Simple Direction Navigator vs Tether
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Simple Direction Navigator
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Your new go-to navigation app for when Google Maps is just too confusing. Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases. KEY FEATURES Search any location worldwide using Googleβs powerful map search capabilities. Exact real-time compass direction and distance to your destination. Saves your search history for quick access to frequently visited places Get turn-by-turn directions using Apple Maps. Compass directions work offline Beautiful, minimalist interface designed for clarity and ease of use PERFECT FOR CYCLISTS - attach your phone to your handlebars for easy navigation WALKERS - navigate using precise compass direction TOURISTS - easily explore new cities EMERGENCIES - where you just need to know which direction to head ANYONE who needs to get to a place but doesnβt want to spend their journey getting confused my Google Maps directions.
Tether
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Tether remembers where you parked and leads you back along your own footsteps, even in an underground garage where GPS gives up. TIE YOUR SPOT IN ONE TAP Tap "Tie here" and the spot is saved the moment you touch the button. A mistaken tap can be undone for a few seconds. A photo, a note and a bay number are optional and can be added later. FOLLOW YOUR OWN THREAD BACK While Tether is open, it draws the path you walk away from the car. On the way back, "Find my car" follows that path, through the stairwell and across the lot, and shows the distance left and about how many steps. When GPS cannot reach, the path keeps growing from your steps and compass, so underground it is an estimate, not a survey. If Tether is open as you drive down, its barometer notices which underground level you parked on. Tether records the path only while the app is open; a stretch it missed shows as a dotted line, not a guess. PARKING METER TIMER Wind the meter with a dial, a preset from 30 minutes to 4 hours, or any length up to 24 hours. Choose how early you want a reminder, from 5 minutes to 2 hours before, and Tether sends a notification (allow notifications when asked). Choose more than 5 minutes and you also get a second one at 5 minutes left, and one when time runs out. It helps you avoid a parking ticket; it does not replace checking the meter. ALWAYS WITHIN REACH - Live Activity on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island - Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets - Control Center button (iOS 18 and later) - Siri and Shortcuts: "Where's my car in Tether?" - Pocket mode: taps that quicken as you get close, so you can look up from the screen while Tether is open - Open in Maps for walking directions to the spot - A history of your past parking sessions, saved in the app PRIVACY No ads and no account. Your spots, photos, notes and paths are saved in the app and never uploaded to us; street names and maps come from Apple Maps. Tether counts how the app is used and reports crashes so it can be improved; neither includes where you parked. Tether needs your location while you use it. Motion & Fitness access (steps and barometer) and the camera are optional. iPhone only, iOS 17.6 or later.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Simple Direction Navigator at every 9 days against Tether's monthly. Tether's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Simple Direction Navigator ships an update every 9 days, Tether monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simple Direction Navigator | Tether |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days β better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.6 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jack Finnis | Mykola Rudenko |
In-app purchases
Simple Direction Navigator
No in-app purchases
Tether
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Simple Direction Navigator free?
Is Tether free?
Do Simple Direction Navigator or Tether have ads?
Which is updated more often, Simple Direction Navigator or Tether?
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