GPS Fields Area Measure from Noframe is the default app farmers, landscapers, and contractors reach for when they need to walk a boundary and read off the acreage. It works, it stores history, and the export is clean enough for an invoice. The friction starts when one tool has to cover everything: irregular shapes get awkward, satellite tracing is locked behind the paid tier, and the free version’s interruptions add up over a long workday.
The seven GPS Fields Area Measure alternatives below split into three groups. Direct rivals that copy the walk-the-boundary workflow with different UIs and price points. Hybrid land-survey tools that add multi-area projects and cleaner reports. Professional GIS apps for surveyors and agronomists who need to bring measurements back into a desktop pipeline.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Offline | Export formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLand | Direct swap with cleaner UI | Yes, ad-supported | Yes | KML, GeoJSON, CSV |
| Easy Area | Quick one-off measurements | Yes, with ads | Yes | KML, PDF |
| GPS Field Area Measurement App | Calm utility with smart tools | Yes, with ads | Yes | KML, image |
| Map Pad GPS Land Surveys | Multi-area projects | Yes, limited | Yes | KML, GPX, CSV |
| Avenza Maps | Geo-referenced PDF maps | Yes, 3 maps | Yes | GeoJSON, KML, CSV |
| ArcGIS Field Maps | Enterprise GIS workflows | Requires ArcGIS account | Yes | Esri-native |
| QField | Open-source professional GIS | Yes, no premium | Yes | GeoPackage, KML, GPX |
Why people leave GPS Fields Area Measure
Manual ad interruptions break long sessions. Banner and interstitial ads on the free tier interrupt boundary walks, and dismissing them on a small screen with muddy fingers is a real workflow problem. A field with three or four enclosures means more interruptions than measurements.
Satellite tracing requires Pro. The single most useful upgrade, drawing a boundary on a satellite image instead of walking it, sits behind the paid subscription. For one-off jobs, that puts a paywall in front of the workflow.
Single-area projects only. The app stores each measurement separately. There is no concept of a “site” that contains several fields, gardens, or paddocks, so multi-area properties end up as scattered entries that have to be reconciled manually later.
Reports are functional, not branded. The PDF export does the job for personal use but lacks the layout or logo placement many small contractors want when sending estimates to clients.
Filters reset on field updates. A recurring complaint after recent updates is that filter settings reset whenever a new field is added or an existing one is edited, forcing reapplication every time.
Which app should you choose?
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GLand if you want a direct GPS Fields Area Measure swap with a cleaner interface. Same walk-the-boundary core, more recent UI, and cleaner export.
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Easy Area if you need quick one-off measurements without learning anything new. Tap, walk, read the result. No accounts, no setup.
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GPS Field Area Measurement App if you want a calm utility with built-in compass, speedometer, and place finder. A general toolbox for outdoor work where measurement is one feature among several.
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Map Pad GPS Land Surveys if you handle multi-area properties and need a project structure. Sites contain measurements, measurements export together.
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Avenza Maps if you work from geo-referenced PDF site plans. The standard for parks, search-and-rescue, forestry, and any setting where the boundary lives in a PDF.
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ArcGIS Field Maps if your team already uses Esri or your client expects shapefiles. Enterprise integration is the point.
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QField if you want an open-source field collector that talks to a real desktop GIS. Built for QGIS users, free without limits, fully scriptable.
Stay on GPS Fields Area Measure if your workflow is single-area, single-user, walk-the-boundary jobs and the free tier annoyances are tolerable. The app does the core job well, and the data store is mature.
1. GLand, best direct GPS Fields Area Measure swap
GLand by Toptoshirou is the closest like-for-like replacement, with the same walk-the-boundary recording, GPS-tap point drawing, and satellite or street map view. The interface is more recent, the export is cleaner, and the ad load on the free tier is slightly lighter. GLand vs GPS Fields Area Measure mostly comes down to feel: many farmers prefer the calmer screen during long sessions.
Recording walks accumulate vertices automatically. Manual point editing is available for fine-tuning corners that the GPS recorded a few metres off. KML, GeoJSON, and CSV exports cover most downstream uses, including importing into Google Earth or any GIS package.
Where it falls short: The user base is smaller than Noframe’s, which means fewer translations, fewer review notes, and slower turnaround on bug reports. Satellite tracing without walking is paid, like the original.
Pricing:
- Free: Walk-the-boundary measurement, manual editing, basic export
- Paid: One-time unlock for satellite tracing and ad removal
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: Comparable, slightly cleaner free experience
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: Export each saved field as KML from Noframe, then import into GLand. Coordinates survive the round trip without loss. Project notes attached to measurements do not transfer.
Bottom line: Pick GLand for a one-for-one swap with a slightly cleaner interface.
2. Easy Area, best for quick one-off measurements
Easy Area keeps the workflow tight. Tap to drop pins, walk the perimeter, or trace on the satellite view, and the area and perimeter appear at the bottom of the screen in the unit of choice. Easy Area vs GPS Fields Area Measure is the choice for users who do not need history, projects, or multi-user features.
Unit switching is direct: hectares, acres, square metres, square feet, square yards. PDF export includes a top-down screenshot of the measured area with the totals, which is enough for an informal quote.
Where it falls short: History is shallow. Older measurements get harder to find. Multi-area projects are not supported. Power features that the pro tier of competitors offer, like CSV bulk export or KML import, are not in the core app.
Pricing:
- Free: Walk and tap measurement with ads
- Paid: A modest one-time payment removes ads and unlocks extended history
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: Cheaper one-time unlock vs Noframe’s subscription model
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: No direct import. Re-walk each boundary or trace on the satellite view. For most users, this is faster than fighting with KML on a small screen.
Bottom line: Pick Easy Area when the next job is one field, one number, and a saved screenshot.
3. GPS Field Area Measurement App, best calm utility with extras
GPS Field Area Measurement App from BizCraft adds outdoor utilities around the core measurement workflow. The same area and distance recording sits next to a compass, GPS-based speedometer, level meter, and nearby-places finder for ATMs, fuel stations, and restaurants. GPS Field Area Measurement App vs GPS Fields Area Measure is the swap for users whose phone is the field toolkit, not just a measurement device.
The extra tools are useful in their own right. The speedometer runs as a foreground service so it keeps measuring background activity while the screen is off, which the persistent notification makes transparent.
Where it falls short: Not on Aptoide, only Google Play. The breadth of features means more onboarding screens and more permission requests on first run. Some users find the place finder noisy if all they wanted was area measurement.
Pricing:
- Free: Area, distance, compass, speedometer with ads
- Paid: Removes ads, unlocks extended history
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: Comparable price for a broader feature set
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: No direct import. Walking each boundary again rebuilds the data set. Compass and speedometer features need no migration.
Bottom line: Pick GPS Field Area Measurement App if you want one app to cover the field-day toolkit.
4. Map Pad GPS Land Surveys, best for multi-area projects
Map Pad GPS Land Surveys & Measurements by Osedok introduces a project structure that the simpler apps do not have. A site contains multiple measurements, each with its own notes, photos, and shape, and the whole project exports together as KML or GPX. Map Pad vs GPS Fields Area Measure is the upgrade for anyone running properties with several distinct fields, paddocks, or plots.
Measurements support polygons, lines, and points, so a single project can hold a field boundary, the access road, and the location of an irrigation valve in one file. The export keeps that structure intact, which is what downstream GIS work needs.
Where it falls short: The interface is utilitarian and dated. Free use is limited in features and storage; full functionality sits behind a one-time purchase. The learning curve is real for users coming from single-area apps.
Pricing:
- Free: Limited number of points and measurements per project
- Paid: One-time purchase removes limits and unlocks all export formats
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: Higher upfront price, no subscription
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: Import KML files exported from Noframe directly. Map Pad reads them as polygons inside a new project. Photos attached to old measurements do not transfer; re-shoot if they were important.
Bottom line: Pick Map Pad when a single property has multiple measurements that belong together.
5. Avenza Maps, best for geo-referenced PDF site plans
Avenza Maps is the standard tool for working from a PDF that has been geo-referenced, meaning the file knows its real-world coordinates. The user opens the PDF on the device, the GPS dot moves across the plan in real time, and measurements happen on the plan itself rather than on a generic basemap. Avenza Maps vs GPS Fields Area Measure is a category jump for anyone whose work starts with a printed or scanned site plan.
The Avenza Map Store stocks free and paid USGS topo maps, national park maps, and city plans, plus thousands of community-uploaded files. Importing a custom plan in GeoPDF or GeoTIFF format is the workflow for forestry, search and rescue, and contracting.
Where it falls short: The free tier caps map storage at three maps. The store ecosystem assumes US and Canadian users most heavily. Outside that geography, custom imports are the default path. Area measurement is one feature, not the primary one.
Pricing:
- Free: Three map storage limit, area and distance tools
- Paid: Subscription removes the cap and unlocks larger team features
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: Different category of tool, paid tier for serious use
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: Export field shapes as KML, then convert to GeoJSON for Avenza import. The conversion is straightforward but not in-app; a desktop QGIS step is usually involved.
Bottom line: Pick Avenza Maps when the boundary already exists as a PDF or printed site plan.
6. ArcGIS Field Maps, best for enterprise GIS workflows
ArcGIS Field Maps by Esri is the field collector for the world’s largest commercial GIS platform. Measurements feed back into ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise, where the rest of the team can see them in real time. ArcGIS Field Maps vs GPS Fields Area Measure is the upgrade for any team where the data needs to land in a corporate GIS rather than on the device.
Offline data collection works against pre-defined work areas that admins set up in the desktop tool. High-accuracy mode supports external GNSS receivers, including sub-metre and centimetre-grade units used by professional surveyors.
Where it falls short: Requires an ArcGIS Online or Enterprise subscription on the back end. Solo users without a team licence cannot really use the app. The setup time before first measurement is significantly longer than any consumer app.
Pricing:
- Free: The app itself, but a paid ArcGIS account is required to collect data
- Paid: ArcGIS Online subscription priced per named user, sold by Esri partners
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: A different price model entirely, aimed at organisations
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: Import KML or GeoJSON exports into ArcGIS Online as a hosted feature layer, then sync to Field Maps. The conversion happens server-side. Attributes from the original measurements need to be mapped to ArcGIS schema fields.
Bottom line: Pick ArcGIS Field Maps when measurements need to live inside a corporate GIS the day they are collected.
7. QField, best open-source professional field collector
QField is the field companion to QGIS, the open-source desktop GIS that competes with ArcGIS on capability and wins on price. Projects are created in QGIS on the desktop, synced to the phone, edited in the field, and synced back. QField vs GPS Fields Area Measure is the right comparison for teams that want a real GIS workflow without per-seat licensing.
The app supports the same vector formats as QGIS, including GeoPackage, Shapefile, and PostGIS via the OPENGIS.ch cloud service. Custom forms, field validation rules, and conditional visibility all transfer from the desktop project. Offline edits queue and sync on reconnect.
Where it falls short: QGIS knowledge is required to set up a project. The app does not have a casual “tap and measure” mode for users without a project. Documentation assumes some GIS background.
Pricing:
- Free: Full app, all formats, no in-app payments
- Paid: Optional QFieldCloud subscription for team sync and project management
- vs GPS Fields Area Measure: Free without limits, but requires desktop investment
Migrating from GPS Fields Area Measure: Import KML exports into QGIS, add the result as a layer in the field project, and sync to QField. Once the project is set up, the migration is a one-time job.
Bottom line: Pick QField for a serious, no-licence-fee field workflow built around QGIS.
FAQ
How accurate is GPS field area measurement on a phone?
Phone GPS typically measures a 100-acre field to within plus or minus two acres, which is fine for farming, contracting, and informal land disputes. Higher precision needs an external GNSS receiver paired over Bluetooth. Phone-only measurements should not be relied on for legal property boundary disputes.
Can I import data from GPS Fields Area Measure into a different app?
Yes, partially. The Noframe app exports each saved field as KML, which most alternatives can read. Project notes, photos, and tags do not survive the export. Re-walk a boundary in the new app instead of converting if the data is critical and recent.
What is the best free GPS Fields Area Measure alternative?
GLand and Easy Area are the closest direct swaps with similar free tiers. QField is fully free without limits but assumes QGIS knowledge. For most farmers and landscapers replacing the Noframe app casually, GLand is the simplest move.
Which app works for irregular shapes and curved boundaries?
All of the listed apps support irregular polygons. The difference is in how many vertices they store comfortably and how cleanly they handle dense point clusters from a walk along a curve. Map Pad and QField handle high-density walks the best.
Can these apps measure area on a satellite image without walking?
Most of them can, but only the paid tier in GPS Fields Area Measure, GLand, and Easy Area. Avenza, ArcGIS Field Maps, and QField allow satellite tracing as part of their core functionality. Walking still gives the most accurate result.
Do any of these apps work offline?
Yes. GLand, Easy Area, Map Pad, Avenza, ArcGIS Field Maps, and QField all support offline measurement once the relevant area is cached. The basemap tile cache and any project data need to be downloaded over Wi-Fi before going out of signal.
