Compass Bearing Calculator
Calculate the compass bearing (direction) between two GPS points.
Compass Bearing (A → B)
Reverse Bearing (B → A): -
Distance: -
🧭 Direction Explanation
Free Compass Bearing Calculator — Find Direction Between Two Points
Whether you're navigating on foot, planning a sailing route, or working through a surveying problem, knowing the exact compass bearing between two GPS coordinates is essential. Our free Compass Bearing Calculator instantly computes the initial bearing, reverse bearing, cardinal direction, and great-circle distance between any two points on Earth — with a visual compass needle and a plain-language direction explanation.
What is a Compass Bearing?
A compass bearing is the direction from one point to another, measured clockwise in degrees from true North (0°–360°). A bearing of 90° means due East, 180° means due South, and so on. Bearings are used in navigation, surveying, aviation, and hiking to describe direction of travel precisely.
Great-Circle vs Straight-Line Bearing
On a flat map, the bearing between two points looks constant. But the Earth is a sphere, so the shortest real-world path — the great-circle route — often curves relative to a straight line on a map, especially over long distances. This calculator uses proper spherical trigonometry (great-circle formulas), so the bearing shown is accurate for real-world navigation, not just flat-map geometry.
Understanding Cardinal Directions
Bearings are grouped into 16 compass points: N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, and NNW. Each point covers a 22.5° range. For example, a bearing between 123.75° and 146.25° is labeled Southeast (SE). The compass needle and Direction Explanation panel translate the raw degree number into an easy-to-understand cardinal direction.
Why Use This Tool
- Accurate spherical math: Uses great-circle formulas accounting for Earth's curvature.
- Both bearings shown: See the initial bearing and the reverse bearing at once.
- Distance included: Get the Haversine distance alongside the bearing.
- Visual compass needle: See the direction at a glance, not just a number.
- Plain-language explanation: A written summary of the route direction and distance.
- Quick point swap: Instantly reverse Point A and Point B with one click.
Key Features
Initial & Reverse Bearing
Both directions calculated together.
Great-Circle Distance
Accurate distance via Haversine formula.
Compass Needle
Visual needle rotates to match your bearing.
Direction Explanation
Plain-language summary of route and distance.
Step-by-Step: How to Use
Step 1: Enter the latitude and longitude of Point A.
Step 2: Enter the latitude and longitude of Point B.
Step 3: Results update automatically — see the bearing, reverse bearing, distance, compass needle, and direction explanation instantly.
Benefits
- Removes the need for manual spherical trigonometry calculations.
- Useful for navigation planning across hiking, sailing, and aviation.
- Provides both direction and distance in a single calculation.
Common Use Cases
- Planning a hiking route between two GPS waypoints.
- Calculating sailing or flight headings between coordinates.
- Surveying and land measurement direction calculations.
- Educational geography or navigation coursework.
Privacy & Security
Calculates the initial compass bearing (0°-360°, where 0°/360° is North) needed to travel from point A to point B in a straight line, along with the reverse bearing and great-circle distance. All calculations happen locally in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Tools
Also try our GPS Coordinate Converter and Distance Calculator.
Ready to calculate? Enter your coordinates above — free and instant.
Share Your Experience
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