OSM sketch vs Map Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Draw on OSM maps
- Save drawings as GPX
- Upload to OSM account
- Multi-touch gestures
- Display current location
- Zoom and scroll map
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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.
Map Notes
This app allows users to draw directly on maps, add custom pins with icons, and plan journeys with direction calculation. It converts sketches into navigable paths and saves all annotations as part of the map, syncing across devices via iCloud.
- Draw directly on maps
- Create pins with custom icons
- Calculate directions
- Convert drawings to navigable paths
- Save annotations as part of the map
- Attach tags, info, and photos
- Sync across devices with iCloud
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Map Notes: Your Personalized Cartography & Travel Planner "Map Notes" is your ultimate companion for personalized mapping and travel planning. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Map Notes allows you to effortlessly mark your favorite spots, plan your adventures, and customize your maps like never before. Draw Directly on the Map: Let your creativity flow as you draw directly onto the map. Whether it's highlighting a hiking trail, sketching out a scenic route, or simply doodling landmarks, Map Notes gives you the freedom to express yourself visually. Your drawing will stick to the map and become part of it, moving, rotating, and scaling along with the map itself. Create Pins with Custom Icons: Make your map truly your own by creating pins with custom icons. Whether it's a favorite restaurant, a hidden gem, or a must-see attraction, personalize your pins to reflect your unique interests and preferences. Calculate Directions and Customise Colours: Seamlessly plan your journeys with Map Notes' direction calculation feature. Simply pick your starting and ending locations, and let the app generate the optimal route for you. Plus, you can customize the color of your directions to enhance visibility. Convert Drawings to Navigable Paths: Bridge the gap between creativity and utility. Draw a rough path on the map, and Map Notes can automatically convert your sketch into a formal, snap-to-road direction path. Once converted, save it directly to your map to keep your custom routes ready for your next adventure. Save Annotations as Part of the Map: Your annotations aren't just temporary markings – they become integral parts of your map. Watch as your drawings, pins, and directions seamlessly rotate, scale, and move along with the map, ensuring that your personalized annotations are always in sync with your location. Attach Tags, Information, and Photos: Add depth and context to your annotations by attaching tags, information, and photos. Whether it's adding notes about opening hours, descriptions of landmarks, or snapshots of memorable moments, Map Notes lets you enrich your map with meaningful details. Sync Across Devices with iCloud: Your work is automatically saved to your iCloud account, ensuring seamless syncing across all your devices. Whether you're using your iPhone or iPad, access your maps and annotations anytime, anywhere, with the convenience of iCloud syncing. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/manage-app-privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: OSM sketch at 100% against Map Notes's 0%. OSM sketch also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Map Notes's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Map Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. OSM sketch asks for nothing beyond the download.
OSM sketch ships an update every 4 months, Map Notes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 2, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | OSM sketch | Map Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 290 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Masaki Fujimoto | Zhuoyao lu |
Customer experience
OSM sketch
Map Notes
In-app purchases
OSM sketch
No in-app purchases
Map Notes
- Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Yearly subscription3 Days trial$34.991 Year









