Topo Nomad vs MineAR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Topo Nomad
Access and use high-resolution USGS topographical maps offline with GPS capabilities. Explore historical maps, import custom geospatial PDFs, and plan routes with distance measurement tools. Ideal for outdoor adventures and geographical exploration.
- Offline USGS topographical map downloads
- Offline GPS location tracking
- Import geospatial PDF maps
- Dual mode ruler for distance measurement
- Background map downloading
- Geocode search for geographic features
- GPS path recording
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Download high resolution USGS topographical maps for offline GPS* use. Topo Nomad is designed for road trips, camping, hiking, exploration and geographical history. Map images are accurately center aligned regardless of datum and placed on top of Apple's map kit for easy referencing and intuitive touch navigation. This software utilizes the latest capabilities of IOS offering the highest performance with fast start up, map rotation, rendering and zoom with unbeatable details and undistorted resolution. Map downloads are dispatched in the background so you can continue using the app while new maps concurrently install. Topo Nomad indexes of over 250,000+ U.S. Geological Survey current and historical topographic maps describing the topography of every region and island territories of the United States of America. Historical versions date as far back as year 1884. Install a map quad by pressing and holding a point on the reference map and discover the USGS historical maps available at that coordinate and the unique names given to every quad by the cartographers.** The limits don't stop there with just USGS maps. Import "Geospatial PDF" maps from the web, iTunes and email. Many local and national park services offer PDF map downloads from their web sites which automatically install into the Topo Nomad app. And, if you reside outside the United States check with your government services for topographic and aeronautical sectional maps with embedded geospatial metadata.‡ Cannot find that map you downloaded but know where in the world it's located. Simply zoom out the reference map view and all the topo maps become a colorful violet and partially transparent so you can spot your map. Installed maps are managed in a table format which can be sorted by name, distance, and scale. Multiple versions of the same map can be stacked on top of one another and made visible or hidden using two finger swipes. Planning a hike somewhere and want to know the distance of your jaunt. Download the map and use the dual mode ruler to measure the path distance and know the answer to "how much farther?" Purchase a subscription for unlimited map downloading. A subscription stops ads and doesn't auto-renew. The first few map download are complementary.‡ Features: • No need for cellular service to use maps • GPS location on downloaded topo maps while offline • Find geographic features with geocode search • Track path GPS recording* • Route paths and distance • Dual mode ruler with orthographic line and path measuring • Full app usability while maps download in the background • Displays footprint grid and quadrangle names • Aligns all map datums to WGS84 GPS coordinates • Dynamic map stitching • Cropping of map margins for one big map grid • Automatic map download for your current location • Uses GPS location service to identify your location on a topo map • Miles, Feet, Kilometers, Meters, Nautical Miles units • MGRS, UTM and geodetic Latitude and Longitude decimal and minutes seconds coordinate display • Import maps downloaded from the USGS in zip and PDF file formats • Import Geospatial PDF map images via a the web, email attachment & iTunes • MSL elevation for GPS location • Waypoints with Augmented Reality finder • Email and SMS text waypoints, tracks and routes as GPX files with subscription purchase Not currently supported: geo-TIFF; PDF OCG Layers. Not all geospatial datums and metadata formats are supported, please email support with Geospatial PDF issues. * Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Location feature may not function on iPod and wifi-only iPad devices without GPS hardware. ** Not preloaded with maps. WiFi recommended. Downloading queue caps to around 36 maps. ‡ After a subscription period expires, advertisement may resume from usage of the import features.
MineAR
Visualize your subsurface GIS data in 3D augmented reality directly in the field. Overlay your data with terrain and geography to identify obstructions, compare topography, and discover new exploration targets. Works offline and includes a NearMe service for points of interest.
- Augmented reality data visualization
- Overlay subsurface data with terrain
- Identify drilling obstructions
- Offline functionality
- NearMe service for points of interest
- Import CSV and GEOJSON data
- Data styling and organization
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Data you can grasp. As a geoscience professional, we know you want an easier way to see your GIS data while you’re in the field. MineAR allows you to do exactly that. Our app seamlessly allows you to upload your subsurface data and lets you see it alongside your surrounding terrain and geography. MineAR helps eliminate costly mistakes by allowing you to engage with your data, see obstructions for your drilling and exploration targets, and compare the topography with where you need to drill in real space. Discover all of this on our app. ▶ How It Works 1 - LOAD YOUR DATA Expect accurate and dependable results that are fast and responsive. 2 - VIEW IT IN THE FIELD No more frustration. Confirm your drilling and exploration targets and cross-reference your data while never leaving the job site. 3 - DISCOVER Eliminate unknowns as you locate new minerals in real-time. ▶ Free MineAR App Features • No ads • NearMe service shows the roads, rivers, points of interest, and elevation models in augmented reality of your location. This service is particularly helpful in the discovery of new mining or digging locations so you can compare the topography and the terrain. • Augmented reality and virtual reality modes • Digital elevation model • Works on and offline • Compass and GPS keep you and your data centered with the elevation model. ▶ Additional Premium Features • IMPORT common datatypes: CSV, GEOJSON (points, lines and shapes!) • ORGANIZE your data by Project • VIEW and STYLIZE your data by any of the data's attributes. ▶ Free Trial! Subscription Information Thank you for being an early adopter! A free trial gives you complete access to the app and the ability to upload and view your own data. Sample data added for you to play with. ▶ Feedback: Having a problem, or want to request new features please contact us at support@gominear.com Terms of use: https://www.gominear.com/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MineAR at 5.0 against Topo Nomad's 4.6. Topo Nomad's advantage is ratings volume (156 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Topo Nomad sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and MineAR sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
MineAR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Topo Nomad has 156 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Topo Nomad | MineAR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (156 ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 156 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 104 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Delcartes LLC | Map Life, LLC |
Customer experience
Topo Nomad
MineAR
In-app purchases
Topo Nomad
- 1 Year$5.99
- Lifetime$23.99
MineAR
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year








