6 Best Overlanding Apps For Android & iPhone Users

Overlanding is incomplete without a good navigation app and a capable vehicle (Mostly 4×4 SUVs). I know you already got the best cars for camping and road, but what about an Overlanding map app?

Well, it’s good to be lost on your way as that’s how you find new routes or “The roads not taken”, but what if instead of being lost, you always stay informed via different tools?

All those who wander are not lost

– JRR Tolkein

So, what makes an Overlanding app great?

An Overlanding app is a technical combination of excellent navigation with an additional database of selected camping locations, campsites, and other required items.

These apps provide different functionalities which are essential during Overlanding. Features such as planning, nearby items, and a lot more,

You also connect with different adventure lovers and actual data points inside the app (which varies from app to app). In addition, you plan your journey without getting stuck on different trails.

In this article, I’ve researched and listed the best-rated, downloaded, and trusted overland apps.

1. onX offroad Maps

• Website: onXmaps
• App: Android | iOS
• Average Reviews: 3.4/5 based on 2.58T reviews on Android | 4.4/5 based on 3.2k ratings on iOS

onXmaps was founded by Eric Siegfried with a mission to awaken the adventure inside everyone. As per different off-road communities, onX is the most trusted off-roading app to discover the latest, up-to-date trails and plan your track trips.

This app enables adventure users to explore undiscovered places and find new routes near your location with the help of the most optimised and innovative map experience with additional data, different guides, and much more.

App Key Features & Highlights:

• Thousands of Off-road trails: You can find trails for SXS, 4X4, ATVs & dirt bikes. You can take a closer look and additional details such as difficulty ratings, campsites, trailheads and other important information.
• 5L+ downloads on Play Store.
• Public & Private Land information: You can tap on locations, and the app will show you public land (parks) and private land with additional details such as owner name, perimeter, etc.
• Like Google Maps, you can save Maps and use it offline on all kinds of computing devices.
• You can customise your route using different markups available in the app.
• The app allows all users to track, save and share trips with others. Saving a trip will help you for future reference.
• onX also offers a sync feature with CarPlay and Android Auto.
• Excellent and realistic 3d planning.
• Read the most accurate and up-to-date Weather forecast.
• Rated by big publishers such as Outside, Popular Mechanics & Forbes.
• So far, onX app has recorded 550k+ miles of off-road trails, 500k recreation points, 852M acres of public land & 76 waypoints icons.
• The app highlighted the trails into two categories: General trails and featured trails. Here, General trails show you the kind of vehicle you would need on the trail, fee requirements and open-closed dates. Another side, Featured trails offer more detailed information about the route difficulty, direction details and descriptions etc.
• Get gas/non-ethanol fuel stations.
• All the information in the app has been made available by a team of expert guides.

App Membership:

• Free trial: Try onX Elite version free for 1 week
• onX Premium: $29.99/year
• onX Elite: $99.99/year

Contact Information:

• Office Location: onX Maps, 1925 Brooks Street, Missoula, MT 59801
• Other: You can also contact onX via live support or mail.

2. Avenza Maps

• Website: Avenza
• App: Android | iOS
• Average Reviews: 4.6/5 based on 68.3k reviews on Android | 4.8/5 based on 92.2k ratings on iOS

Avenza is an offline Overlanding map that works without the internet. You can download the entire map on your devices, such as your phone or tablet, for hiking, biking, climbing, camping or other adventure activities.

The app Avenza was created by Ted Florence with a different group of professional cartographers to help you with anything Overlanding + adventure. Today, Avenza is one of the most used adventure apps by forest & outdoor lovers.

It uses the device’s in-built GPS to track your location and suggest relevant maps at any given time. You just need to download the official app to your smartphones or tablets and download maps depending on the activity, such as hiking, park, etc. According to the Avenza, you can also download maps from National Geographic, US Forest Department, Hema, NY Trail & Michelin.

Like onX, Avenza has been seen in USA Today, Appmodo, LA Times, etc.

App Key Features & Highlights:

• 10L+ downloads on Play Store.
• The app is absolutely free to download for both Android and iOS devices.
• It allows adding photos and notes to any location with distance measurements.
• The information can be recorded about the location, distance, areas, and even photos by the users.
• The app compiles hundreds of maps which are accessible at a definite price.
• The map can be used worldwide, whether for hiking trails or to find National Parks.
• Biking, Hiking, Fishing, and Geocaching are some activities you can enjoy using Avenza app.

App Membership:

The brand offers Avenza Maps PRO to avail of exclusive features. More details are below:

• You can download unlimited geospatial PDF, GeoPDF and GeoTIFF maps.
• Additional coordinates and display formats for GPS.
• Provides high accuracy.
• Priority tech. support.

You can explore additional features for more paid features.

Contact Information:

• Headquarters: Avenza Systems, Inc. 84 Merton Street, Toronto, ON M4S 1A1, Canada
• Email Id: sales@avenza.com
• Contact Number: (416) 487-5116

3. Hema 4×4 Explorer App

• Website: Hema
• App: Android | iOS
• Average Reviews: 4.6/5 based on 68.3k reviews on Android | 4.8/5 based on 92.2k ratings on iOS

The Hema Explorer is an Australia-based mapping firm that helps you strategise, navigate and share your great adventures with it. The app was founded in 1983 by Henry and Margaret Boegheim with a keen focus on off-road touring. So far, Hema 4X4 app has a good market reputation among all off-roaders across Australia and other regions.

The company promised up-to-date maps, thanks to their Map Patrol team. So far, Hema Maps has collected over 690,000 km of tracks and 545,000 km of unexplored area in Australia. In addition, the company has promised to provide more data points and features in the future.

Apart from maps, Hema Maps also offers a wide range of off-road accessories from the best brands, such as Garmin.

With the help of a paid app, you can create a route for your journey in addition to tracking, measuring and enjoying the process. Let’s explore the feature in detail!

App Key Features & Highlights:

• With only paid option, Hema 4×4 has a limited audience: over 1k+ downloads on Play Store.
• The app is undoubtedly what you are looking for in activities like camping, caravanning and much more.
• You can save a trip log, including your track recording, trip notes and other things.
• Hema offers satellite and hybrid map coverage.
• Over 100,000 points which include 40,000 verified camping sites.
• HemaX cloud offers you to sync all data such as markups, images, etc.
• The Hema Explorer cloud allows you to share your trip memories with your friends and family on your way back.
• The app can be used only in Australia and North America.

Contact Information:

• Email Id: info@emprisegroup.com.au
• Contact Number: 07 3340 0000

4. Gaia Maps

• Website: Gaia GPS
• App: Android | iOS
• Average Reviews: 4.1/5 based on 11.2T reviews on Android | 4.8 based on 26.9k ratings on iOS

Andrew Johnson and Anna Hentzel Johnson founded Gaia Maps in 2008. You get a freemium model where the free app shows limited maps and only works online. Another side, the Premium version offers fully online and offline access to everything.

You can find unlimited campsites, hike trails, and hidden routes within your location while being safe.

Like other rivals, Gaia GPS has been featured in NY Times, Washington Post, GeaJunkie and various other publications as the best offline map and navigation tool. Let’s check out other details!

App Key Features & Highlights:

• Compared to other apps, Gaia includes hiking, backpacking, and trail running features. It has route and trip planners, camping, Overlanding, backcountry skiing, mountain biking and different professional use.
• Set your waypoints, make the routes, and save them for offline use.
• The app helps track the distance you have travelled along with your location and also features a compass.
• The app includes altitude, elevation, and distance tracker for each hike.
• Find and book campsites suitable from the app.
• You can get important information like hunting restrictions, weather reports etc. which can be imported from one device to another to make your travelling easy and fun.
• Get additional information such as avalanches, slopes, and similar data.
• The app allows sharing data with fellow guides.
• You can also check trail difficulty, direction, and condition levels.

Additionally, there’s much more than the Gaia GPS app offers.

Contact Information:

• Email Id: stories@gaiagps.com

5. Memory Map

• Website: Memory Map
• App: Android | iOS
• Average Reviews: 3.8/5 based on 4.18k reviews on Android | 4.5 based on 44 ratings on iOS

The Memory Maps Company was founded by Anthony Ringer as Wootton Technical services in 1986. It generally works as a GPS navigator and can be used on all devices like Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android.

Thanks to the fantastic map publishers from Memory Maps, you get powerful outdoor GPS that permits you to navigate with ease. In addition, you get excellent customer support and maps update. Let’s check other essential features of Memory Maps:

App Key Features & Highlights:

• 100K+ download on Play Store.
• The user can obtain large-scale maps from various countries such as the UK, Australia, USA, etc.
• The map data can be easily picked and restored.
• The screen layout is adjustable, and it also comes with easy-to-use commands.
• The price will be based on the scale of the map you require and the software used for it.
• Apart from maps, you get add-on options such as Cloud Sync, Import 3^rd part maps, JPG images with calibration & NDI digital ocean charts.
• You also get professional features like overlay data import/export, Ship AIS, large-format printing, Bluetooth & WiFi.
• Search and sort feature.

Membership Plans:

• Memory-Map Pro Mobile: $39.95
• Memory-Map Professional Upgrade: $70
• Memory-Map Professional: $125

Contact Information:

• Email Id: info@memory-map.com
• Contact Number: (607) 216-9195
• Address: Memory-Map, Inc. 8 Chelsea’s Walk, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA

6. Maps 3D Pro – Outdoor GPS

• Website: Maps 3D Pro
• App: iOS
• Average Reviews: 4.4/5 based on 184 ratings on iOS

Maps 3D Pro is the next paid Overlanding app for iOS users. The app was founded in 2003 by Moritz Gaupp, an IT and navigation specialist from Germany.

Like any other 4×4 enthusiast, Maps 3D Pro was designed to solve and offers off-roading fans an exceptional experience.

The map is intended for biking, hiking and outdoor adventure lovers. So far, 800,000 users have paid for the app and get regular updates. Here to mention, employees test each new update by tracking, biking and even for long journeys.

The app has some remarkable features that show you all the fantastic places like valleys and hill spots in the 3D, so you know exactly where to head for.

App Key Features & Highlights:

• Engaging 3D Route design and planner for you, providing you realistic experience.
• Like other apps, you can plan, record, and save data for future trips.
• 3D maps are available from all over the world.
• Map 3D provides exact positions with precise calculations.
• You can download 3D maps quickly on your device, such as hiking, bike path, slopes, etc.
• Save your mobile battery with the offline map system, this feature also saves you from the time when you have no signal.
• Features by Apple in the USA for Navigation category.
• Rated 3^rd best app in “Best Outdoor App” category.
• Over 1,700,00 global users.

Contact Information:

• Email Id: support@movingworld.de
• Address: movingworld GmbH, Hauptstr. 87, 76831 Göcklingen, Germany

Conclusion

As much as you would like the road to guide you towards your new adventure, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t like to be at a halt for any reason.

We are well aware of the feeling of “getting lost or unplanned adventure trips”, and to save you from that, I suggest you make a better choice by having a trusted Overlanding app on your phone or tablet on your journey.

Have a safe adventure ahead!