# Compass Retro vs Shade Compass

The clearest difference is price: Compass Retro at Free against Shade Compass's $0.99. Compass Retro also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Shade Compass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Compass Retro is free to download; Shade Compass costs $0.99 up front. Compass Retro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shade Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Compass Retro against 5.0 for Shade Compass. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Compass Retro ships an update every 8 days, Shade Compass every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass Retro | Shade Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-retro/id6758898828/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shade-compass/id6774860770/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 36 MB | 1.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [akira ohmachi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1338624340) | [Ira Seferovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/6774395008) |

## 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 |


### Shade Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shade-compass/id6774860770)

Visualize the sun's path and your shadow's position throughout the day. Plan outdoor activities, photography, or gardening with augmented reality features and detailed celestial data.

**Highlights:** Live sun and shadow visualization, Augmented reality sun path, Object shadow casting, 24-hour time scrubber, Golden hour and twilight alerts, Moon and planet tracking, Seasonal sun path analysis

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, 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 Shade Compass free?

Shade Compass costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Compass Retro or Shade Compass?

Compass Retro and Shade Compass are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Compass Retro or Shade Compass have ads?

Compass Retro shows ads; Shade Compass does not.

### Which is updated more often, Compass Retro or Shade Compass?

Compass Retro ships an update every 8 days, and Shade Compass every 10 days. Most recently, Compass Retro was updated on October 20, 2026 and Shade Compass on October 10, 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.*