Comparison

OSM sketch vs Draw Maps

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

Head to head
About

OSM sketch

Draw directly on OpenStreetMap maps to create annotations and memos. Save your drawings as GPX files to upload and edit on desktop OSM editors. Ideal for planning routes or marking points of interest on the go.

Highlights
  • Draw on OSM maps
  • Save drawings as GPX
  • Upload to OSM account
  • Multi-touch gestures
  • Display current location
  • Zoom and scroll map
Read full description

For OpenStreetMap(OSM) mapping, drawing your memo on paper printed the OSM map is good solution. You can describe on the paper anything e.g. Line, words, arrow, symbol and illustration. "OSM sketch" realize such paper mapping on iPhone. You can draw on OSM map anything you want to memo anywhere, anytime without printing beforehand. Operation is easy and optimized for small screen. Multi touch operation ,scroll and zoom, can be executed also during "drawing mode" so you can pull new canvas out quickly. To display current location and zoom in/out map support your mapping and these function are difficult for paper. The drawn line exchange into GPX file and upload to your OSM account page. You can open the GPX file by PC OSM editor(iD, Potlatch2 and JOSM) and edit OSM data based on your lines when you return your home.

About

Draw Maps

Annotate maps with custom notes, pins, and photos. Use a variety of drawing tools and colors to mark locations, plan events, or record observations. Share your annotated maps with others or archive them for later use.

Highlights
  • Draw and highlight on maps
  • Add colored map pins with notes
  • Place photos on the map
  • Draw and highlight within photos
  • 72 color options
  • Use stencils for shapes and labels
  • Share map images or documents
Features
Read full description

Draw Maps gives you color pens and pencils to make sketches and take notes anywhere in the map. Add map pins and photos to note important locations. Think of the whole world as being your sketch pad. Move around and zoom to different scales as you draw. Share your maps with friends. Use Draw Maps at work, school, and play: - Planning your next vacation - Designing landscapes - Detailing event logistics - Noting underground utilities - Reporting storm damage - Recording wildlife sightings - Remembering your favorite fishing holes - Tracing hiking trails - Geocaching and scavenger hunts - Learning geography by tracing borders - Taking field notes - Giving directions to your friend Features: - Draw and highlight in the map - Place colored map pins in the map and add long form notes - Place photos in the map - Draw and highlight in the photos - 72 colors - Use the stencil to draw perfect shapes or labels - Move and zoom the map as needed while you draw - Zoom to your location to take a note where you are - Zoom to other locations using Find - Send images of your map drawings to other people - Send your Draw Maps Document to another Draw Maps user - Archive your Draw Maps Document to online storage - Send KML (Pro feature) - Make as many maps as you like (Pro feature) - Ready for Apple Pencil

Screenshots

OSM sketch3 screens
Draw Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: OSM sketch at 4.5 against Draw Maps's 3.3. OSM sketch also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). Draw Maps's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price and device support 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

Both are free to download. Draw Maps sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. OSM sketch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OSM sketch holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Draw Maps has 35 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of OSM sketch's written reviews are positive against 62% of Draw Maps's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OSM sketch ships an update every 4 months, Draw Maps every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
OSM sketch versus Draw Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOSM sketchDraw Maps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better3.3 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better61.9% of reviews
Number of ratings235 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMasaki FujimotoBluefield GIS, Inc.

Customer experience

OSM sketch

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Draw Maps

All ratings35 ratings
Positive54.3%
Neutral14.3%
Negative31.4%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive61.9%
Neutral23.8%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

None

OSM sketch

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Draw Maps

Subscriptions2
  • Pro features$1.991 Month
  • Pro features$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro features$24.99

Questions

Is OSM sketch free?
OSM sketch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Draw Maps free?
Draw Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, OSM sketch or Draw Maps?
OSM sketch is rated higher. OSM sketch averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Draw Maps averages 3.3 from 35 ratings.
Do OSM sketch or Draw Maps have ads?
OSM sketch shows ads; Draw Maps does not.
Which is updated more often, OSM sketch or Draw Maps?
OSM sketch ships an update every 4 months, and Draw Maps every 5 weeks. Most recently, OSM sketch was updated on September 19, 2026 and Draw Maps on October 7, 2026.

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