A compass app uses your phone's sensors to help you navigate through new terrains and find your way back. You can install one on your Android device and use it to track aspects like your route, speed, distance, and altitude. Here's our list of the best compass apps for Android.
1. Compass 360 Pro
Compass 360 Pro is arguably the best free compass app for Android to use in areas with internet connectivity issues. The app seems accurate most of the time and can work offline.
The app has magnetic and true north, with self-variation, and an option to view your latitude and longitude. You can use its decimal bearing to access detailed directions or the cardinal bearing to get general directions.
Compass 360 Pro includes a built-in speedometer for tracking distance, speed, and direction and a weather tool for monitoring elements like wind speed, humidity, and visibility. It also supports many languages, including Spanish, French, and Chinese. This, coupled with its ability to work anywhere worldwide, makes it an ideal companion for world travelers.
Download:Compass 360 Pro (Free)
2. Compass Steel
Compass Steel is a simple, ad-free compass app with a true heading and magnetic heading. The compass is touted for its accuracy and stringent privacy measures, including no data collection or tracking.
The self-calibrating app has a tilt-compensation feature that helps get correct measurements. It also features a sun and moon direction indicator, night vision mode, and multicolor themes to choose from. You can change the location coordinates format, altitude units, and the number of compass directions as well.
Download:Compass Steel (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. KTW Digital Compass
If you're looking for a simplistic design that shows both magnetic and true north, then Digital Compass might fit the bill. It also includes a map tool with satellite support.
The compass app lets you find your current location, slope angle, altitude, sensor status, and magnetic field strength. It's also handy for determining the direction you're facing, including bearing, azimuth, or degree.
Built with a magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyroscope, Digital Compass can be used for various tasks, including calibrating your TV antenna, tracking horoscopes, and identifying the Qibla direction. The app also lets you add a direction pointer marker and calibrate less accurate readings. Just wave your device in the "figure 8" motion to calibrate.
Download:Digital Compass (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. Fulmine Software Compass
This feature-rich compass app has magnetic and true headings with many longitude and latitude formats and supports using location codes instead of street addresses. This makes it useful in areas without street addresses.
The app supports status bar notifications for easy access on a locked screen or when using other apps. It also lets you mark your current location to quickly navigate to where you came from, and copy-paste GPS coordinates on a map.
The app doesn't require unnecessary permissions and works without a data connection or GPS, just like these offline GPS apps for Android. In addition, it supports many languages, including Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish.
Download:Compass (Free) | Compass Pro ($2.49)
5. Compass & Altimeter
Compass & Altimeter is a compass app with a straightforward interface. While it works offline, you'll need an internet connection to view your current location's address.
The app displays your true altitude and several formats for latitude and longitude. It also shows sunrise and sunset times and supports multiple coordinate systems, including Swiss Grid and British National Grid.
Additionally, it supports UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) for assigning coordinates on the earth's surface and EGM96 (Earth Gravitational Model) for geoid referencing.
Download:Compass & Altimeter (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Compass Galaxy
Compass Galaxy is a no-frills compass app for Android without unnecessary permissions. Thanks to its simple interface and minimal features, it's very beginner-friendly.
The compass app is light on ads and uses very little device memory. It also notifies you anytime it needs calibration, which you can easily do by making a "figure 8" gesture with your device.
Download:Compass Galaxy (Free)
7. Compass Steel 3D
Compass Steel 3D is an ad-free, tracker-free app that doesn't collect user data. As you tilt your Android device, the compass moves in 3D, almost like you're holding a physical compass.
The Android compass app offers true and magnetic headings, self-calibration, and multiple color themes. It also includes a sun and moon direction indicator, along with sun and moon timings. Note that Compass Steel 3D requires access to your location coordinates to calculate true heading.
Download:Compass Steel 3D (Free, in-app purchases available)
8. Smart Compass
Smart Compass offers various tools, including a GPS speedometer, a screen capture feature, and a metal detector. It also includes a standard mode that uses your device's camera to display a real-life view of your surroundings.
The compass app for Android has several other modes, including night, digital, telescope, and a Google Maps mode with satellite and street maps. However, the free version contains ads, which you can remove by upgrading to the paid version.
The premium option features a car locator, Qibla finder, individual metal detector, and support for sharing your GPS location. It also lets you find the bearing and distance to a specified location.
Download:Smart Compass (Free) | Smart Compass Pro ($2.50)
9. PixelProse Compass
Compass by PixelProse is a compass app with a magnetic declination correction feature for optimal accuracy. You can install it easily, even on your SD card, and search for new places by name or address. Here's how to move apps to an SD card.
The app supports several coordinate formats and shows angles in degrees. It computes elevation using EGM-96 and shows horizontal accuracy based on your phone's GPS sensor.
The app allows you to find the Kaaba direction, save places to track later, and tell the times for sunrise and sunset. You can also use it to calculate altitude above sea level or find the shortest route to a place.
Download:Compass (Free, in-app purchases available)
Use a Free Compass on Your Android Device
Phone compass apps are a great way to determine your location and return direction. Most of the apps we've listed are free and very easy to use, with no setup needed.
However, navigating through the unknown and undiscovered world can be challenging, and your compass may fail. Hence, you might find it worthwhile to explore alternative travel apps to add ease and enjoyment to your journeys.
