# maps.earth vs Ascend Maps

The clearest difference is rating: Ascend Maps at 5.0 against maps.earth's 3.2. Ascend Maps also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). maps.earth's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ascend Maps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: maps.earth has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

maps.earth ships an update monthly, Ascend Maps every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | maps.earth | Ascend Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapsearth/id6479329515/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascend-maps/id6504321706/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 27 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Kirk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023813384) | [Matthew White](https://appshunter.io/developer/1498369427) |

## What reviewers say

### maps.earth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapsearth/id6479329515)

Discover the world with low-stress directions powered by OpenStreetMap. This open-source application prioritizes user privacy by not displaying ads or selling data, focusing solely on providing a pleasant mapping experience.

**Highlights:** World exploration, Low-stress directions, OpenStreetMap powered, Ad-free experience, Data privacy focused, Open source

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ascend Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascend-maps/id6504321706)

This app provides customizable outdoor maps with offline capabilities. It features 3D terrain, track recording, saved places management, and the ability to save map tiles for offline use. Explore the outdoors with detailed, personalized navigation tools.

**Highlights:** Offline search, 3D terrain, Track recording and editing, Saved places management, Customizable map styles, Offline map tile saving

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is maps.earth free?

maps.earth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ascend Maps free?

Ascend Maps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, maps.earth or Ascend Maps?

Ascend Maps is rated higher. maps.earth averages 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Ascend Maps averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do maps.earth or Ascend Maps have ads?

Neither maps.earth nor Ascend Maps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, maps.earth or Ascend Maps?

maps.earth ships an update monthly, and Ascend Maps every 6 months. Most recently, maps.earth was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ascend Maps on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*