# Compass vs ReferenceFrame

The clearest difference is price: Compass at Free against ReferenceFrame's $4.99. Compass also leads on ratings volume (39 vs 1). ReferenceFrame's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Compass is free to download; ReferenceFrame costs $4.99 up front. Compass sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. ReferenceFrame asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReferenceFrame holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | ReferenceFrame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-gps-positioning/id6745016117/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referenceframe-frame-designer/id6758589669/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#168** |
| Size | 9 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [嘉 罗](https://appshunter.io/developer/1763191933) | [Graham Larue](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873829108) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-gps-positioning/id6745016117)

Navigate outdoors with a precise compass, level tool, and real-time weather updates. Receive extreme weather alerts and capture photos with location-based watermarks. Optimized for low power consumption and offline use.

**Highlights:** Precision compass with GPS data, Smart level tool, Real-time weather monitoring, Extreme weather alerts, Watermark camera, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 指南针服务 | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| zhinanzhen | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| zhinanzhen | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| zzsub | $19.99 | per month |
| zzsub | $29.99 | per 3 months |


### ReferenceFrame

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referenceframe-frame-designer/id6758589669)

**Currently charting:** #168 Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

This app calculates all necessary dimensions for custom picture framing, including mat cuts and material depths. It ensures your artwork fits within the frame's rabbet and generates a detailed cut list and technical diagram. Works offline and supports various measurement units.

**Highlights:** Calculates frame, mat, and cut dimensions, Checks artwork fit within rabbet, Generates technical cross-section diagrams, Exports PDF summary, Saves configurations and design history, Supports inches (with fractions) and millimeters, Works entirely offline

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass free?

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

### Is ReferenceFrame free?

ReferenceFrame costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Compass or ReferenceFrame?

ReferenceFrame is rated higher. Compass averages 4.4 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while ReferenceFrame averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Compass or ReferenceFrame have ads?

Neither Compass nor ReferenceFrame shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Compass or ReferenceFrame?

Compass ships an update every 2 weeks, and ReferenceFrame every 2 weeks. Most recently, Compass was updated on October 20, 2026 and ReferenceFrame on October 15, 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.*