# GPS OS Grid Reference vs Alpine Quest

The clearest difference is rating: Alpine Quest at 5.0 against GPS OS Grid Reference's 4.4. Alpine Quest also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GPS OS Grid Reference sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per year and Alpine Quest sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Alpine Quest holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of GPS OS Grid Reference's written reviews are positive against 83% of Alpine Quest's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

GPS OS Grid Reference ships an update every 3 months, Alpine Quest every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GPS OS Grid Reference | Alpine Quest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps-os-grid-reference/id993436655/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alpine-quest-tactical-gps-pro/id6744272615/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **89.9% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 184 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tomstrails.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/425642318) | [Ivan Blajic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457447712) |

## What reviewers say

### GPS OS Grid Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gps-os-grid-reference/id993436655)

This app accurately pinpoints your location on Ordnance Survey maps for Great Britain and Ireland, even without a phone signal. It offers precise grid references, waypoint creation, and navigation features. The display is designed for clarity in all lighting conditions, and it optimizes battery usage.

**Highlights:** Offline map location, Accurate grid references, Waypoint creation and management, High-contrast display, Battery optimization, Share waypoints

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $5.99 | per year |
| Feature Pack - Compass & sharing features. | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎯 Accurate grid references
- 🚀 Fast and quick updates
- 💡 Works without phone signal
- 🗺️ Useful for navigation and backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Blurry satellite maps
- 🧭 Compass not accurate
- 📉 Accuracy dropped recently
- 🗺️ No map data included
- 🚫 Cannot search locations

**Reported bugs**

- Waypoint finder satellite view is blurry
- Compass is not accurate
- Accuracy has dropped recently
- Location services permanently dimmed off (iOS)
- App does not work for users not in England

**Requested features**

- Add map data and search functionality
- Improve satellite map clarity
- Add ability to view location on a map
- Enable navigation from point to point
- Add Apple Watch equivalent app


### Alpine Quest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alpine-quest-tactical-gps-pro/id6744272615)

Plan routes and navigate precisely on any terrain, online or offline. Offers advanced coordinate systems and export options for outdoor missions and exploration. A PRO upgrade unlocks full features like unlimited layers and tracking.

**Highlights:** Route and area planning on map, Point-to-point and route navigation, Movement tracking with elevation/speed, Support for MGRS, UTM, Lat-Lon, GPX, KML, GeoJSON export/import, Layer-based data management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GPS OS Grid Reference free?

GPS OS Grid Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Alpine Quest free?

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

### Which has better reviews, GPS OS Grid Reference or Alpine Quest?

Alpine Quest is rated higher. GPS OS Grid Reference averages 4.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Alpine Quest averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do GPS OS Grid Reference or Alpine Quest have ads?

Neither GPS OS Grid Reference nor Alpine Quest shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GPS OS Grid Reference or Alpine Quest?

GPS OS Grid Reference ships an update every 3 months, and Alpine Quest every 2 days. Most recently, GPS OS Grid Reference was updated on October 17, 2026 and Alpine Quest on October 6, 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.*