# Topography Lite vs Tomstrails GPS UTM

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tomstrails GPS UTM at 84% against Topography Lite's 20%. Tomstrails GPS UTM also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months). Topography Lite's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Topography Lite ships an update every 7 months, Tomstrails GPS UTM every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Topography Lite | Tomstrails GPS UTM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tomstrails-gps-utm/id1004370364/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **83.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Georgios Graikousis](https://appshunter.io/developer/622591560) | [Tomstrails.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/425642318) |

## What reviewers say

### Topography Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topography-lite/id689662551)

This tool helps civil engineers, architects, and surveyors measure surface areas and convert coordinates to UTM EGSA87. It allows users to calculate polygon areas, export measurements in DXF, KML, and TXT formats, and input coordinates manually or by selecting points on a map.

**Highlights:** Convert coordinates to UTM EGSA87, Calculate polygon area in square meters, Export measurements in DXF, KML, TXT, Input coordinates manually, Select points on map for measurement

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tomstrails GPS UTM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tomstrails-gps-utm/id1004370364)

This app provides precise UTM grid references and displays your location on topographic maps. It works offline, supports various regional datums, and offers multiple coordinate formats for easy sharing and use in other applications.

**Highlights:** Fast and accurate UTM grid reference, Locate position on topographic maps, Works without phone signal, Supports regional datums (e.g., ED50), Multiple coordinate formats (1m, 10m, 100m), Share coordinates with other apps, High contrast display for readability

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and free
- 👍 Works well
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Accurate and reliable
- 👍 Great for hiking and emergencies

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't do anything
- 🐛 Coordinates not always accurate
- 💰 Requires payment for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Stopped working after iOS update
- UTM grids were off initially, required setting changes

**Requested features**

- Add support for Morocco coordinate system
- Add option to average readings and hold the result
- Add option to reduce coordinate display to 6 digits for emergency use
- Bring back previous features like degrees/minutes display and ability to edit messages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Topography Lite free?

Topography Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Tomstrails GPS UTM free?

Tomstrails GPS UTM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Topography Lite or Tomstrails GPS UTM have ads?

Neither Topography Lite nor Tomstrails GPS UTM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Topography Lite or Tomstrails GPS UTM?

Topography Lite ships an update every 7 months, and Tomstrails GPS UTM every 6 weeks. Most recently, Topography Lite was updated on November 6, 2026 and Tomstrails GPS UTM on November 1, 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.*