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Maps · head to head

Polaris Navigation GPS vs SW Maps

Polaris Navigation GPS logo

Polaris Navigation GPS

Maps

Professional GPS navigation for outdoor professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SW Maps logo

SW Maps

Maps

Free Android GIS data collector that pairs with external RTK GNSS receivers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • They diverge on capability: Polaris Navigation GPS covers Precision GPS, SW Maps covers Custom feature layers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Polaris Navigation GPS and SW Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where Polaris Navigation GPS and SW Maps differ
AttributePolaris Navigation GPSSW Maps
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Polaris Navigation GPS

  • Precision GPS
  • Multiple coordinate systems
  • Waypoint averaging
  • Area measurement
  • NMEA output
  • External GPS receivers
  • Bluetooth GPS
  • Local data storage

Only in SW Maps

  • Custom feature layers
  • External GNSS support
  • Offline basemaps
  • Geospatial PDF layers
  • Vector import
  • Photo and media capture
  • Export formats
  • NTRIP client

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Polaris Navigation GPS

  • Land surveyingnot SW Maps
  • Search and rescuenot SW Maps
  • Geocachingnot SW Maps
  • Field data collectionnot SW Maps

SW Maps

  • An NGO or municipal utility mapping water points, pipe networks or road assets on a budget that cannot absorb per-user GIS subscriptionsnot Polaris Navigation GPS
  • A survey team pairing a low-cost RTK receiver with Android tablets to collect centimetre-accurate attributed features without buying field software seatsnot Polaris Navigation GPS
  • A university field course teaching GNSS data collection where every student needs the tool on their own devicenot Polaris Navigation GPS
  • A consultant doing a one-off asset inventory who needs shapefile or GeoPackage output and does not want to start an annual subscription for a three-week jobnot Polaris Navigation GPS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Polaris Navigation GPS

Nothing recorded yet. See the Polaris Navigation GPS review.

SW Maps

  • Android only. There is no iOS version and no sign of one, which rules it out for organisations that issue iPhones and iPads to field staff.
  • There is no back end: no user management, no central project sync, no audit trail. Data lives on the device until someone exports it, and a lost tablet is lost data.
  • No commercial support contract exists, so an organisation with a compliance requirement for vendor support cannot use it for regulated work regardless of technical fit.
  • It is maintained by a small consultancy as a side product of its own project work, so the roadmap follows Softwel’s needs and a feature you depend on may never be prioritised.
  • Form logic is basic compared with dedicated survey platforms: no meaningful skip logic, validation or multi-user assignment, so complex questionnaires quickly outgrow it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Polaris Navigation GPS

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic GPS tracking
    • Waypoint management
    • Multiple coordinate formats
  • Pro$5.99/one-time
    • NMEA output
    • External GPS support
    • Waypoint averaging

SW Maps

Free
  • SW MapsFree
    • All features included
    • External RTK GNSS support
    • Unlimited layers and exports

Which should you pick?

Choose Polaris Navigation GPS if

  • You need precision gps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android.
  • You also want multiple coordinate systems.
Polaris Navigation GPS review

Choose SW Maps if

  • You need custom feature layers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android.
  • You also want external gnss support.
SW Maps review

Questions people ask

Is Polaris Navigation GPS or SW Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. Polaris Navigation GPS starts at Free and SW Maps at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Polaris Navigation GPS or SW Maps?
Polaris Navigation GPS starts at Free and SW Maps at Free.
Does Polaris Navigation GPS or SW Maps run on more platforms?
Both run on Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Polaris Navigation GPS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Polaris Navigation GPS best used for?
Polaris Navigation GPS is most often used for land surveying, search and rescue, geocaching, field data collection. Of those, land surveying and search and rescue are not what SW Maps is typically brought in for.
What can Polaris Navigation GPS do that SW Maps cannot?
Polaris Navigation GPS covers Precision GPS, Multiple coordinate systems, Waypoint averaging, Area measurement. SW Maps covers Custom feature layers, External GNSS support, Offline basemaps, Geospatial PDF layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SW Maps: Is SW Maps really free?

Yes. It is free with no advertising and no paid tier. There is no subscription and no feature paywall.

SW Maps: Does it support RTK receivers?

Yes, over Bluetooth or USB serial, with NTRIP correction support, antenna height and per-point fix quality recording.

SW Maps: Is there an iOS version?

No. Android only.

SW Maps: Who maintains it?

Softwel, an engineering consultancy in Kathmandu, Nepal, which built it for its own infrastructure projects.

SW Maps: Can we get support?

Not contractually. There is no commercial support agreement, which is the main reason organisations with compliance obligations choose a paid alternative.

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