# Compass Retro vs Talking compass

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Talking compass at none against Compass Retro's 1. Talking compass also leads on ads (none vs shown). Compass Retro's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Compass Retro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Talking compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

Compass Retro ships an update every 8 days, Talking compass monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Retro | Talking compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-retro/id6758898828/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 36 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [akira ohmachi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1338624340) | [Steven Johnson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1849992806) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass Retro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-retro/id6758898828)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Talking compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talking-compass/id6760539664)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass Retro free?

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

### Is Talking compass free?

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

### Do Compass Retro or Talking compass have ads?

Compass Retro shows ads; Talking compass does not.

### Which is updated more often, Compass Retro or Talking compass?

Compass Retro ships an update every 8 days, and Talking compass monthly. Most recently, Compass Retro was updated on October 11, 2026 and Talking compass on October 2, 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.*