Distance Measure is a utility app for iOS that calculates point-to-point distances and polygon surface areas on digital maps.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire the app for quick, precise geographic measurements without the interface bloat of general-purpose mapping platforms.
For Users requiring basic geographic distance and area calculations on mobile devices.
What does it look like?
Key features
Calculates great-circle distance between two or more waypoints placed on an online map.
Computes the area defined by a polygon with three or more waypoints.
Toggles between meters, kilometers, feet, yards, miles, and nautical miles via the measurement display.
How much does it cost?
The app is distributed as a free utility with no visible subscription or IAP gates.
Velocity
Dormant developmentperformanceShow more...
Distance Measure has been inactive for over a year, with the last update occurring 463 days ago. The development history shows no signs of recent activity or feature iteration. Given the lack of releases for well over the 12-month threshold, the app is classified as a zombie project.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Review voice lately leans excited. Users appreciate accurate spherical trigonometry calculations provide reliable distance and area measurements for casual field surveying tasks and simple interface design allows users to quickly calculate distances without navigating complex or cluttered menus.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- Accurate spherical trigonometry calculations provide reliable distance and area measurements for casual field surveying tasks
- Simple interface design allows users to quickly calculate distances without navigating complex or cluttered menus
- Lack of offline map caching forces users to rely on active internet connections for field measurements
49 of 49 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Excited overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 1 more frustration theme and 2 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Distance Measure
How's the Utilities market?
Distance Measure maintains a 4.3★ rating across 238 total ratings, serving as a niche utility for casual field measurements. The absence of updates for over 15 months signals a maintenance-only posture that limits its competitive standing against active mapping tools.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
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Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Distance Measure
Where is it heading?
The market for mobile mapping utilities is consolidating around offline-first capabilities, leaving Distance Measure exposed due to its internet-only architecture. Maintenance-mode updates leave the app vulnerable to any rival that adds basic offline caching, so the PM must pivot to offline support to defend the user base.
- The lack of updates for over 15 months indicates a maintenance-only posture, which risks long-term relevance as competitors integrate offline-first features.
- The consistent user praise for interface simplicity provides a stable retention floor, but the inability to measure road-based travel limits the app's utility.
The SWOT
- Minimalist interface design reduces task-completion time
- Implementing offline map caching to capture remote-field users
Next best moves
Ship offline map caching because it is the top-requested feature and primary churn driver → increase session duration in remote areas.
The counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of updates is not a failure but a feature…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The product remains in a maintenance-only state, but the analytical framework has shifted to prioritize offline caching as a critical defensive requirement against competitors.
Bottom line
Distance Measure delivers precise spherical calculations for casual users, but its total reliance on internet connectivity limits its viability for field work, so the PM should prioritize offline caching to prevent churn to more capable mapping tools.
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Access the full report for freeSources
- [1] App Store, source
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