Trip planning tools: Difference between revisions
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{| class="wikitable sortable style="margin-left:1em" | {| class="wikitable sortable style="margin-left:1em" | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 10%"| Tool | ! scope="col" style="width: 10%;"| Tool | ||
! scope="col" style="width: | ! scope="col" style="width: 22%"| Description | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 18%"| URL | ! scope="col" style="width: 18%"| URL | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 14%"| Cost | ! scope="col" style="width: 14%"| Cost | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 18%"| Pros | ! scope="col" style="width: 18%"| Pros | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 18%"| Cons | ! scope="col" style="width: 18%"| Cons | ||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''Gaia GPS''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| A powerful mapping and navigation tool for backcountry and overland travel, with topo, satellite, and land-ownership overlays, plus offline map support. | | style="text-align:left;"| A powerful mapping and navigation tool for backcountry and overland travel, with topo, satellite, and land-ownership overlays, plus offline map support. | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://www.gaiagps.com/ || Free tier | | style="text-align:left;"| https://www.gaiagps.com/ | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free tier<br>* Premium (~US$59.99/year) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Rich map layer options<br>* Offline downloads<br>* Route recording & GPX export<br>* Cross-platform (mobile + web)<br>* Strong community & frequent updates | | style="text-align:left;"| * Rich map layer options<br>* Offline downloads<br>* Route recording & GPX export<br>* Cross-platform (mobile + web)<br>* Strong community & frequent updates | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| * High subscription cost<br>* Many features can overwhelm new users<br>* GPS + offline maps drain battery<br>* Overkill for very casual planning<br>* Some map layers limited in free tier | | style="text-align:left;"| * High subscription cost<br>* Many features can overwhelm new users<br>* GPS + offline maps drain battery<br>* Overkill for very casual planning<br>* Some map layers limited in free tier | ||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;" | '''onX Offroad''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| A mapping app tailored for off-road / 4×4 / overland travel, with trail data, land-ownership overlays, offline maps, and turn-by-turn navigation. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Premium: US$34.99/yr<br>* Elite: US$99.99/yr | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Specialized off-road trail data<br>* Unlimited offline maps on paid tier<br>* Land-ownership boundaries (Elite)<br>* Cell-coverage overlay<br>* Turn-by-turn nav & CarPlay support | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Elite is expensive<br>* Free version is quite limited<br>* Learning curve with many map layers<br>* Must pre-download maps for offline use<br>* Less robust international coverage (primarily U.S.) | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''iOverlander''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| A community-driven directory of overland-relevant POIs: campsites, water sources, mechanics, dumps, fuel, etc., with offline functionality and GPX/KML export. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://ioverlander.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free<br>* Pro (US$59.99/yr)<br>* Unlimited (US$99.99/yr) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Very strong user-contributed data set<br>* Offline maps and POIs with paid plan<br>* Exportable data (GPX, KML, CSV)<br>* Filters for specific resources (water, fuel, camp)<br>* Great for real-world, on-the-ground planning | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free tier has limited offline downloads<br>* UI/app stability issues reported <br>* Subscription seems steep for a database<br>* Offline map sets limited by “set” concept<br>* Dependent on community contributions — not all places verified | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''Roadtrippers''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| A road-trip planner (web + mobile) to map routes, discover interesting POIs, estimate cost/time, and share itineraries. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://roadtrippers.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free<br>* Premium** (approx US$29.99/yr) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Excellent for discovering roadside attractions<br>* Cost and fuel estimation<br>* Collaboraive planning with friends<br>* Offline navigation in Premium<br>* Easy, intuitive map-based planning UI | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Premium required for many features<br>* POI database is U.S./Canada-centric<br>* Not focused on remote off-road trail data<br>* Offline maps can use a lot of storage<br>* Limited for very technical overland routes | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''Komoot''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| Outdoor route planning for hiking, biking, and overland travel using OpenStreetMap data; supports offline maps and surface breakdown. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://komoot.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free base + one-time map purchases<br>(e.g., Single Region: £3.99, Region Bundle: £8.99, World Pack: £29.99)<br>Plus also has Komoot Premium (annual pass) for advanced features. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Multi-modal route planning<br>* Offline map purchases<br>* Route surface & elevation profiles<br>* Turn-by-turn voice nav<br>* Community “Highlights” for inspiration | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Region-based pricing can add up<br>* Less specialized for vehicle/off-road trails<br>* Offline map size can be large<br>* Must pre-download maps<br>* POI data may not deeply reflect overlanding resources | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''AllTrails''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| Trail database and planning tool for hiking, running, mountain biking — very useful for side-trips alongside overland journeys. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://www.alltrails.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free<br>*Plus (US$35.99/yr) <br>* Peak** (US$79.99/yr) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Massive trail database with reviews & photos<br>* Offline maps (Plus and above)<br>* GPX export<br>* Route recording & tracking<br>* Safety features (location sharing) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Offline maps behind paywall<br>* Not built for vehicle navigation / overlanding<br>* Map coverage may be thin in remote off-road areas<br>* No land-ownership mapping<br>* Subscription cost may not feel justified if used only for planning | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''Overland Bound''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| Community + mapping platform specifically for overlanders: GPX tracks, forums, offline layers, trail networks, and trip sharing. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://www.overlandbound.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free account<br>* Premium membership (check site for current price) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Overlanding-specific community<br>* Offline maps with premium<br>* GPX import/export<br>* Organize trips, meetups, events<br>* Very relevant trail & dispersed camping data | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Most good features require Premium<br>* Data depends on community contributions<br>* UI is less polished than consumer trip planners<br>* Not ideal for non-overlanding (tourist) trips<br>* Some duplication if using other GPS tools | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''Wanderlog''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| A collaborative trip planner (web + mobile) for building itineraries, importing reservations, managing checklists, and organizing overland trip logistics. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://wanderlog.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free (core planning) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Real-time collaborative planning<br>* Import flight, hotel, reservation info<br>* Checklists (packing, tasks)<br>* Expense tracking and splitting<br>* Offline capability in the app | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Not focused on trail/off-road mapping<br>* Offline map support limited compared to GPS-first apps<br>* Route snapping may not follow remote tracks accurately<br>* Requires manual POI pinning for detailed trip planning<br>* Lacks land-ownership / trail-difficulty layers | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''Mapy.com<br>(formerly Mapy.cz)''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| A global mapping portal/app (OSM-based) with detailed topo, road, and hiking maps; supports offline maps and rich POI data. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://mapy.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free app<br> *"unimited offline maps”<br>advanced features (depends on region) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Very detailed worldwide maps<br>* Offline map support<br>* POIs, Wikipedia integration<br>* Multi-language support<br>* Good for driving + hiking route planning | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Offline map size can be large<br>* Some advanced offline features may require payment<br>* Not overland-trail specialized (just roads & tracks)<br>* UI is map-centric, not trip itinerary-centric<br>* Less overlanding-specific community content | |||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| | | style="text-align:left;"| '''WilderTrips''' | ||
| style="text-align:left;"| Road-trip / overland-style planner focused on adventure travel: supports multi-day itineraries, driving cost/time, global routing, and sharing. | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| https://wildertrips.com/ | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free plan<br>* Premium plan (unlimited stops, cost/time calc, PDF export) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Specifically built for road / overland trip planning <br>* Supports up to 200 stops (Premium) <br>* Calculate driving time, distance, and fuel cost <br>* Global routing + works in any country <br>* Easy sharing (PDF, GPX, web links) | |||
| style="text-align:left;"| * Free tier is quite limited (max 10 stops) <br>* No deep off-road trail database<br>* Lacks detailed land-ownership overlays<br>* Requires internet for planning (offline export only)<br>* Less community-generated POI data than specialized overlanding apps | |||
|} | |} | ||
Latest revision as of 12:44, 17 November 2025
Trip-Planning Tools for Adventurers
Planning a trip can get complicated and it's sometimes useful to have tools that will help plan and track the route you take. Check out these software tools that take some of the burden.
| Tool | Description | URL | Cost | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaia GPS | A powerful mapping and navigation tool for backcountry and overland travel, with topo, satellite, and land-ownership overlays, plus offline map support. | https://www.gaiagps.com/ | * Free tier * Premium (~US$59.99/year) |
* Rich map layer options * Offline downloads * Route recording & GPX export * Cross-platform (mobile + web) * Strong community & frequent updates |
* High subscription cost * Many features can overwhelm new users * GPS + offline maps drain battery * Overkill for very casual planning * Some map layers limited in free tier
|
| onX Offroad | A mapping app tailored for off-road / 4×4 / overland travel, with trail data, land-ownership overlays, offline maps, and turn-by-turn navigation. | https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/ | * Premium: US$34.99/yr * Elite: US$99.99/yr |
* Specialized off-road trail data * Unlimited offline maps on paid tier * Land-ownership boundaries (Elite) * Cell-coverage overlay * Turn-by-turn nav & CarPlay support |
* Elite is expensive * Free version is quite limited * Learning curve with many map layers * Must pre-download maps for offline use * Less robust international coverage (primarily U.S.)
|
| iOverlander | A community-driven directory of overland-relevant POIs: campsites, water sources, mechanics, dumps, fuel, etc., with offline functionality and GPX/KML export. | https://ioverlander.com/ | * Free * Pro (US$59.99/yr) * Unlimited (US$99.99/yr) |
* Very strong user-contributed data set * Offline maps and POIs with paid plan * Exportable data (GPX, KML, CSV) * Filters for specific resources (water, fuel, camp) * Great for real-world, on-the-ground planning |
* Free tier has limited offline downloads * UI/app stability issues reported * Subscription seems steep for a database * Offline map sets limited by “set” concept * Dependent on community contributions — not all places verified |
| Roadtrippers | A road-trip planner (web + mobile) to map routes, discover interesting POIs, estimate cost/time, and share itineraries. | https://roadtrippers.com/ | * Free * Premium** (approx US$29.99/yr) |
* Excellent for discovering roadside attractions * Cost and fuel estimation * Collaboraive planning with friends * Offline navigation in Premium * Easy, intuitive map-based planning UI |
* Premium required for many features * POI database is U.S./Canada-centric * Not focused on remote off-road trail data * Offline maps can use a lot of storage * Limited for very technical overland routes |
| Komoot | Outdoor route planning for hiking, biking, and overland travel using OpenStreetMap data; supports offline maps and surface breakdown. | https://komoot.com/ | * Free base + one-time map purchases (e.g., Single Region: £3.99, Region Bundle: £8.99, World Pack: £29.99) Plus also has Komoot Premium (annual pass) for advanced features. |
* Multi-modal route planning * Offline map purchases * Route surface & elevation profiles * Turn-by-turn voice nav * Community “Highlights” for inspiration |
* Region-based pricing can add up * Less specialized for vehicle/off-road trails * Offline map size can be large * Must pre-download maps * POI data may not deeply reflect overlanding resources |
| AllTrails | Trail database and planning tool for hiking, running, mountain biking — very useful for side-trips alongside overland journeys. | https://www.alltrails.com/ | * Free *Plus (US$35.99/yr) * Peak** (US$79.99/yr) |
* Massive trail database with reviews & photos * Offline maps (Plus and above) * GPX export * Route recording & tracking * Safety features (location sharing) |
* Offline maps behind paywall * Not built for vehicle navigation / overlanding * Map coverage may be thin in remote off-road areas * No land-ownership mapping * Subscription cost may not feel justified if used only for planning |
| Overland Bound | Community + mapping platform specifically for overlanders: GPX tracks, forums, offline layers, trail networks, and trip sharing. | https://www.overlandbound.com/ | * Free account * Premium membership (check site for current price) |
* Overlanding-specific community * Offline maps with premium * GPX import/export * Organize trips, meetups, events * Very relevant trail & dispersed camping data |
* Most good features require Premium * Data depends on community contributions * UI is less polished than consumer trip planners * Not ideal for non-overlanding (tourist) trips * Some duplication if using other GPS tools |
| Wanderlog | A collaborative trip planner (web + mobile) for building itineraries, importing reservations, managing checklists, and organizing overland trip logistics. | https://wanderlog.com/ | * Free (core planning) | * Real-time collaborative planning * Import flight, hotel, reservation info * Checklists (packing, tasks) * Expense tracking and splitting * Offline capability in the app |
* Not focused on trail/off-road mapping * Offline map support limited compared to GPS-first apps * Route snapping may not follow remote tracks accurately * Requires manual POI pinning for detailed trip planning * Lacks land-ownership / trail-difficulty layers |
| Mapy.com (formerly Mapy.cz) |
A global mapping portal/app (OSM-based) with detailed topo, road, and hiking maps; supports offline maps and rich POI data. | https://mapy.com/ | * Free app *"unimited offline maps” advanced features (depends on region) |
* Very detailed worldwide maps * Offline map support * POIs, Wikipedia integration * Multi-language support * Good for driving + hiking route planning |
* Offline map size can be large * Some advanced offline features may require payment * Not overland-trail specialized (just roads & tracks) * UI is map-centric, not trip itinerary-centric * Less overlanding-specific community content |
| WilderTrips | Road-trip / overland-style planner focused on adventure travel: supports multi-day itineraries, driving cost/time, global routing, and sharing. | https://wildertrips.com/ | * Free plan * Premium plan (unlimited stops, cost/time calc, PDF export) |
* Specifically built for road / overland trip planning * Supports up to 200 stops (Premium) * Calculate driving time, distance, and fuel cost * Global routing + works in any country * Easy sharing (PDF, GPX, web links) |
* Free tier is quite limited (max 10 stops) * No deep off-road trail database * Lacks detailed land-ownership overlays * Requires internet for planning (offline export only) * Less community-generated POI data than specialized overlanding apps |