Comparison

Handy GPS vs Global Mapper Mobile

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
Currently charting
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

Global Mapper Mobile

This application allows users to view and collect GIS data in the field using their mobile device's GPS. It supports various data layers and offers tools for drawing, tracking, and form-based data collection, with advanced features available through an in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Vector, raster, and terrain data display
  • GPS location display and feature creation
  • Drawing, tracking, and form-based data collection
  • Image capture and Picture Point creation
  • Advanced GPS support for GNSS devices
  • RTK correction via NTRIP client
  • Offline data access and custom online sources
Features
Read full description

Bring your GIS workflow to the field. Global Mapper Mobile® is a powerful iOS application for viewing and collecting GIS data. It utilizes the GPS capabilities of mobile devices to provide situational awareness and locational intelligence for remote mapping projects. A perfect complement to the desktop version of Global Mapper, the mobile app provides maps-in-hand functionality for engineers, surveyors, wildlife managers, foresters, and anyone whose job requires access to spatial data in remote locations. Global Mapper Mobile can display vector, raster, and elevation data layers that have been transferred from the desktop version of the software. It also provides tools for drawing, tracking, and form-based data collection using pre-configured attributes and picklists. Global Mapper Mobile Base Version (Free) The base version of Global Mapper Mobile is free of charge and provides an array of features and functions, including: • Vector, raster, and terrain data display • GPS location display • Point, line, and polygon feature creation using GPS location • Editing of existing vector features • Capture of images in the field • Creation of Picture Points from geotagged images • Attribute and feature notation recording for new or existing vector features • Online access to Open Street Map data Global Mapper Mobile Pro The Pro version of Global Mapper Mobile, available as an in-app purchase, supplements the functionality of the base version with an array of professional-grade tools, including: • Advanced GPS support for connection to high-accuracy GNSS devices from vendors such as Bad Elf, EOS, Juniper, and others • RTK correction via built-in NTRIP client • GPS Averaging • Terrain shader and water level display options • Custom online source options and online data saving for offline use • Simultaneous feature creation • Viewshed creation • Volume calculation • Data reprojection • Address searching • Geopackage and GeoPDF format support Global Mapper Mobile Pro is available as an in-app purchase. The license is based on an annual subscription from the date of purchase that can be renewed each year. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Privacy Policy: https://www.bluemarblegeo.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://www.bluemarblegeo.com/licensing-policy/

Screenshots

Handy GPS4 screens
Global Mapper Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Handy GPS at 88% against Global Mapper Mobile's 33%. Handy GPS also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Global Mapper Mobile's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Global Mapper Mobile is free to download; Handy GPS costs $9.99 up front. Global Mapper Mobile sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $49.99 per year. Handy GPS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Handy GPS holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Handy GPS's written reviews are positive against 33% of Global Mapper Mobile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Handy GPS ships an update every 5 weeks, Global Mapper Mobile every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Handy GPS versus Global Mapper Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHandy GPSGlobal Mapper Mobile
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (10 ratings) — better3.7 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1015 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#133 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better12.2
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB126 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnthony DunkBlue Marble Geographics

Customer experience

Handy GPS

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

Global Mapper Mobile

All ratings15 ratings
Positive73.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative26.7%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

None

Handy GPS

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Global Mapper Mobile

Subscriptions1
  • Pro Module$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Handy GPS free?
Handy GPS costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Global Mapper Mobile free?
Global Mapper Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Handy GPS or Global Mapper Mobile?
Handy GPS is rated higher. Handy GPS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Global Mapper Mobile averages 3.7 from 15 ratings.
Do Handy GPS or Global Mapper Mobile have ads?
Neither Handy GPS nor Global Mapper Mobile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Handy GPS or Global Mapper Mobile?
Handy GPS ships an update every 5 weeks, and Global Mapper Mobile every 4 months. Most recently, Handy GPS was updated on September 18, 2026 and Global Mapper Mobile on September 14, 2026.

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