# Detector Maps vs Gold Prospector App

The clearest difference is monetization model: Gold Prospector App at freemium against Detector Maps's subscription. Gold Prospector App also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 74%). Detector Maps's advantage is ratings volume (248 vs 5). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Detector Maps sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Gold Prospector App sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Gold Prospector App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Detector Maps has 248 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Detector Maps's written reviews are positive against 100% of Gold Prospector App's.

Detector Maps ships an update every 6 days, Gold Prospector App every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Detector Maps | Gold Prospector App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detector-maps/id6741421159/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gold-prospector-app/id6762539171/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **248** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#174** | #188 |
| Size | 140 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [GOLD DISCOVERY SOLUTIONS PTY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788016705) | [Jordan Setnor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894589356) |

## What reviewers say

### Detector Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detector-maps/id6741421159)

**Currently charting:** #174 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides advanced geological data and GPS tools for gold prospecting in Australia, the US, and New Zealand. It offers offline map access, breadcrumb tracking, and waypoint marking to help users explore efficiently and locate potential gold-bearing areas.

**Highlights:** Advanced geological and gold-focused data, Offline map and data layer downloads, Breadcrumb trail tracking (background GPS), Waypoint marking with field notes, Real-time GPS navigation, Historic gold mines and workings layers

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Explorer Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $11.99 | per month |
| Yearly Explorer Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Good maps
- 👍 Extremely handy
- 👍 Helpful information
- 👍 Excellent app
- 👍 Fantastic app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Missing areas
- 🐛 Discrepancies in data
- 🐛 LiDAR not working
- 🔒 Subscription issues

**Reported bugs**

- Issues with subscription and login
- LiDAR not working in certain areas

**Requested features**

- Expand coverage to more areas
- Improve data accuracy and consistency


### Gold Prospector App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gold-prospector-app/id6762539171)

**Currently charting:** #188 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app uses AI and LiDAR to analyze terrain for gold potential, offering detailed maps, prospecting guides, and a community forum. It helps users identify promising locations and track their finds.

**Highlights:** AI terrain analysis for gold potential, AI prospecting guide (GoldBot), 1-meter LiDAR hillshade mapping, Customizable maps with data layers, GPS trail tracking and find logging, In-app guides and community forum

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gold Prospector Pro | $8.99 | per month |
| Gold Prospector Pro | $89.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Detector Maps free?

Detector Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Gold Prospector App free?

Gold Prospector App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Detector Maps or Gold Prospector App?

Gold Prospector App is rated higher. Detector Maps averages 4.7 out of 5 from 248 ratings, while Gold Prospector App averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Detector Maps or Gold Prospector App have ads?

Detector Maps shows ads; Gold Prospector App does not.

### Which is updated more often, Detector Maps or Gold Prospector App?

Detector Maps ships an update every 6 days, and Gold Prospector App every 5 days. Most recently, Detector Maps was updated on September 25, 2026 and Gold Prospector App on September 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Detector Maps or Gold Prospector App?

Detector Maps currently peaks at #174 in the App Store charts, and Gold Prospector App at #188. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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