The app I’ve been using for many years, MotionX GPS, is no longer available (https://support.motionx.com/). While it still works, I want to find something that is currently supported.

It’s worth saying out loud that I strongly believe in knowing how to use a paper map and compass, and carrying those things with you when you leave the pavement. However, I can envision many circumstances where having an electronic GPS mapping capability is worthwhile. I can also make a strong argument for a dedicated device, especially for expedition-type travel. Don’t let me stop you from buying an InReach or something like it.

With the limitations of smartphones understood, an offline mapping app is still worth having to me.

The features I want to have include:

• Moving map capability
• Downloadable maps that do not expire
• Accurate maps (location accuracy is device, GNSS, overhead cover, RFI, and terrain dependent, largely not app dependent)
• Easily saved waypoints
• Both road and terrain maps
• No intrusive ads or other irritants
• No unreasonable privacy violations by the app’s developer
• Reasonable cost

So far I’ve evaluated (if only very briefly):

Google Maps. Free, ubiquitous, and very easy to use, I’ll keep using it for lots of things but downloaded maps expire after 30 days, so it doesn’t fit the bill for this function, for me.

Waze. Owned by Google, great for driving but does not cache much for long and does not cover terrain.

Maps.Me. Uses Open Street Maps, easy to use (after getting past the cartoonish splash screen), map downloads are highly optimized, seems fantastic for offline navigation on pavement, including finding points of interest. No off-pavement capability of note. I’ll be keeping this app for now, I may end up using two apps.

Hiking Project. From REI, very highly regarded for trail hiking, it doesn’t seem to have coverage for off-trail usage. When the weather gets better and I’m back on local trails I’ll check this out.

Gaia GPS. Highly rated. The app will sit there doing nothing until you press the crosshairs button, then the app will ask for device location permissions. This is a major UX misstep, but after that it’s fast and easy to use. Requires a membership for most features. The free membership allows online access to one of the Topo map data sets. Offline maps and other features required one of the paid membership levels.

Topo Maps+. Slower and with a significantly more expensive subscription than Gaia GPS, it also doesn’t seem to allow one to manage map downloads easily.

Topo Maps US. Similar name but different developer. The same UX misstep as Gaia GPS. A really cool freehand distance measuring feature. Intuitive map download feature. Free, no in app purchases, and no ads seen so far. A big winner for me.


It looks like the right combination for me will be Maps.Me and Topo Maps US. Heavier users of topo maps may find the paid memberships to Gaia GPS worthwhile.

What offline mapping apps do you like?

For offline eoad navigation; Sygic.

For outdoor stuff; Fatmaps

I’ll try them out, thank you Tjin!

Gaia is far and away the best navigation app, in my opinion. If you get a paid subscription there is an incredible variety of maps available. It is even possible to format and load your own custom maps and images. Gaia works quite well internationally. Back (pre covid19) when we could still travel abroad, I was able to use Gaia very successfully in Ecuador, Mexico, and France.

I'm not sure what the "UX misstep" problem is that chaosmagnet refers too? I use Gaia regularly with my iPhone, locations services "OFF except when using app", and haven't had any issues that interfere with my activities.

Noted Alaska adventurer Luc Mehl has used Gaia on some very serious Alaskan backcountry trips. His website has some great tutorials on taking full advantage of the features of Gaia.

I just went to Google Play to look into it. They don't list costs. They do mention Free, Member, and Premium subscription levels, but nothing about costs. I guess everything is an "in app purchase" these days, so they can hide what you will have to pay? Google Play even mentions that they will auto-renew your subscription ... but still nothing about costs. I even tried to go to their website to look up pricing, but you can't even get in there to look without signing up first.

This kind of behavior just leaves an initial bad taste in my mouth. They may indeed have a good product, but their corporate practices leave something to be desired. If they go that far out of their way to avoid the question about what it costs, the answer must be unfavorable for them. The company must see some advantage in initially not telling you what it costs, and that makes me very wary of their motives. It's like websites that hide shipping charges until after you've already gone through the shopping cart process, entering your address, entering your CC number, etc. I don't order from places like that either.

As a new user of the app (and Topo Map US), it doesn’t do anything or ask for location permissions until you press the “my location” button. It was frustrating the first time I spun up Gaia GPS. A better UX design would be to have it ask for location permissions upon first run. Once you’re past that issue the first time the problem goes away.

While I’ve never been a UX designer I’ve spent the last many years working at companies that make software, interacting with them especially in the face of customer feedback.

Not sure why you are having a problem finding costs? If you simply go to the Gaia website then scroll down to the bottom and under "Purchase" click on Indidviduals you will find the costs quite clearly stated.

It seems pretty straightforward to me? But since you are having a problem, there is a "Free" option, a "Membership" for $17, and a "Premium" for $36.

Sorry, this is what I saw when I went to their website. There is a scrollbar there ... I didn't notice it.

Sorry if I sounded a bit snarky. Looking at it now, I can see how if you go there for the first time you could easily miss it. It's probably not the most well designed home page. I've used Gaia for a number of years, and upgraded from Free to Member, and more recently to Premium, so I'm pretty familiar with their website and just automatically scrolled down.