Comparison

Handy GPS vs Tomstrails GPS UTM

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

Head to head
About

Handy GPS

Navigate the outdoors with this comprehensive tool. Record waypoints, track logs, and find your way home using UTM or lat/lon coordinates. Supports offline maps and data export for planning and sharing.

Highlights
  • UTM and Lat/Lon coordinate support
  • Waypoint recording and navigation
  • Track log recording
  • Offline map tile downloads
  • KML/GPX file import and export
  • Magnetic compass and elevation profile
  • Sun and moon rise/set times
Features
Read full description

The perfect companion for your next outdoor adventure. Seek, find, record and return home with Handy GPS. This app is a real navigation tool designed for outdoors sports like hiking, bushwalking, mountain biking, kayaking and trail riding. It allows you to work in UTM or lat/lon coordinates. Features: * View your current location in UTM or Lat/Lon formats. * Record and/or manually enter waypoints in UTM, Lat/Lon, or MGRS. * Goto a waypoint, with optional audio proximity alarm and spoken directions. * Record a track log. * Show your current location, waypoints and tracklogs on a map. * Export waypoints and tracklogs to a KML file for viewing in Google Earth, or to a GPX file. * Export waypoints to a comma delimited (CSV) text file. * Import KML or GPX files and view in the app. * Email your current location to a friend. * Odometer to keep track of how far you've gone. * Magnetic compass. * Elevation profile. * Compute sun and moon rise and set times. * Supports both metric and US/imperial units. * Supports datums WGS84, GDA94, AGD66 and AGD84. (Use WGS84 for NAD83) * Allows entry of parameters for a custom datum (e.g. ED50, SAD69, OSGB36, GDA2020 etc), as well as supporting affine parameters for local grid systems. * Can display your location a normal grid ref, an MGRS grid ref (WGS84 datum only), or as a UK Ordinance Survey (OS) grid ref. * Can download offline map tiles for use where there is no cellular coverage. * Can import pre-prepared state or country-level base maps from a zip file. * Optional walk timer. * Email your current waypoints and tracklogs as a KML file. * Take photos from within the app to be stored with the current session. Disclaimer: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. To save battery power you can close the app from the task manager. The developer accepts no responsibility for you getting lost while using this app.

About

Tomstrails GPS UTM

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
Read full description

GPS UTM displays a fast and accurate UTM grid reference. Locate your position on topographic maps. GPS UTM supports many of the regional datums used around the world including ED50. ∙ No phone signal required - works in the most remote locations. ∙ 1 metre, 10 metre and 100 metre formats. ∙ Paste your coordinate into other apps or share with other people. ∙ A large, clear, high contrast display ensures you can easily read your position in any light conditions. ∙ Optimal battery use based on speed of travel and current charge level ensures all day use. ∙ No Adverts. GPS UTM - know where you are.

Screenshots

Handy GPS4 screens
Tomstrails GPS UTM3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Tomstrails GPS UTM at Free against Handy GPS's $9.99. Tomstrails GPS UTM also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 10). Handy GPS's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

Tomstrails GPS UTM is free to download; Handy GPS costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Handy GPS against 4.8 for Tomstrails GPS UTM. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tomstrails GPS UTM has 1.6K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Handy GPS's written reviews are positive against 84% of Tomstrails GPS UTM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Handy GPS versus Tomstrails GPS UTM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHandy GPSTomstrails GPS UTM
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (10 ratings) — better4.8 (1.6K ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better83.8% of reviews
Number of ratings101.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnthony DunkTomstrails.com

Customer experience

Handy GPS

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative0.0%

Tomstrails GPS UTM

All ratings1,607 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews154 reviews
Positive83.8%
Neutral7.1%
Negative9.1%

Bugs and requests

Handy GPS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Tomstrails GPS UTM

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Stopped working after iOS update
  • UTM grids were off initially, required setting changes

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

None

Handy GPS

No in-app purchases

None

Tomstrails GPS UTM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Handy GPS free?
Handy GPS costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tomstrails GPS UTM free?
Tomstrails GPS UTM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Handy GPS or Tomstrails GPS UTM?
Handy GPS is rated higher. Handy GPS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Tomstrails GPS UTM averages 4.8 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Handy GPS or Tomstrails GPS UTM have ads?
Neither Handy GPS nor Tomstrails GPS UTM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Handy GPS or Tomstrails GPS UTM?
Handy GPS ships an update every 6 weeks, and Tomstrails GPS UTM every 6 weeks. Most recently, Handy GPS was updated on November 6, 2026 and Tomstrails GPS UTM on November 1, 2026.

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