARFIELD and related marks are trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. or their respective owners.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SF Journal at every 2 days against MapGenie's every 17 months. SF Journal also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 43%). MapGenie's advantage is ratings volume (157 vs 12) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. MapGenie sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SF Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for MapGenie against 4.8 for SF Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MapGenie has 157 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of MapGenie's written reviews are positive against 67% of SF Journal's.
MapGenie ships an update every 17 months, SF Journal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MapGenie | SF Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (157 ratings) | 4.8 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 157 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 360 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Magic Lamp Technologies Limited | Jeffrey Bemelmans |
Customer experience
MapGenie
SF Journal
In-app purchases
MapGenie
- BG3 Map PRO Upgrade$9.99
SF Journal
- Starfield Journal$1.99









