Comparison

Topo Nomad vs Topo Lock Maps

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 Lock Maps

This app provides private and secure outdoor navigation with end-to-end encryption. It focuses on user privacy, offering offline maps without tracking or data mining. Enjoy a distraction-free experience designed for various outdoor activities.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • No ads or tracking
  • Offline maps with no expiration
  • Fast offline downloads
  • Local and offline first performance
  • Battery friendly optimization
Features
Read full description

Your location is personal... Your maps should be too! Topo Lock Maps is your trusted companion for private, secure outdoor navigation. Whether it’s a hidden waterfall, your favorite hunting spot, a backcountry trail run, or a private gate code... your information stays yours. In a world driven by tracking and data collection, Topo Lock Maps takes a different approach. We believe your outdoor adventures should remain private, secure, and fully under your control. -- Features -- - End-to-End Encryption — Your map data stays private and secure. - No Ads. Ever. — Enjoy a clean, distraction-free experience. - No Tracking or Data Mining — We don’t monitor where you go. - No Social Media Integrations — Your outdoor life isn’t content for someone else’s feed. - You Own Your Data — No selling, no sharing, no surprises. - Offline Maps That Work — Download once and keep them. No expiration. - Fast Offline Downloads — Save maps quickly and head out with confidence. - Local & Offline First — Built to perform off the grid. - Lightning-Fast Performance — Quick, responsive maps, even in remote areas. - Battery Friendly — Optimized to conserve power on long adventures. -- Made Especially For -- Hikers, hunters, mountain bikers, game wardens, fishermen, trail runners, privacy enthusiasts, backpackers, scouts and troops, bird watchers, wilderness first responders, search and rescue teams, off-roaders, police officers, trail maintainers, private investigators, world travelers, arrowhead hunters, preppers, park rangers, thru-hikers. -- Thanks -- Thanks to everyone who uses Topo Lock Maps in the backcountry and please continue to provide feedback! More features coming down the trail!

Screenshots

Topo Nomad3 screens
Topo Lock Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Topo Lock Maps at fortnightly against Topo Nomad's every 3 months. Topo Lock Maps also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Topo Nomad's advantage is ratings volume (156 vs 6) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Topo Nomad sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Topo Lock Maps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Topo Lock Maps 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 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Topo Nomad ships an update every 3 months, Topo Lock Maps fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Topo Nomad versus Topo Lock Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTopo NomadTopo Lock Maps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (156 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings156 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDelcartes LLCVonCannon Technology, Incorporated

Customer experience

Topo Nomad

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

Topo Lock Maps

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Topo Nomad

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

Topo Lock Maps

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Topo Nomad free?
Topo Nomad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Topo Lock Maps free?
Topo Lock Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Topo Nomad or Topo Lock Maps?
Topo Lock Maps is rated higher. Topo Nomad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 156 ratings, while Topo Lock Maps averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do Topo Nomad or Topo Lock Maps have ads?
Neither Topo Nomad nor Topo Lock Maps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Topo Nomad or Topo Lock Maps?
Topo Nomad ships an update every 3 months, and Topo Lock Maps fortnightly. Most recently, Topo Nomad was updated on October 26, 2026 and Topo Lock Maps on October 24, 2026.

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