Pirate Magnetic Compass vs Compass_S
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pirate Magnetic Compass
This app uses your device's magnetic sensor to display cardinal directions and angle markings in degrees. It helps you navigate by aligning the compass rose with true north, south, east, and west.
- Magnetic sensor navigation
- Cardinal directions display
- Angle markings in degrees
- Azimuth and bearing display
- Stationary reference frame
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Pirate compass is a free compass app, which uses the magnetic sensor of your device to help you navigate. It is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. When the compass is in use, the rose is aligned with the real directions in the frame of reference, so, for example, the "N" mark on the rose really points to the north. In addition to the rose, angle markings in degrees are shown on the compass app. North corresponds to zero degrees, and the angles increase clockwise, so east is 90 degrees, south is 180, and west is 270. These numbers allow the compass to show azimuths or bearings, which are commonly stated in this notation. -Taken from Wikipedia * This is an ad supported version. Ads will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Compass_S
A straightforward compass app offering five distinct needle designs. It displays cardinal directions in multiple formats, including Japanese, and provides GPS coordinates like latitude, longitude, and altitude. The app includes features to help maintain accuracy and can be used for specific cultural practices.
- Five needle designs
- NESW and Japanese cardinal points
- Latitude, longitude, and altitude display
- Accuracy guidance for level positioning
- Ehomaki compass for Setsubun
- Ad-free and offline modes
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This is a simple and intuitive compass app. You can choose from five different needle designs. It displays directions in NESW and Japanese cardinal points, as well as latitude, longitude, and altitude. Please hold your smartphone flat when using the compass. Accuracy will decrease if the device is not held level. When tilted, the center icon of the needle will shift to help guide you into a level position. It can also be used as a compass to check the direction to eat "Ehomaki" during Setsubun. Displays directions like "North-northwest", "East-northeast", "South-southeast", and "West-southwest" in Japanese. Setsubun in 2026 falls on February 3rd, and the lucky direction is south-southeast. Useful as an Ehomaki compass for Setsubun. We resolved the issue where the app could be installed on devices without a magnetic sensor. Note: Since the compass relies on a magnetic sensor, it will not work on unsupported devices We have also added a function to detect environmental conditions that may affect compass accuracy and provide solutions. Now includes features to hide banner ads and use offline in mountains or at sea. Give it a try
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Compass_S at 4.6 against Pirate Magnetic Compass's 2.5. Compass_S also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and ratings volume (281 vs 2). Pirate Magnetic Compass's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Compass_S holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass_S has 281 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Pirate Magnetic Compass's written reviews are positive against 25% of Compass_S's.
Pirate Magnetic Compass ships an update every 5 days, Compass_S every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pirate Magnetic Compass | Compass_S |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (2 ratings) | 4.6 (281 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 25.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 281 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.1 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 194 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kaloyan Beshev | hiroyuki uchida |
Customer experience
Pirate Magnetic Compass
Compass_S
In-app purchases
Pirate Magnetic Compass
No in-app purchases
Compass_S
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Pirate Magnetic Compass free?
Is Compass_S free?
Which has better reviews, Pirate Magnetic Compass or Compass_S?
Do Pirate Magnetic Compass or Compass_S have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pirate Magnetic Compass or Compass_S?
Other comparisons
