Comparison

Topo Nomad vs Topo Maps 2

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Topo Maps 2

Access detailed topographic maps and satellite imagery for the US and Canada, usable offline. Record and share tracks, plan routes with 2D/3D visualization, and view geolocated photos. Offers hybrid map modes and offline search capabilities.

Highlights
  • Offline topographic maps
  • 2D and 3D map views
  • Track recording and sharing
  • Route planning and visualization
  • Hybrid map mode
  • Offline search
  • Geolocated photo display
Features
Read full description

Topographic maps and satellite imagery for the United States and Canada from the US Geological Survey, US Forest Service and Natural Resources Canada in 2D and 3D. No network connection needed once maps are installed. Record your track, and share GPX files with other apps and devices. Hybrid map mode combines topo with imagery. Panorama mode shows silhouette of what's visible from anywhere on the map. Draw routes on the map; plot graphs of speed and altitude. "Fly" along routes in 3D. Offline search. Show your geolocated photos on the map. If you have our original Topo Maps or Topo Maps for iPad app installed, its maps will be shared with this app. End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Topo Nomad3 screens
Topo Maps 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Topo Nomad at 100% against Topo Maps 2's 38%. Topo Nomad also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (157 vs 40). Topo Maps 2's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Topo Nomad sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Topo Maps 2 sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Topo Nomad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 157 and 40 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Topo Nomad's written reviews are positive against 38% of Topo Maps 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Topo Nomad ships an update every 3 months, Topo Maps 2 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Topo Nomad versus Topo Maps 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTopo NomadTopo Maps 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (157 ratings) — better4.1 (40 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better37.5% of reviews
Number of ratings157 — better40
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB223 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDelcartes LLCMappendix Limited

Customer experience

Topo Nomad

All ratings155 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral3.9%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Topo Maps 2

All ratings35 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive37.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative62.5%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Topo Nomad

One-time2
  • 1 Year$5.99
  • Lifetime$23.99
1 purchases

Topo Maps 2

Subscriptions1
  • Detailed Maps - 1 year3 Days trial$4.991 Year

Questions

Is Topo Nomad free?
Topo Nomad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Topo Maps 2 free?
Topo Maps 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Topo Nomad or Topo Maps 2?
Topo Nomad is rated higher. Topo Nomad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while Topo Maps 2 averages 4.1 from 40 ratings.
Do Topo Nomad or Topo Maps 2 have ads?
Neither Topo Nomad nor Topo Maps 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Topo Nomad or Topo Maps 2?
Topo Nomad ships an update every 3 months, and Topo Maps 2 every 5 weeks. Most recently, Topo Nomad was updated on November 1, 2026 and Topo Maps 2 on November 3, 2026.

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