For a side-by-side table with current prices, see ClearSpeed GPS vs. popular speedometer apps. This page is the checklist behind it.
1. Can you read it at a glance?
The speed number should be the largest thing on screen, with good contrast in daylight and a darker mode at night. Banner ads near the number defeat the purpose.
2. Does it admit when GPS is weak?
Every phone speedometer depends on signal. Better apps show signal quality and refuse to display a confident number from a poor fix. ClearSpeed shows Good, Weak, or Searching and hides the number when reported accuracy is worse than about 30 m.
3. The units you need
MPH and KM/H for roads, knots for boats. ClearSpeed switches between all three, and trip distance follows (miles, kilometers, or nautical miles).
4. Features you will actually use
Decide whether you need speed-limit alerts, maps, background tracking, an Apple Watch app, or widgets. Many free apps offer those; ClearSpeed does not. If you only need speed, trip totals, and a HUD, a simpler app is easier to live with.
5. The real price
"Free" speedometers usually earn money through ads, subscriptions, or a paid upgrade. Look at the In-App Purchases list and the "Contains ads" note on the App Store page. ClearSpeed is $3.99 once with nothing else to buy.
6. The privacy label
Scroll to App Privacy on the App Store page. "Data Used to Track You" means data may be linked with other companies' data for advertising. ClearSpeed's label is Data Not Collected; a few competitors also have that label, so check each one.
7. Honest limits
A good app tells you what it isn't: not a certified instrument, not a legal speed reference, not a substitute for your vehicle's speedometer.
Try it on your next trip
ClearSpeed GPS is $3.99 once in the U.S. App Store, with no subscription, in-app purchases, or ads. View ClearSpeed GPS on the App Store.