Comparison

MapGenie vs SF Journal

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Over 3,000 locations
  • 40+ categories
  • Quicksearch functionality
  • Progress tracker
  • Note-taking
  • All Acts covered
Features
Read full description

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!)

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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

MapGenie4 screens
SF Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MapGenie versus SF Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMapGenieSF Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (157 ratings)4.8 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings157 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB360 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMagic Lamp Technologies LimitedJeffrey Bemelmans

Customer experience

MapGenie

All ratings157 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral6.4%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral28.6%
Negative28.6%

SF Journal

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

MapGenie

One-time1
  • BG3 Map PRO Upgrade$9.99
1 purchases

SF Journal

One-time1
  • Starfield Journal$1.99

Questions

Is MapGenie free?
MapGenie is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SF Journal free?
SF Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MapGenie or SF Journal?
MapGenie and SF Journal are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 157 and 12 ratings respectively.
Do MapGenie or SF Journal have ads?
Neither MapGenie nor SF Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MapGenie or SF Journal?
MapGenie ships an update every 17 months, and SF Journal every 2 days. Most recently, MapGenie was updated on October 16, 2026 and SF Journal on October 2, 2026.

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