FieldMove vs Mapboard GIS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FieldMove
This app facilitates digital field mapping for geologists, enabling precise data capture on a map-centric interface. It supports offline map usage, includes tools for drawing geological features, and can record orientation data, notes, and photos. Export your collected data in various formats for further analysis.
- Map-centric digital field mapping
- Offline map support
- Drawing tools for geological features
- Digital compass and clinometer
- Geo-referenced notes and photos
- Geological symbol library
- Multiple data export formats
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FieldMove is a map-based digital field mapping app for geological data capture. The app is presented in a map-centric format for use on larger touchscreen tablets. When sufficient data has been collected, you can use the drawing tools that include a virtual cursor for precision drawing to create geological boundaries, fault traces and other linework on your basemap. It is also possible to create simple polygons to show the distribution of different rock types. FieldMove supports Mapbox™ online maps and can cache this extensive online map service to work offline in the field. In addition to handling online maps, geo-referenced basemaps in MBTile or GeoTIFF format can be imported and also are available offline when working in the field. The app allows you to use your tablet as a traditional hand-held bearing compass, as well as a digital compass clinometer for measuring and recording the orientation of planar and linear features in the field. Geo-referenced text notes, photographs and screenshots can also be captured and stored within the app. Also contained in FieldMove is a library of geological symbols that enables data to be plotted on a stereonet, which allows the user to carry out analysis based on their field observations and measurements. All data readings collected in the field and any linework digitized directly in FieldMove with the drawing tools are fully geo-referenced. This information is preserved when the project is exported in various formats for use in other applications. Exporting your project is a quick and simple process. Data can be exported in three different formats: Move™ (.mve), for direct import into Petex's Move software for model building and analysis, a CSV (.csv) file (comma-separated values, similar to an Excel spreadsheet), and as a Google Earth (.kmz) file. A more in-depth user guide and brochure is available here: https://www.petex.com/products/move-suite/digital-field-mapping/ FieldMove is a Petroleum Experts geological field mapping app designed for forward thinking geologists utilising digital data collection. -------------------- The use of GPS devices and tablets as navigation aids. Global Positioning System (GPS) devices are commonly used to aid navigation, having grown in popularity over the past decade. Over the last few years, this has extended to smartphones and digital compasses, which are often equipped with GPS functionality. GPS is a valuable aid to navigation during fieldwork, although it is important to keep safety at the forefront, and we draw your attention to the advice given by a number of mountaineering councils: “Everyone heading into the hills needs to learn how to read a map, and be able to navigate effectively with a paper map and traditional magnetic compass, especially in poor visibility” Know the hardware sensors in your device FieldMove relies on three sensors inside your device, a magnetometer, a gyroscope and an accelerometer. Together, these sensors can be programmed to measure the orientation of planar and linear features in the field. All three sensors are installed as standard in iPhones and iPads, but are not always present in other hardware devices. You should always check your device to make sure that all three sensors are present and that the compass and the clinometer are giving accurate readings before starting to collect data. You can choose to manually enter data if you do not trust the internal sensors, or if you are using a traditional hand-held compass clinometer. Petroleum Experts will accept no liability or loss, resulting from the use or misuse of this product. -------------------- We hope that you find these applications useful and we’d be delighted to hear from you if you have any comments or suggestions for further improving the functionality in FieldMove. For more information go to: www.petex.com. If you have any feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at: edinburgh@petex.com
Mapboard GIS
This iPad app allows users to draw field maps using an Apple Pencil, combining the ease of pen-and-paper with the precision of GIS. It's designed for geologists and others needing interpretive mapping, offering intuitive tools for creating topologically consistent geologic maps.
- Pen-based editing tools
- Intuitive reshaping and snapping
- Iterative topology solver
- Onboard Spatialite GIS engine
- Native GIS software compatibility
- User-configurable data types
- Tether to remote PostGIS
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Mapboard GIS is an iPad app for drawing maps with an Apple Pencil. Mapboard combines the intuitive workflow of pen-and-paper mapping with the precision, flexibility, and scale-independence of geospatial information systems (GIS). Its forward-looking design helps beginner and expert mappers produce multiscale, topologically consistent geologic maps. MOTIVATION AND DESIGN Mapboard GIS was born out of frustration with both paper– and GIS-based mapping workflows. It is primarily designed for geologists but is potentially useful in many situations demanding interpretive mapping. Mapboard attempts to bring digital mapping closer to the intuitive experience provided by paper. A sophisticated open-source spatial engine drives simple tools for drawing, erasing, and reshaping features. Outputs are natively compatible with common GIS software. Mapboard allows mapping time to be spent refining interpretations instead of fighting with technical tools. KEY FEATURES - Editing tools geared towards pen-based mapping - Powerful and intuitive reshaping, snapping, and erasing - Iterative topology solver to fill map units - Sophisticated onboard Spatialite GIS engine - Project files natively readable by standard GIS software (QGIS, ArcGIS, etc.) - User-configurable data types for line and polygon features - Tether to remote PostGIS for work across large datasets and real-time collaboration - Interoperable with standard formats (mbtiles, Spatialite, PostGIS) and open-source + commercial software OTHER FEATURES - Load MBTiles basemaps - Satellite, streets, and topographic basemaps - Dark mode support - Geologic line types TERMS OF USE: https://mapboard-gis.app/terms-of-service PRIVACY POLICY: https://mapboard-gis.app/privacy CHANGELOG: https://mapboard-gis.app/docs/ios/releases
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mapboard GIS at 100% against FieldMove's 64%. Mapboard GIS also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.2). FieldMove's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (6 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Mapboard GIS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. FieldMove asks for nothing beyond the download.
Mapboard GIS holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of FieldMove's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mapboard GIS's.
FieldMove ships an update every 4 months, Mapboard GIS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FieldMove | Mapboard GIS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (6 ratings) | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 108 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Petroleum Experts Limited | Daven Quinn |
Customer experience
FieldMove
Mapboard GIS
In-app purchases
FieldMove
No in-app purchases
Mapboard GIS
- Full Version$29.991 Year







