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Best offline compass apps for hiking (iPhone & Android)

Four offline compass and navigation apps for hiking, compared on privacy label, price, true north and what works without signal.

Author: Best Mobile Apps Editorial Team Published:
Best offline compass apps for hiking (iPhone & Android)

For hiking, the best offline compass apps are Trail Sense on Android, Organic Maps on both platforms and Compass 55 on iPhone, with NorthPin (made by this site's operator) as a simpler fourth choice. All four work without a mobile signal and declare in their store privacy sections that they collect no data.

How we picked

A compass app only reads the phone's magnetometer, so the real differences are in extras, honesty about accuracy and what the app does with your data. We compared:

  • Privacy label. The App Store “App Privacy” section and the Google Play “Data safety” section, read from the store pages.
  • Offline behaviour. What the listing says works without a connection, and what needs a download in advance.
  • Price and ads. Whether the app is free, shows ads or locks useful features behind purchases.
  • Hiking features. True north, waypoints, bearings and clear warnings about the limits of phone sensors.

This ranking is based on store listings, privacy labels and developer documentation checked in October 2026. We did not test the apps on a trail, and privacy labels are the developers' own declarations. A phone compass is a convenience, not a safety device, so carry a paper map and a physical compass as well.

Our picks, ranked

1. Trail Sense (Android)

Trail Sense by Kyle Corry is built for hiking, backpacking, camping and geocaching, and its Google Play description says it helps you explore “beyond the reaches of the Internet”. It includes a compass (on devices with a compass sensor), beacons to navigate to, a backtrack feature to retrace your steps, photo maps, a sunset alert and barometer-based weather prediction. The Data safety section declares no data collected and none shared, and the listing shows no ads. The source code is public under the MIT licence.

Pros: free, open source, no data collected per the label, built around backcountry use, honest about sensor limits.
Cons: Android only; the toolbox is large, so the first hour involves some learning.

Get it: Google Play

2. Organic Maps (iPhone, Android)

Organic Maps by Organic Maps OÜ is an offline map and GPS navigation app rather than a dedicated compass, which is why it ranks here as the companion to one. The listing says it works 100% offline, including search and navigation, with no background data transfers, and that it is free and volunteer-made on OpenStreetMap data. Both store pages declare no data collected, and the iPhone listing shows no in-app purchases. On the US App Store it had a 4.7 average from about 3,400 ratings and was updated on 1 October 2026.

Pros: free, no data collected on both platforms, works offline once maps are downloaded, no ads or purchases listed.
Cons: not a compass tool in itself; you must download regional maps while online, and they take storage space.

Get it: App Store · Google Play

3. Compass 55 (iPhone)

Compass 55 by Kalimex-Consulting s.r.o. is an offline-capable GPS map and navigation toolkit for hiking, off-road travel and fieldwork. It offers a compass, waypoints, routes, UTM and MGRS coordinates, a speedometer and video recording. The App Store label reads “Data Not Collected”. It had a 4.7 average from about 1,500 ratings and was updated on 17 September 2026.

Pros: rich hiking toolkit, coordinate formats for serious map work, clean privacy label, actively updated.
Cons: free but with in-app purchases (Pro packs priced from $1.99 to $14.99); iPhone only as far as we verified; a dense interface for simply finding north.

Get it: App Store

4. NorthPin True North Compass / Offline Compass: True North – Lapnito (made by this site's operator)

Disclosure: this app is made by lapnito.cz s.r.o., the company behind Best Mobile Apps. NorthPin is an offline compass that its listing says has no ads, no analytics and no internet requirement. It offers magnetic or true north using an offline declination model, a magnetic interference warning, a guided figure-eight calibration, saved waypoints with back-bearing, and offline sun, moon and Qibla directions. The iPhone label reads “Data Not Collected”. On Android the listing is named Offline Compass: True North and its Data safety section also declares no data collected.

Pros: free, no ads, no data collected on both platforms, true north without a connection, interference and calibration help.
Cons: very new, with no ratings on the US App Store when we checked, so there is little public track record; it is a compass with waypoints, not a map app.

Get it: App Store · Google Play

Comparison at a glance

  • Trail Sense: Android, free, no data collected, open source, full backcountry toolbox.
  • Organic Maps: iPhone and Android, free, no data collected, offline maps and navigation, not a pure compass.
  • Compass 55: iPhone, free with Pro purchases, Data Not Collected, UTM and MGRS coordinates.
  • NorthPin: iPhone and Android, free, no data collected, offline true north, the newest of the four.

Tips for using a phone compass on the trail

  • Calibrate before you start. A figure-eight motion with the phone usually resets the sensor, and many apps will warn you when it drifts.
  • Keep the phone away from magnets, metal, power banks and magnetic cases, which can skew the heading by many degrees.
  • Know the difference between magnetic and true north. The gap, called declination, is often a few degrees in Europe and larger elsewhere, so choose the one that matches your map.
  • Download maps and check the app works in airplane mode at home, before you lose signal.
  • Carry a paper map and a physical compass. Batteries get cold and phones fail.

Which one should you pick?

On Android, Trail Sense is the most complete free option. If you also want offline maps on either platform, add Organic Maps. On iPhone, Compass 55 is the strongest dedicated hiking toolkit, with the caveat of in-app purchases. NorthPin is a fair free choice if you want a simple true-north compass, but it is the least proven of the four. None of them replaces a paper map and a real compass.

Frequently asked questions

Does a compass app work without mobile signal?

Yes. A compass uses the phone's magnetic sensor, not the network. Maps and some extras need to be downloaded before you go.

Is a phone compass accurate enough for hiking?

It is fine for rough bearings, but accuracy depends on the sensor, calibration and nearby metal. Treat it as a backup to a map and a physical compass.

What is the difference between magnetic and true north?

Magnetic north is where a compass needle points; true north is the geographic pole. Declination is the angle between them and varies by place and year.

Do I need GPS for a compass app?

Not for the compass itself. GPS or a stored location is only needed for true-north correction, maps and waypoints.

Disclosure: NorthPin True North Compass is developed by lapnito.cz s.r.o., the company behind Best Mobile Apps. It was judged by the same criteria as the other apps.