The full version for Android was about 12 bucks. The major difference, at least to my understanding, is the unlimited download of maps.

For me that's the killer argument and absolutely worth the price.

I think it really speaks for the developers to make it available for free to F-Droid users and personally I think it's a low price for a - for me - great app.

Yeah, I guess you are right, you get a lot for those 12 euros (or whatever it is, I can't really find it, but I remember a screen with costs for extra maps, altitude data, etc).

Edit: Ah found it, unlimited maps are 12.99 eur once, OsmAnd Live (Wikipedia offline integration and Altitude lines and shades) are 7.99 euros a year. This is all free on F-Droid.

It's free on F-Droid because they haven't bothered to implement technical countermeasures to unpaid downloads. The app developers are still updating that content and providing the bandwidth.

The Play Store fees are effectively voluntary donations to the devs & the OpenStreetMap project. If you really want to pay nothing, they’re not going to stop you - F-Droid is right there.

Yeah, that's one way to put it.

Really, F-Droid is so small it's understandable that they don't do anything about it.

Wondered what expensive meant, On iOS full featured is currently 2/mo or 8/yr, no lifetime license.