# Detector Maps vs Patchly

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Patchly at none against Detector Maps's 4. Patchly also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 74%). Detector Maps's advantage is chart position (#109 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Detector Maps sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Patchly asks for nothing beyond the download.

Detector Maps ships an update every 6 days, Patchly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Detector Maps | Patchly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detector-maps/id6741421159/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **248** | — |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#109** | — |
| Size | 140 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GOLD DISCOVERY SOLUTIONS PTY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788016705) | [Patchly Labs Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/6773024638) |

## What reviewers say

### Detector Maps

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

**Currently charting:** #109 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


### Patchly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patchly/id6773024636)

This app helps gold prospectors and metal detectorists explore and understand goldfields with detailed maps and offline capabilities. It records your activity, classifies finds, and allows for private data management. Navigate to locations and track your findings with detailed logs.

**Highlights:** 90+ curated prospecting layers, Offline map and search functionality, Field recording and smart classification, Off-road navigation to finds, Stash for tracking gold and value, Automatic cloud backup

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Detector Maps free?

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

### Is Patchly free?

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

### Do Detector Maps or Patchly have ads?

Detector Maps shows ads; Patchly does not.

### Which is updated more often, Detector Maps or Patchly?

Detector Maps ships an update every 6 days, and Patchly weekly. Most recently, Detector Maps was updated on October 8, 2026 and Patchly on September 27, 2026.

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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.*