# Cool Routes vs BrightMaps

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cool Routes at none against BrightMaps's 2. Cool Routes also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). BrightMaps's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BrightMaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Cool Routes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cool Routes against 5.0 for BrightMaps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Cool Routes ships an update every 2 weeks, BrightMaps every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cool Routes | BrightMaps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cool-routes/id6777495442/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightmaps/id6786407508/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 39 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rounaq Basu](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777495444) | [ZINEB SAID](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896763342) |

## What reviewers say

### Cool Routes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cool-routes/id6777495442)

This navigation app prioritizes user comfort and environmental factors like shade and greenery in its routing. It helps pedestrians and cyclists find cooler, more pleasant paths without significant detours, contributing to safety and well-being.

**Highlights:** Climate-aware routing, Thermal comfort optimization, Greenery and shade indices, Reduced heat exposure, Pedestrian and cyclist safety, No unreasonable detours

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BrightMaps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightmaps/id6786407508)

Navigate your city with a focus on staying cool. This app provides walking and biking directions that prioritize routes with tree canopy and building shade, avoiding direct sun exposure.

**Highlights:** Shade-first routing, Turn-by-turn navigation, Live shade forecasts, Comfort-based route alternatives, Live Activity and Dynamic Island support, Shade-colored route lines

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brightmaps Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| BrightMaps Pro Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cool Routes free?

Cool Routes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BrightMaps free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cool Routes or BrightMaps?

Cool Routes and BrightMaps are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Cool Routes or BrightMaps have ads?

Neither Cool Routes nor BrightMaps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cool Routes or BrightMaps?

Cool Routes ships an update every 2 weeks, and BrightMaps every 5 days. Most recently, Cool Routes was updated on October 10, 2026 and BrightMaps on October 13, 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.*