Comparison

Mapcha vs CalTopo

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

Head to head
About

Mapcha

Overlay your paper maps onto your device's screen to see your current location, even offline. Simply calibrate by matching points on your paper map to digital maps.

Highlights
  • Overlay paper maps on digital maps
  • See current location on paper maps
  • Offline map usage
  • Calibrate maps using known points
  • Use device camera or photo library
Features
Read full description

Mapcha allows you to easily navigate paper based maps on your iOS device, even without an internet connection*. Perfect for walking, trekking or just navigating an unfamiliar city, Mapcha allows you to see your current location on your paper map. Mapcha uses an intuitive mechanism to overlay images of maps on to the standard Apple Maps: - Take a picture of your paper map using your device's camera or choose an image from your photo library - Choose two known points on the paper map and locate those points on Apple Maps - From those points Mapcha calculates the map's scale and positions your image on top of Apple Maps * An active internet connection may be required in order to load Apple Map data to assist in calibrating a map, however once a map has been calibrated it can be used offline. Note - Mapcha does not cache Apple Map data; however your map images will be available offline and you will still be able to see your current location. - Mapcha does not come with any preloaded maps.

About

CalTopo

Plan and navigate off-grid adventures with detailed offline maps and real-time weather forecasts. Trusted by professionals, this app offers seamless syncing and collaborative planning for backcountry pursuits.

Highlights
  • Offline map downloads
  • Satellite imagery
  • Route planning
  • GPS tracking
  • Weather forecasting
  • Collaborative map sharing
  • Slope angle shading
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

New on CalTopo: the CalTopo app is now satellite ready, allowing you to use many features of the app offline with satellite data! Take the best mapping app with you wherever you go with the CalTopo app for iOS. Trusted by professional mountain guides, avalanche educators, and search and rescue teams, CalTopo has all the features you need to plan your next off-grid pursuit. Seamless integration between CalTopo online and your mobile device allows you to access and update your maps no matter where you are. Any changes you make will automatically sync across all devices, making exporting and importing your latest map a thing of the past. The CalTopo app allows you to easily take your planning and navigation to the next level. Real time decision making in backcountry terrain is made easy with the ability to download maps and layers like slope angle shading to your device for offline use. Plan for conditions on your route with sun exposure, wind, precipitation and avalanche forecasts. View and track your location on the map using GPS, even if you are offline. Share maps with your teams or travel partners to plan collaboratively, and to ensure everyone has the necessary data. Monitor real time updates from the field, like your friends progress on a long outing with live tracking on shared maps. Plan and navigate your next adventure with the CalTopo App today! Map layers include: • MapBuilder Topo, Hybrid and Overlay • Forest Service Maps • Scanned Topos • Global Imagery • Shaded Relief • Slope Angle Shading (including high resolution elevation data where available) • Parcel data • Public Lands • Weekly Satellite Imagery • NAIP Satellite Imagery • Sun Exposure • Marine Charts • Weather Forecasting (including wind, precipitation, and temperatures) • Snow and Water Gauge Data • Fire History/Activity • And many more Support and Feature Requests: Email us at help@caltopo.com.

Screenshots

Mapcha4 screens
CalTopo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: CalTopo at every 2 weeks against Mapcha's every 11 months. CalTopo also leads on ratings volume (7.6K vs 1) and chart position (#118 vs unranked). Mapcha's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

Mapcha holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CalTopo has 7.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Mapcha's written reviews are positive against 56% of CalTopo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mapcha ships an update every 11 months, CalTopo every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Mapcha versus CalTopo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMapchaCalTopo
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.8 (7.6K ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews56.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings17.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#118 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB165 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarc BaldwinCalTopo LLC

Customer experience

Mapcha

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

CalTopo

All ratings7,461 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews131 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral9.9%
Negative33.6%

Bugs and requests

Mapcha

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CalTopo

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Trails and tracks disappearing
  • Coordinate display issues
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Incompatibility with older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add 3D map view
  • Implement route snapping to trails
  • Improve offline map download capabilities
  • Add photo geotagging functionality
  • Implement course-up map orientation

In-app purchases

None

Mapcha

No in-app purchases

None

CalTopo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mapcha free?
Mapcha is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CalTopo free?
CalTopo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Mapcha or CalTopo?
Mapcha is rated higher. Mapcha averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while CalTopo averages 4.8 from 7.6K ratings.
Do Mapcha or CalTopo have ads?
Neither Mapcha nor CalTopo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mapcha or CalTopo?
Mapcha ships an update every 11 months, and CalTopo every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mapcha was updated on November 1, 2026 and CalTopo on November 6, 2026.

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