Comparison

Tracesmap vs Car Play Connect

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tracesmap

Record GPS tracks and contribute to OpenStreetMap by editing points of interest. Improve the world's free map by uploading your journeys and adding/editing map data directly from your mobile device.

Highlights
  • Record GPX traces
  • Direct OpenStreetMap upload
  • Add and edit POIs
  • Live dashboard with stats
  • Multiple map styles
  • Background recording
  • Cloud sync
Features
Read full description

TracesMap combines GPS trace recording and OpenStreetMap POI editing in one app, built for mapping on the go. Record your journeys, upload GPX traces directly to OpenStreetMap, and help improve the world's free map. KEY FEATURES - Record GPX Traces: Capture your GPS tracks with distance-based or time-based recording methods. - Direct OSM Upload: Seamlessly upload your traces to OpenStreetMap with one tap. - Add & Edit POIs: Place new points of interest on the map or edit tags on existing OSM nodes and polygons, with a live tag preview as you edit. - Brand & Place Search: Find businesses and places by name using the Name Suggestion Index (NSI) and apply the matching OSM tags automatically. - Multiple Map Styles: Choose from Carto Vector, Topo Vector, Topo Raster, OSM Raster, and Thunderforest Transport. - Live Dashboard: View real-time speed, elevation, GPS accuracy, and recording stats on-screen. - Public Traces: Browse public GPS traces from other OpenStreetMap contributors in your area. - Metric & Imperial Units: Switch between km/m and mi/ft in settings. - Exclusion Zones: Set locations where GPS recording is automatically paused for privacy. - Background Recording: Keep recording even when the app is in the background. - Cloud Sync: Sync your trace data across devices. - Multilingual: Available in English, French, German, Dutch, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. TracesMap is built for the OpenStreetMap community. Log in with your OSM account to start recording traces and editing POIs that help mappers worldwide. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

Car Play Connect

Features
Read full description

Free. No subscription. No ads. Turn your iPhone into a car dashboard: GPS speedometer, turn-by-turn navigation, music controls, hands-free calling, and nearby gas, charging and parking. ONE SCREEN WHILE YOU DRIVE See your speed, your route and what's playing at the same time. Large touch targets and a dark interface built to be read at a glance. GPS SPEEDOMETER Analog and digital speed readout with a compass heading and live weather. Speed is calculated from GPS and may differ slightly from your car's speedometer. NAVIGATION Turn-by-turn directions with arrival time, duration and distance remaining. Powered by Apple Maps. NEARBY Find gas stations, EV charging points, parking and repair shops around you without leaving the app. MUSIC, RADIO AND PODCASTS Control Apple Music from the dashboard, listen to internet radio stations and podcasts, or open Spotify with one tap. HANDS-FREE CALLING Favorites, recent calls, contacts and keypad, laid out for use in the car. Note: Car Play Connect is an independent app. It is not affiliated with Apple Inc. and is not integrated into any built-in car system. It runs entirely on your iPhone or iPad. Mount your device where you can see it and let the app do the rest. PERMISSIONS Location access is required for speed, navigation, weather and nearby search. Your location is used only while the app is open and is never sold. Anonymous usage statistics help us improve the app and are not linked to your identity. PRICE Free. There is no subscription, no in-app purchase, no advertising and no account to create. Support: carplayconnect.support@gmail.com Terms of Use: https://carplayconnect.github.io/legal/terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://carplayconnect.github.io/legal/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Tracesmap4 screens
Car Play Connect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Car Play Connect at weekly against Tracesmap's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tracesmap ships an update fortnightly, Car Play Connect weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Tracesmap versus Car Play Connect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTracesmapCar Play Connect
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTracestrack Map ServiceASLI BASARAN

In-app purchases

None

Tracesmap

No in-app purchases

None

Car Play Connect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tracesmap free?
Tracesmap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Car Play Connect free?
Car Play Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tracesmap or Car Play Connect have ads?
Neither Tracesmap nor Car Play Connect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tracesmap or Car Play Connect?
Tracesmap ships an update fortnightly, and Car Play Connect weekly. Most recently, Tracesmap was updated on October 31, 2026 and Car Play Connect on November 10, 2026.

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