Comparison

Offline Maps vs Ascend Maps

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

Head to head
About

Offline Maps

Save maps to your device for offline use when mobile data is unavailable or expensive. Access a wide range of map sources, track your location with GPS, and add custom labels with notes and images. Measure distances and angles directly on the map.

Highlights
  • Offline map caching
  • Multiple map sources
  • GPS tracking
  • Custom label creation
  • Distance and angle measurement
  • Auto-follow mode
Features
Read full description

Offline Maps is a practical map companion for travel, hiking, cycling, field work, and any day when you want your map tools ready before the signal disappears. Open the app and start working directly on the map. Choose from Apple maps, OSM vector maps, OSM legacy maps, cycling, hiking, nautical, aeronautical, and other supported sources. Save map areas for offline use where downloads are supported, then keep exploring with your tracks, waypoints, measurements, and coordinate tools in one clean workspace. Record GPS tracks, pause and resume when needed, and keep an eye on your progress with live distance and speed statistics. Saved tracks can be searched, renamed, shown on the map, styled with solid colors or gradients, imported from common GPS formats, and exported when you need to share your route. Mark important places with waypoints, customize icons, rename them, search your waypoint list, and use waypoint tracking to see distance labels and guide lines on the map. Long-press the map or use your current position to create a new waypoint in seconds. Measure what matters in the field: lines, polylines, radius, circles, rectangles, and polygons. Drag points to adjust shapes, save measurements as map items, and export selected data when the job is done. Offline Maps also includes coordinate tools for Decimal, DMS, UTM, MGRS, Plus Code, and GeoHash formats. Copy or share individual coordinate values, open Google Maps links, and quickly search by pasted coordinates or map links. Built for modern iPhone and iPad, Offline Maps keeps the map at the center and places tracks, waypoints, and measurements together in Map Items so your important data stays easy to find. Key Features - Save supported map areas for offline use. - Browse multiple map sources, including Apple, OSM vector, OSM legacy, cycling, hiking, nautical, and aeronautical maps. - Record GPS tracks with pause, resume, background recording, recovery, and Live Activity support. - Import and export GPX, KML, KMZ, GeoJSON, TCX, and CSV track data. - Export track map images as PNG files. - Add, rename, search, show, hide, import, and export waypoints. - Track waypoint distances with guide lines and compact labels on the map. - Measure distances, radius, circles, rectangles, and polygon areas. - Manage tracks, waypoints, and measurements together in Map Items. - Work with Decimal, DMS, UTM, MGRS, Plus Code, and GeoHash coordinates. - Copy, share, and search coordinates, including supported Google Maps links. - Choose measurement units: metric, imperial, or nautical. - Keep the screen awake during navigation when needed. If you know more map sources please write us: support@lifewaresolutions.com

About

Ascend Maps

This app provides customizable outdoor maps with offline capabilities. It features 3D terrain, track recording, saved places management, and the ability to save map tiles for offline use. Explore the outdoors with detailed, personalized navigation tools.

Highlights
  • Offline search
  • 3D terrain
  • Track recording and editing
  • Saved places management
  • Customizable map styles
  • Offline map tile saving
Features
Read full description

Ascend is an open source app for vector and raster maps. Features include 3D terrain, offline search, track recording and editing, managing saved places, saving map tiles for offline use, and more. CUSTOMIZABLE * Includes a simple, customizable style for OpenStreetMap vector tiles with modes for hiking, biking, and transit. * Overlay customizable hillshading, shaded relief, contour lines, and slope angle shading calculated in real-time over any base map. * Supports plugins for search, routing, map sources and more. * Add new online map sources and combine layers to create new maps. * Generate and import your own vector tiles. COMPREHENSIVE * Offline search * Wikipedia search * Manage saved places * Show geotagged photos from your Photo Library. * Create and edit routes * Record and edit tracks for hiking, fitness, and more * Save map tiles for offline use Learn more at https://github.com/styluslabs/maps

Screenshots

Offline Maps4 screens
Ascend Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Ascend Maps at free against Offline Maps's paid. Ascend Maps also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). Offline Maps's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ascend Maps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Offline Maps ships an update every 3 months, Ascend Maps every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Offline Maps versus Ascend Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOffline MapsAscend Maps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSergey VdovenkoMatthew White

Customer experience

Offline Maps

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative66.7%

Ascend Maps

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Offline Maps

No in-app purchases

None

Ascend Maps

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Offline Maps free?
Offline Maps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ascend Maps free?
Ascend Maps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Offline Maps or Ascend Maps?
Ascend Maps is rated higher. Offline Maps averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Ascend Maps averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Offline Maps or Ascend Maps have ads?
Neither Offline Maps nor Ascend Maps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Offline Maps or Ascend Maps?
Offline Maps ships an update every 3 months, and Ascend Maps every 6 months. Most recently, Offline Maps was updated on August 26, 2026 and Ascend Maps on September 24, 2026.

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