Trail maps are a big part of what I offer here at Swiss Family Fun. I was very happy with GPSies.com but they have merged with AllTrails.com and now I’m not so happy. I’ve thought about this for months, created spreadsheets, contacted the companies directly. I am having so much trouble deciding.
So I would love feedback from you, dear reader. Here are the four map companies I’m considering and what I like and don’t like about each. Please vote for your favorite in the comments below. Or suggest a different trail mapping app you like.
As you consider the maps, please look at them on both desktop and mobile. Then click through on the maps and view them in the respective websites/apps. Some require that you create an account to view the map on their website. Some require a paid account to download the map for offline use and/or print the map.
Switzerland Mobility
I love their maps but I can’t embed them on our website. Only take a screenshot and link you to the map on their website, which is more work for me. You can print the map for free. If you are a paid subscriber, you can download the map GPX, add the map to your own tours, edit them and access it on their mobile app. You can add waypoints with photos, which is great.
I like that their mobile app is focused on the maps with instead of bloated with community features. But it requires a yearly subscription to have access to all your maps. Only one map layer, no satellite view.
AllTrails
You can add custom waypoints, but only text, no photos. You can display distance markers on the embedded map and mouse along the elevation profile to see that point on the map, which I really like.
It doesn’t show hike stats on the embedded preview. And when you click through the map on their site, it only shows the elevation gain, not the descent so you have to calculate that yourself.
I don’t love their mobile app.
Komoot
I like the preview on mobile that is very simple and clear and shows the hike stats, including up and down elevation. I really like their mobile app and had great success downloading offline maps and using them while hiking in the UK where I didn’t have mobile data. They were quite accurate and helpful for navigation.
I don’t like that I can’t add waypoints to show you special features on the trail (there’s a workaround, but it’s not perfect). The time estimate is generated, I can’t enter my own pace.
Outdoor Active
I like that they use Alpine Topographical maps, but it requires a paid membership to use that layer. I like that I can customize the pace. These maps are used by main Swiss tourism websites (obviously heavily customized by programmers) like Zermatt, so I like the idea of using the same resource.
The main downside is that on mobile, you cannot see a preview of the map, just a picture. Which defeats the whole purpose of embedding a map on my website. Also, there is no elevation profile on the embedded map either on desktop or mobile. I also cannot add waypoints.
If I remove the photos from the posts, I can see a preview of the trail on mobile, but it’s still not great.
Well, what to you think? What map features are important to you? Both when selecting a hike on our website and using the map live on your hike?
11 responses
To me Swiss Mobility is king.
I can’t understand why people use other apps when that one provides everything you could wish for.
Even in the free version, which is the one I use. But I am considering the paid version this year.
I also use Komoot to plan hikes on my own, but I already had problems because what that app considers hiking paths are sometimes just old ways in the mountain with overgrown bushes and fallen trees, basically no hiking paths there. But I like that I can just use the map to start creating my own route.
I use for travelling, not hiking, the maps.me, since I can just add points in the map and then use the function “take me there”… good not to get lost in a new city.
I love the Swiss topographical maps on Swiss Mobility. And they have added some new features that I really like. But I still can’t embed them in my website, which is a problem.
I love SwissTopo maps. The web-version is just excellent https://s.geo.admin.ch/884bcd622c
Yes, there is also an option to EMBED the map into your website for free (as far as I can see). Just click on the ‘share’ option and then ’embed’. Website is map.geo.admin.ch. But, it takes a bit of getting used to. It’s not as user friendly as swissmobility (although the maps are the same).
I’ll have to check this out. Thanks for the tip.
I was a user (and paid member) of the GaiaGPS mobile app, before coming to Switzerland. It offers worldwide base maps, and a huge variety of fee-based alternative maps… including the Swiss topo, well worth the annual fee.
I use it mostly for recording a GPX while on a hike, and recording basic stats (time, elev gain, etc) for review later. It can import a GPX file, which I found very useful on a recent outing – making it easy to follow someone else’s advertised route.
The mobile UI (on iOS) is a bit confusing. It works… but even after using it on a couple dozen outings I still find it awkward.
Thanks for this blog – I find it very helpful!
We use komoot to plan hikes and bike rides (road and MTB). It does have its limitations but you can set your fitness level to slow or speed up the calculated pace and hence times. Mind you, we hiked with the kids (8 & 11) last weekend and left it set to “good fitness”. We were faster than the estimated time which was rather surprising. We just have the regular version – unsure what the premium one is like.
I plan ALL my (trekking and biking) with Outdooractive, it is sooo easy to navigate, save and for gpx export to to i.e. Garmin devices.
I have used many other providers, but Outdoor- active stays top
I’m a huge fan of Komoot. It takes a bit of getting used to but worth the effort. And for all your readers you can export/share etc so we can import into the Komoot app on our phones, desktop or even watches (Garmin, iPhone tested).
You know me… swiss mobility is what I use, and I don’t mind the payment for what I get…
I love it for the planning part –
the ease to plan a hike either by
or using their hiking bank,
Layers (satellite when I’m trying to figure out a parking for the cars, the transportation layer which links directly to timetables),
And especially the profile window that helps me monitor the time, length and elevation.
During the hike itself I like the offline navigation option when there’s no reception.
The downside to this app is that it’s exclusive only to Switzerland… and not global.
I love your feedback. There are definitely advantages to Swiss Mobility. I just wish I could embed the maps on the site. Hmmmm.