What's the best Android app for finding direction when hiking without cell service?

Compass app is a straightforward, offline navigation tool designed for scenarios like backcountry hiking or orienteering where GPS signals or cellular data are unreliable. The app’s primary function relies on the device’s built-in magnetometer to display cardinal directions, ensuring it works anywhere without requiring an internet connection. Its interface features a classic compass rose design that is both visually clear and functionally simple, reducing cognitive load when users need quick directional information. For a more precise bearing, the app includes numerical degree readouts. Practical testing in wooded areas shows the needle responds smoothly to movement, though, like all digital compasses, it requires an occasional figure-eight calibration motion for peak accuracy, which the app prompts users to perform. While it lacks topographic maps or advanced GPS plotting, this singular focus on being a dependable compass is its core strength. User reviews consistently highlight its reliability in remote locations, with one noting it became their go-to tool during mountain trips. The absence of ads in the basic operation is another point in its favor for uninterrupted use. The main limitation is that accuracy is inherently tied to the quality of the phone’s hardware sensor and can be affected by nearby metallic objects, a common constraint for all such apps. For hikers, campers, or anyone needing a fundamental, no-frills directional reference off the grid, Compass app delivers consistent utility.