Topo Nomad vs TopoRec
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.
TopoRec
Explore historical and modern maps with this powerful viewer. Discover locations, record tracks, edit areas, and import/export data. Ideal for historians, archaeologists, and outdoor enthusiasts.
- View historical and modern online maps
- Capture and edit points, areas, and tracks
- Import and export data (GPX compatible)
- Filter maps by type and scale
- Create custom lines and areas
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TopoRec – The powerful map viewer for historical & modern maps Explore the world through maps! TopoRec gives you access to both historical and current map data. Discover locations, collect position data, edit areas, record tracks, and export or import your data – all in one app. Perfect for: • Historians & archaeologists • Metal detector enthusiasts • Map lovers & outdoor explorers • History buffs with a curiosity for the past Features at a glance: • View online maps (historical & modern) • Capture & edit points, areas, and tracks • Import & export data (incl. GPX) • Filter maps by type and scale • Create your own lines and areas • Internet connection required Free use with time limitation: All features can be used free and without restrictions for a short time. After approx. 2 minutes per session, a Premium subscription is required to continue without limitations. TopoRec Premium – Your benefits: • Unlimited access to all features • Exclusive extras & new updates • Priority support Subscription info: The annual subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Auto-renewal can be turned off at any time in the account settings. Legal information: • End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ • Privacy Policy: https://toporec.com/privacy_policy/datenschutzerklaerung.html Rediscover maps – with TopoRec!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TopoRec at every 9 days against Topo Nomad's every 3 months. TopoRec also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Topo Nomad's advantage is ratings volume (155 vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 90%). 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
Both are free to download. Topo Nomad sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and TopoRec sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $17.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TopoRec holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Topo Nomad has 155 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Topo Nomad's written reviews are positive against 90% of TopoRec's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Topo Nomad ships an update every 3 months, TopoRec every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Topo Nomad | TopoRec |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (155 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 90.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 155 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 97 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Delcartes LLC | Enrico Hoffmann |
Customer experience
Topo Nomad
TopoRec
In-app purchases
Topo Nomad
- 1 Year$5.99
- Lifetime$23.99
TopoRec
- Premium3 Days trial$17.991 Year








