Comparison

Explorer vs Ear Sonar

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

Head to head
About

Explorer

Features
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Explorer turns your iPhone into a full sensor logger. Start a session and it records your GPS track together with barometric pressure, compass heading, motion and activity data, step counts, and battery state — in the foreground or with the screen locked. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS Everything is stored on your device. No account, no analytics, no ads, no third-party SDKs. Data leaves your phone only when you export it — and you choose where it goes. RECORD • One-tap session recording with live dashboard: position, speed, altitude, G-force • Background tracking that keeps logging while your screen is off • Log points of interest with a tap - or hands-free with Siri: "Log a POI in Explorer" • Per-sensor controls and sample rates to balance detail against battery EXPLORE • Every session drawn on the map in its own color, with POI pins • Live compass, motion, and environment views • Browse every reading in the Data viewer with filters and charts • Preview any session on a map before deleting it EXPORT ANYWHERE • Share ZIPs of CSV or JSONL via Files, AirDrop, or Mail • Or send data straight to your own server: any HTTP(S) endpoint, POST or PUT, custom headers, Bearer/Basic/API-key auth — credentials kept in the iOS Keychain • Filter exports by sensor type, session, and date range • Full schema documentation built into the app (Help → Data Reference) Explorer asks for location (including Always, for background recording) and motion permissions. Recording happens after you tap Start Tracking or open the app.

About

Ear Sonar

Read full description

Ear Sonar is an accessibility app that helps people who are blind or have low vision sense nearby space. It uses the iPhone’s rear LiDAR to scan what’s ahead, then turns that depth into spatial audio—or haptics—so you can “hear” the environment. What you can hear • Distance: nearer sounds arrive sooner, denser, or higher in pitch; farther sounds are sparser and lower • Direction: binaural spatial audio places objects to your left or right • Shape cues: flat walls, slopes, and gaps create distinct sonic rhythms Four sensing modes • Echolocation: row-by-row pings outline space like sonar returns • Pitch sonar: a rising scan line encodes distance as pitch in real time • Continuous sonar: a fixed center line for a live depth profile while you walk • Haptic sonar: vibration timing encodes distance—no headphones required Semantic markers Optionally detect people, vehicles, dogs, chairs, tables, doors, and more, then announce them in stereo from their real-world direction. All processing stays on device; nothing is uploaded. Tips • Stereo headphones are recommended (Apple headphones with head tracking and spatial audio work best); haptic mode can be used without headphones • Full VoiceOver support, including gestures and the rotor • Requires an iPhone with LiDAR (iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models) • This is an assistive tool—not a replacement for a cane, guide dog, or your own judgment when traveling Open the app and start hearing space. Camera preview is on by default so sighted helpers can see what’s being scanned. To keep the experience focused, the app intentionally avoids UI that isn’t essential to core sensing. Questions or suggestions: ninerwong@outlook.com

Screenshots

Explorer4 screens
Ear Sonar1 screens

Verdict

The call

Explorer and Ear Sonar are too close to call on the numbers: across 3 compared parameters — price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Explorer versus Ear Sonar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExplorerEar Sonar
PriceFreeFree
AdsNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJames Bolderson乃君 黄

In-app purchases

None

Explorer

No in-app purchases

None

Ear Sonar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Explorer free?
Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ear Sonar free?
Ear Sonar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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