# NPS Parks App vs NP Maps

NPS Parks App and NP Maps both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of NP Maps's written reviews are positive against 38% of NPS Parks App's. NPS Parks App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (676 vs 195). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NP Maps sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. NPS Parks App asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for NPS Parks App against 4.6 for NP Maps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 676 and 195 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 38% of NPS Parks App's written reviews are positive against 75% of NP Maps's.

NPS Parks App ships an update every 2 months, NP Maps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and August 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NPS Parks App | NP Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (676 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nps-parks-app/id688735038/reviews) | [4.6 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/np-maps/id1013758883/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **676** | 195 |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 50 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [i2a Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/665441136) | [Delcartes LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/909846659) |

## What reviewers say

### NPS Parks App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nps-parks-app/id688735038)

Discover and plan your visits to all National Park Service units with this interactive guide. Explore attractions, get directions, and track your experiences. Collect digital stamps for visited parks and share your adventures with others.

**Highlights:** Interactive NPS unit guide, Digital park stamps, Detailed park information, Searchable things to do, Personalized to-do lists, Mapping and directions, User-generated tips and photos

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Lots of great ideas
- 👍 Helpful app
- 👍 Everything NPS at Your Fingertips!
- 👍 Excellent app
- 👍 National Parks rule

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Not complete
- 🚫 Not the official park service app
- 🚫 Can't find them on this app
- 🚫 Difficult to use and understand
- 🚫 Mapping app

**Reported bugs**

- Maps don't work
- Crashes for me too
- Crashes
- App Crashes
- Blank (no content)

**Requested features**

- Add friends on the app
- Complete list of the parks


### NP Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/np-maps/id1013758883)

Access official National Park Service and USGS topographic maps for offline GPS navigation on iOS devices. Download maps for all US national parks, monuments, and preserves, along with extensive topographic coverage across the USA. Ideal for wilderness travel where internet service is unavailable.

**Highlights:** Download NPS and USGS maps, Offline GPS and location tracking, Geospatial integration with Apple Maps, Waypoint and route creation, GPX file import and export, High-resolution map rendering, GPS location and elevation display

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 90 Day | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year | $5.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $23.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NPS Parks App free?

NPS Parks App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NP Maps free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NPS Parks App or NP Maps?

NPS Parks App and NP Maps are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 676 and 195 ratings respectively.

### Do NPS Parks App or NP Maps have ads?

Neither NPS Parks App nor NP Maps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NPS Parks App or NP Maps?

NPS Parks App ships an update every 2 months, and NP Maps every 3 months. Most recently, NPS Parks App was updated on September 14, 2026 and NP Maps on August 25, 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.*