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

An unofficial fan-made interactive map for a popular game, featuring over 2000 locations, progress tracking, and note-taking capabilities. It helps players discover all systems, collectibles, quests, and vendors.

Highlights
  • Interactive surface maps for major hubs
  • Over 2000 locations tracked
  • Progress tracker for collectibles
  • Quick search functionality
  • Note-taking on the map
  • Galaxy map for system navigation
Features
Read full description

An unofficial fan-made interactive map for SF - upgrade your experience with custom hand made hub maps and a collectibles tracker! FEATURES: • Surface Maps for all major hubs & settlements! • Over 2000 locations - All Systems, Collectibles, Side Quests, Companions, Vendors & more! • 50+ categories - including Skill Magazines, Fast Travel, Unique Weapons, Legendary Ships, etc.! • Quicksearch - just type the name of a location to instantly find what you're looking for. • Sync progress with the website: https://mapgenie.io/starfield • 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. • Galaxy Map - Easily the system you're looking for using the star map! NOTE: This game is H U G E, and the map is still work-in-progress. We're adding more locations & maps every day so stay tuned! 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 the developers of this game!

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 review sentiment: SF Journal at 67% against MapGenie's 0%. SF Journal also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 34 months). MapGenie's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, 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

SF Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of MapGenie's written reviews are positive against 67% of SF Journal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MapGenie ships an update every 34 months, SF Journal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 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
Rating2.4 (11 ratings)4.8 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1112 — better
Update frequencyEvery 34 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
Size54 MB360 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMagic Lamp Technologies LimitedJeffrey Bemelmans

Customer experience

MapGenie

All ratings11 ratings
Positive27.3%
Neutral9.1%
Negative63.6%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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
  • Starfield Map PRO Upgrade$5.99
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?
SF Journal is rated higher. MapGenie averages 2.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while SF Journal averages 4.8 from 12 ratings.
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 34 months, and SF Journal every 2 days. Most recently, MapGenie was updated on October 24, 2026 and SF Journal on October 2, 2026.

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