Last Updated on April 9, 2023 by Paul S.
We have collected some of the best off road GPS apps out there on the market. The apps can help you in your travels more than any physical map can and they give you a lot more info about the road less traveled!
As offroad enthusiasts, we would never say to throw away your gazatteer or paper map because sometimes relying on technology can put you at a disadvantage. But these off road apps have some really cool features.
Here is a collection of data from our usage of these apps and from our research diving deep into the specifics each one provides. Some apps are going to be better for certain features so if needed a combination of apps will be your best bet. But if you aren’t too fussed one of these will probably suit your needs well!
Check out the list below and enjoy the road less traveled!
Table of Contents
onX
onX Offroad map is a very serious off road navigational app that can do a lot!
The experience on it is very serious set by the tone of the dark features of the app. It has great aerial imaging and it seems to be really fast when you have service. The app was made for off roading so you can use offline maps, save waypoints, draw on it, and even switch between snow or dirt.
One feature we love is the discover button. Wherever you are it will pull up local off road trails and quickly provide a trail rating, time to complete, and the name of the trail. You can click on it to get a profile of the trail, distance, profile, and low/high points in elevation. It also gives you what type of vehicle you can access the trail with. Which saves you any headaches from the authorities or landowners. Photos are also provided which really help you make sure it’s a trail you want to do.
What also is great is you can scroll around on the map and trails will pop up to show you where they are.
If you want to get lost then go ahead and hit the record track button. It will record your every move so you don’t have to remember any waypoints. When you are ready to head back to civilization just follow your recorded track back.
This app has been a game changer for our off road experience.
| Operating System | ios & Android |
| Acres of Public Land | 852 million |
| Campgrounds and cabins | 60,000 |
| Miles of trails | 550,000 |
| Points of interest | 450,000 |
| Land Owner Details | Yes |
| Trail Open Dates | Yes |
| Weather Forecasts | Yes |
| 3d Maps | Yes, with Premium/Elite |
| Create Routes | Yes |
| Record Activities | Yes |
| Free access to Trailforks | No |
| Online Courses on Outside Learn | No |
| Outside Watch (tv show) | No |
| Digital access to 15 publications | No |
| Generate Profiles and routes | No, but trails have profiles on them |
| Live tracking for friends | No |
| Track Details | No |
| Share location | No, but you can share waypoints, lines, shapes and tracks but only with phone service |
| Users | Side x side, 4×4, ATV, Dirt bike, Snowmobiles….basically everything offroad |
| Save maps for offline use | Yes |
| Use Maps with GPS | Yes |
| Save Trips | Yes |
| Markup | Yes |
| Sync to Carplay and Android Auto | Yes |
| Current Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 |
| Age | 10 years |
| Navigation App Rank | #9 |
| Cost | Free Trial for 7 days, Premium: $29.99/year, Elite: $99.99 year |
Gaia Maps
Gaia Maps is an adventure GPS map app. It is currently owned by Outside which was grown to be more than just a magazine.
The basic version of this app doesn’t get you much but when you update your plan to premium you get access to a whole bunch of features.
You can record activities and get access to dispersed camping spots, and over 300+ maps. We love that you can check the weather to where you are going so you can make a go/no go decision prior to making your trek into the backcountry.
One thing we do not like is that getting directions to a trail will take you to your default navigation browser.
| Operating System | ios & Android |
| Acres of Public Land | NA |
| Campgrounds and cabins | NA |
| Miles of trails | NA |
| Points of interest | NA |
| Land Owner Details | NA |
| Trail Open Dates | No |
| Weather Forecasts | Yes |
| Create Routes | Yes |
| Record Activities | Yes |
| Free access to Trailforks | Yes |
| Online Courses on Outside Learn | Yes |
| Outside Watch (tv show) | Yes |
| Digital access to 15 publications | Yes |
| Generate Profiles and routes | Yes |
| Live tracking for friends | No |
| Track Details | No |
| Share location | No |
| Users | Hikers, Offroaders, Bikers, Backcountry skiers/snowboarders |
| Save maps for offline use | Yes |
| Use Maps with GPS | Yes |
| Save Trips | Yes |
| Markup | Yes |
| Sync to Carplay and Android Auto | Yes, both |
| Current Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 |
| Age | 14 years old |
| Navigation App Rank | 32 |
| Cost | Free, Premium: $3.33/month or $39.99/year, Premium/Outside+: $3.74/month or $44.99/year |
GPS Tracks
GPS tracks is one of the cheaper options out there. At $19.99 for Pro you get a lot of features.
With the free version you can record your route and it will give you altitude, time, speed, and distance. You will be able to add waypoints but not much else. Every other feature will ask you to upgrade to Pro.
Pro will get you the following:
- Offline maps
- Location sharing with 5 friends
- Elevation profiles
- Weather
- Import/Export Files
- Measure on your Map
- Navigate waypoints
- Add images to waypoints
- Create routes
If you want to up your game on GPS Tracks then you can go with Premium.
Premium will cost you $39.99 every year but it will add the following onto the pro package:
- Additional offline maps
- Location sharing will unlimited friends
- Additional maps
- Print PDF maps
Perhaps depending on the location you frequent the most the upgrade to premium will pay off but definitely try Pro first before spending an extra $10 on premium. Unless you are very popular on the trails and everyone is demanding you to share your location.
| Operating System | ios |
| Acres of Public Land | NA |
| Campgrounds and cabins | NA |
| Miles of trails | NA |
| Points of interest | NA |
| Land Owner Details | NA |
| Trail Open Dates | NA |
| Weather Forecasts | Yes |
| Create Routes | Yes |
| Record Activities | Record Tracks and waypoints with pictures |
| Free access to Trailforks | No |
| Online Courses on Outside Learn | No |
| Outside Watch (tv show) | No |
| Digital access to 15 publications | No |
| Generate Profiles and routes | Yes |
| Live tracking for friends | Yes |
| Track Details | Speed vs time, Altitude vs time charts, |
| Share location | Yes |
| Users | Offroaders but best for offline activities in the bush when you need to save waypoints on your travels. Hunters, fishermen |
| Save maps for offline use | Yes, with Pro Subscription |
| Use Maps with GPS | Yes |
| Save Trips | Yes |
| Markup | No |
| Sync to Carplay and Android Auto | No |
| Current Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 |
| Age | 11 years |
| Navigation App Rank | 46 |
| Cost | Free version, Pro: $19.99/year, Premium: $39.99/year, Datum Add on Pack $2.99 |
FreeRoam
Let us first explain why FreeRoam is on here. No, it is not an off road GPS app. But it is a great free addition to some of the free versions of the apps above or an app that isn’t so great at finding free camping spots.
FreeRoam is great for overlanders or people on a long road trip that needs to save some money for accommodation/camping. It relies a lot on the community to help review each site and provide updated information. But not all campsites have reviews as the community and the app are still growing.
On this app you can filter out your sites by the following info:
- Campground type
- Price
- Cell
- Vacancy
- Weather
- Elevation
- Facilities nearby
- Features and amenities
- Reviews
- Affiliations
- Vehicle length
- Crowdedness
- Road Difficulty
- Shade
- Safety
- Noise
Again this is an app for great camping spots so directions and off road information are not going to be provided so that is the only reason we do not like it as a stand alone app. But pair it with one of the apps above and you are golden! Plus, it is free! You can make a donation to the app creator and that will help spur its development along.
Also, it is mainly for the USA but it does appear that more sites are popping up in other countries.
| Operating System | ios & Android |
| Acres of Public Land | NA, but has overlays to find public land |
| Campgrounds and cabins | NA |
| Miles of trails | NA |
| Points of interest | Yes, for camping, dump sites, fresh water, groceries, propane, gyms, showers, cell towers, overnight parking locations |
| Land Owner Details | NA |
| Trail Open Dates | NA |
| Weather Forecasts | Yes |
| Create Routes | No |
| Record Activities | Yes, log your places you have visited |
| Free access to Trailforks | No |
| Online Courses on Outside Learn | No |
| Outside Watch (tv show) | No |
| Digital access to 15 publications | No |
| Generate Profiles and routes | No |
| Live tracking for friends | No |
| Track Details | Speed vs time, Altitude vs time charts, |
| Share location | Yes, you can share your journey |
| Users | Best for overlanders or someone on a long trip. |
| Save maps for offline use | No, but can use app when offline |
| Use Maps with GPS | Yes |
| Save Trips | Yes |
| Markup | No |
| Sync to Carplay and Android Auto | No |
| Current Reviews | 4.9 out of 5 |
| Age | 12 years |
| Navigation App Rank | NA |
| Cost | Free. FreeRoam is a non-profit and very user driven! But you can donate to the cause! |
Our Choice for Best Off Road GPS App
If we have to choose a GPS app for off roading we would have to choose the onX app. This app was designed for off roaders in mind while the other apps are an all-in-one for all kinds of outdoor activities.
From the trail discovery to being able to understand where you are at and who owns the land can be really helpful especially when you are completely alone. Also, the trail ratings are top notch so if you decided to take your stock SUV up a 8/10 trail that’s on you!
We also have no affiliation with onX and this was done from a review of all of the apps. So you can trust this review! But we also have to give FreeRoam a nod for being a non profit and providing a great resource for people on the road! They are saving a lot of trouble for everyone! I could have used that app when I was Overlanding New Zealand.
As always be safe outside on the trail. These apps are amazing but they do not mean you are not at risk on the trail. Have a backup plan if the battery on your phone goes out and you can’t recharge it. Having backup maps and supplies in case of emergencies is always needed. And always understand your environment when doing multi-state trips.
What Does Overlanding Mean?
Last Updated on April 6, 2023 by Paul S. You have probably seen a lot of Instagram posts about overlanding or vehicles that are being modded to get ready for…
Overlanding Necessities
Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Paul S. Overlanding is a difficult undertaking but with prior planning and having the Overlanding necessities you can enjoy your adventure even more? …