Verdict
Reviewers consistently praise the tracking accuracy and battery-saving design, including a mode that preloads maps and uses airplane mode to cut power use during hikes. It's a straightforward tracker without the ad or subscription noise that plagues similar apps.
Best for
Hikers and dog-walkers who want to log routes and distance without draining their phone battery or getting nagged into a subscription later.
Dealbreaker
Not written yet.
The facts.
Pulled from the App Store, not written by hand.
Price
$0.99 once
In-app purchases
Unknown
Ads
Unknown
Platforms
iPhone
Rating
4.7★ (1,355)
Version
1.7
Last updated
Feb 3, 2025
Released
Mar 26, 2019
Attributes
Native appOne-time purchaseNo subscription
Category
Navigation, Sports
What reviews consistently say.
Themes grouped from 52 App Store reviews. Source feed ›
Praised for
Ease of use and design9 reviews
Privacy and data handling5 reviews
Battery and performance4 reviews
Subscription pricing and paywalls2 reviews
Where this comes from
9 of 52 recent reviews raised: Ease of use and designApp Store reviews ›
5 of 52 recent reviews raised: Privacy and data handlingApp Store reviews ›
4 of 52 recent reviews raised: Battery and performanceApp Store reviews ›
2 of 52 recent reviews raised: Subscription pricing and paywallsApp Store reviews ›
Listed at $0.99 once on the App StoreApp Store listing ›
Where we recommend it
Offline map apps you buy once ›Maps that work with no signal and charge once instead of monthly, each with its catch.
Alternatives with the same rule.
Every app here is a single purchase. None of them can start charging you monthly for what you already bought. Also with a catch.
$6.99 once · 4.8★ (1,824) · Updated Aug 20, 2024
Verdict. Pocket Earth PRO is built for offline map use, with GPX import/export, topo maps, and track logging that reviewers rely on for cycling and hiking. It's solid for most users, but some report GPX import breaking after iOS updates and slow response from support when offline map downloads fail.
Best for. Cyclists and hikers who want to download topo maps and GPX routes in advance and track their trips without a cell signal.
Dealbreaker. A handful of users report GPX import breaking after OS updates and app updates occasionally causing freezes, with slow or no response from the developer when things go wrong.
$89.99 once · 4.8★ (1,004) · Updated Oct 21, 2026
Verdict. Guru Maps gets consistent praise for detailed offline maps that stay fast and light on battery even with large map sets loaded, plus solid GPX import/export for planning routes elsewhere. A minority of reviewers report crashes and location tracking going wrong, so it's not flawless.
Best for. Someone planning a long hike or road trip who wants to pre-load detailed offline maps and import GPX routes from tools like Furkot, then track their path without cell signal.
Dealbreaker. A handful of reviewers report crashes and location tracking freezing or drifting off by miles in recent versions.
$11.99 once · 4.5★ (1,647) · Updated Jul 28, 2021
Verdict. CityMaps2Go's core promise—offline maps that just work—has broken for a meaningful chunk of recent users, with reviews split almost evenly between people praising offline access and people reporting it stopped functioning entirely. Combined with reports of near-total silence from support when things break, this feels like an app whose maintenance has slipped even though its purchase model hasn't changed.
Best for. Someone who wants a simple, easy-to-navigate offline city map for a single trip and doesn't need customer support if something goes wrong.
Dealbreaker. A significant number of recent reviewers say the offline maps feature itself has stopped working, and multiple reviewers report emailing support and getting no response at all.