Comparison

Compass vs Compass Retro

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

Head to head
About

Compass

This app provides accurate direction and degree measurements with a clear, intuitive interface. It's perfect for outdoor activities, travel, or everyday orientation, offering real-time tracking and customizable themes.

Highlights
  • Digital compass with responsive needle
  • Real-time direction tracking in degrees
  • Precise degree display
  • Interactive rotating compass dial
  • Built-in magnifying glass
  • Customizable color themes
  • Simple and intuitive design
Features
Read full description

Find your direction with Compass – Direction & Degree, a powerful, easy-to-use digital compass designed for accurate navigation, real-time heading measurements, and a smooth, intuitive experience. Whether you're exploring the outdoors, hiking, traveling, or simply checking your orientation, this compass helps you understand your direction with a clear, beautifully designed interface. KEY FEATURES • DIGITAL COMPASS View your current heading with a responsive compass needle and an easy-to-read circular dial. • REAL-TIME DIRECTION TRACKING See your compass heading in degrees (0°–360°) and identify North, South, East, West, and intermediate directions. • PRECISE DEGREE DISPLAY Read your heading instantly with a large digital angle indicator for convenient orientation and direction checking. • INTERACTIVE COMPASS DIAL Enjoy a smooth rotating compass interface with clear cardinal directions and degree markings. • BUILT-IN MAGNIFYING GLASS Take a closer look at compass details with the integrated magnifying feature for easier reading. • CUSTOMIZABLE APPEARANCE Choose from multiple color themes to personalize the compass interface to your style. • SIMPLE AND INTUITIVE DESIGN A clean, distraction-free layout makes the compass easy to use on both iPhone and iPad. PERFECT FOR • Hiking and outdoor exploration • Camping and nature walks • Traveling and sightseeing • Finding North and other cardinal directions • Checking compass bearings and angles • Everyday orientation and navigation WHY CHOOSE OUR DIGITAL COMPASS? Compass – Direction & Degree combines essential navigation tools with an elegant, easy-to-read design. The rotating compass dial, clear degree measurements, built-in magnifier, and customizable colors make checking your direction simple and convenient. No complicated menus. No unnecessary distractions. Just the direction information you need, right at your fingertips. Download Compass – Direction & Degree today and discover a smarter, simpler way to find your direction! IMPORTANT NOTE Compass accuracy depends on your device's built-in sensors and surrounding magnetic conditions. Nearby metal objects, magnets, and electronic equipment may affect readings. Compass functionality requires a compatible device with a magnetic compass sensor. This app is not intended for safety-critical navigation.

About

Compass Retro

Experience a photorealistic retro compass that transforms your device into an intuitive navigation tool. It offers a full-screen analog display with smooth needle alignment to true north. Choose between light and dark themes for a visually appealing experience.

Highlights
  • Full-screen photorealistic display
  • Smooth true north alignment
  • Intuitive analog instrument feel
  • Light and dark theme support
  • Purpose-built for reliable navigation
Features
Read full description

A full-screen, photo-realistic retro compass fills your display, recreating the look and feel of a classic analog instrument. When you hold your device flat, the needle smoothly aligns to true north, turning your phone into a dedicated, intuitive navigation tool. The app supports both light and dark themes, each with its own carefully crafted photograph: in light mode, the compass rests in bright, daytime lighting; in dark mode, it's bathed in the warm glow of an evening sunset. This app is purpose-built for one thing only-being a beautiful, reliable compass-with no extra screens, menus, or distracting features.

Screenshots

Compass4 screens
Compass Retro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Compass Retro at 5.0 against Compass's 2.0. Compass Retro also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 14 months). Compass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, monetization model and device support 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. Compass Retro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Compass Retro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Compass ships an update every 14 months, Compass Retro every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Compass versus Compass Retro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCompassCompass Retro
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKrzysztof Gwiazdaakira ohmachi

Customer experience

Compass

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Compass Retro

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Compass

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Compass Retro

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Compass free?
Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Compass Retro free?
Compass Retro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Compass or Compass Retro?
Compass Retro is rated higher. Compass averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Compass Retro averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Compass or Compass Retro have ads?
Compass Retro shows ads; Compass does not.
Which is updated more often, Compass or Compass Retro?
Compass ships an update every 14 months, and Compass Retro every 8 days. Most recently, Compass was updated on November 8, 2026 and Compass Retro on November 3, 2026.

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