# Mapstr vs guidepal

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Mapstr at 2.6K against guidepal's 16. Mapstr also leads on chart position (#73 vs unranked). guidepal's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mapstr sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and guidepal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

guidepal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mapstr has 2.6K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Mapstr ships an update monthly, guidepal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mapstr | guidepal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapstr-save-and-follow-places/id917288465/reviews) | **[5.0 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guidepal/id1595934848/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 60.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | — |
| Size | 192 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 12+ |
| Developer | [Hulab](https://appshunter.io/developer/917288464) | [Guidepal AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1575539978) |

## What reviewers say

### Mapstr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapstr-save-and-follow-places/id917288465)

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Grossing · Travel (US App Store)

Save and organize all your favorite places worldwide, from restaurants to hidden gems. Discover new spots through recommendations from friends and trusted sources, and easily share your own curated maps.

**Highlights:** One-tap place saving, Unlimited color and tag organization, Import existing map lists, Personal notes, ratings, and photos, Follow trusted users and influencers, Shareable map links, Private by default

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| mapstr plus | $5.99 | per month |
| mapstr plus - Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Mapstr plus monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Mapstr plus monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Yearly membership | $32.99 | per year |
| mapstr plus - yearly | $59.90 | per year |
| mapstr plus - yearly | $59.90 | per year |
| mapstr plus - Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| mapstr plus yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| My Secret NY | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Useful for travel and organizing places
- 👍 Customizable tagging and organization
- 💡 Sharing maps with friends
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Visually appealing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔒 Concerns about new subscription model
- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing
- 🔍 Inaccurate location data
- 📱 Lack of iPad support

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Locations not showing up correctly on the map
- Inability to access saved data after subscription change

**Requested features**

- Ability to add notes and photos for each location
- Option to create multiple maps or organize by city
- Offline access and map downloads
- Integration with other services like Yelp
- Ability to change icon colors


### guidepal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guidepal/id1595934848)

This app acts as a personal local guide, understanding your requests and plans to provide tailored recommendations and itineraries. It organizes travel details, offers daily briefings, and helps you discover places worth visiting.

**Highlights:** AI-powered conversational planning, Automated itinerary generation, Daily weather and news briefings, Booking confirmation organization, Personalized local recommendations, Saved places atlas

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guidepal Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Guidepal Pro Annual | $69.99 | per year |
| The complete guide | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mapstr free?

Mapstr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is guidepal free?

guidepal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mapstr or guidepal?

guidepal is rated higher. Mapstr averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while guidepal averages 5.0 from 16 ratings.

### Do Mapstr or guidepal have ads?

Neither Mapstr nor guidepal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mapstr or guidepal?

Mapstr ships an update monthly, and guidepal every 2 months. Most recently, Mapstr was updated on November 1, 2026 and guidepal on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*