iOverlander 2 User Reviews

iOverlander 2

iOverlander, LLC

Utilities

Travel

Reviews Summary

Positive highlights

🌟

This app hasHelpful community-driven database of camping spots, water refills, and more

💾

This app hasAbility to download maps for offline use

❤️

This app hasFavorites feature to quickly access frequently used locations

🔍

This app hasGraying out of closed/unavailable camping spots

📷

This app hasImproved photo viewing and sharing experience

Negative highlights

📱

This app hasNot fully optimized for iPad use

🗺️

This app hasLack of choice for map apps to open locations

💰

This app hasExpensive subscription model, especially for casual users

🐞

This app hasBuggy and unstable app experience, with issues in editing and syncing data

🚫

This app hasAggressive ads and paywalls that limit free access to core features

Top reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

DO NOT UPDATE FROM THE 1st VERSION IF U HAVENT

This app was perfect, it was a community driven database to help people spend less money while maximizing outdoor opportunities. Now the developers have gone to an incredibly expensive subscription model with ads. If you opt out of the subscription your ability to use the app is heavily throttled. Only one state at a time can be viewed which makes traveling outside of service and planning across state lines impossible. This app filled a unique and necessary niche for vanlifers/thrifty travelers/overlanders and now it has lost its way and is overwhelmed by greed ($70 a year???). I can understand having ads to pay for ongoing maintenance/upkeep but what we have to deal with now, as the userbase that uploaded the initial information in the first place, is a massive disappointment. I provided a large amount of information to the initial app and now i have to deal with a paywall to access my work! DISAPPOINTED!!!

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DISAPPOINTED USER #66

7 days ago

Response from developer

Hi, thanks for your feedback. We are sorry that you are disappointed. We tried hard to run the Legacy App just out of donations, bud sadly, after 10 years we have to admit this didn't work. We gave away thousands of free upgrades to our top contributors when launching the new App. Maybe we missed you? We are happy to check, please reach out to connect@ioverlander.com Also we will try to keep the Legacy App running as long as possible, you can still use it. The version 2 is a completely new App and not built on the former one.

it wasn’t broke, why fix it?

This new updated app is really confusing to use, and overly developed. I love the original app, used it for years, and still use it as it is much easier to navigate. I really have given it a lot of usage, and I just don’t get it. Why would I want to download everything that I wanna look at and take up unnecessary space on my phone? The old app just displayed it without having to download it. I’m also noticing that there are things missing when I’ve tried to look them up in the new app that are on the old app. Please, please, please, don’t ever let go of the original version!

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ErichHugo

8 days ago

Response from developer

Hi Erich, we are sorry, but our Legacy App is full of bugs, doesn't run stable and causes a lot of crashes because it was built 10 years ago on a platform and with a language that isn't supported anymore. We received tons of complaints. Also it wasn't possible to run the app just out of donations, we tried really hard within the last decade. So that's why we built a completely new app. We know this new process of downloading places is not perfect, but this change was required because of the massive amount of points iOverlander has around the world. Our old app faced many challenges because there were too many points to load, and because the points needed to be available offline. Thanks for giving us a second chance!

Downgrade

The original iOverlander is a great app. This new one is a half baked money grab. I’d gladly pay the annual fee for a true upgrade but forcing areas to be downloaded takes the app backwards. The best feature of the original iOverlander is that you can be offline and still explore site anywhere on the map even 1000 mile away. What’s worse is even the paid version limits you to 3 downloaded “areas”. So annoying. Just glad they didn’t replace the original app as it continues to be far superior.

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ds777

12 days ago

Response from developer

Hi, our Legacy App wasn't available when offline, it was just the cache of your phone, that made it possible to have a look a areas you have been exploring when online before. The download of places is required because of the high amount of places iOverlander provides in the meantime. The Legacy App crashed a lot because of that. Sorry that you are disappointed...

This is a joke, right??

Update: saw the dev commented on my post but I can’t see what they said. Tried again and still can’t figure out out to simply show the camp sites. The old app just worked, why change it and make the basic features harder to use? I don’t even mind paying for the app, but the old app is so much easier and user friendly. Again, I can’t figure out how to even see the camp sites listed on this new “improved app”

Immediately found that this app doesn’t even display the freaking camp sites. Played around with it for a few minutes. Nope. Can’t get anything to show up.
Pulled up the original app and everything actually works.
Okay, why does this even exist???

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morningland2083

14 days ago

Response from developer

Hi, to view all places, please click the button "tap to download places" on the main screen. Just zoom in a little bit, than it appears. Would be great if you try again! For further assistance you can write an email to connect@ioverlander.com We are always happy to help. Michaela PS. We are also happy if you would update your review as soon as you have been able to see the points. TIA

“Places” won’t download - unusable!!!

I followed the instructions and downloaded the area. A blue checkmark shows up, which I’m guessing means the download is complete. But when I look in “my places” I see nothing. Same when I look in “downloads”. I don’t see any pins at all on the map (campsites etc) when I know for a fact there are some in this area because I see them in the legacy iOverlander app. I tried deleting the download and redownloading 3 times, tried different areas, tried adding and removing filters… I spent 30 minutes trying to figure this out, and now I give up.

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KatieReviews

16 days ago

Absolutely horrible

What a waste of time to upload an “ improved “ app. Can’t use it for any type of trip planning or finding stops unless you have downloaded the map. Way worse than the original version. Deleted this waste of space app.

Dubai Driller

a month ago

Response from developer

Hi, thanks for your feedback. With the free version, you can download one set of places for one Country/State at a time. No need to download the offline map.

This ain’t it

I’m sorry to announce that this is inferior in every way. It’s slower to load. The map is worse. And it overall feels like a lesser product.
Should have just rolled ads into the old one. Maybe there’s some backend stuff that you guys changed that we as users don’t really know about but I’ve uninstalled the this and I’m just using the old.

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DirtMcGirtt

a month ago

Response from developer

Hi, thank you for your feedback. Sadly it wasn't possible to upgrade the Legacy App. It was built on a platform that isn't supported any more. Can you be a little more precise what you hate so much on the new version? We are trying to improve constantly and feedback is highly appreciated. Within the next weeks we will release better maps, and more to come. Feel free to reach out to connect@ioverlander.com Thank you!

Monthly Subscriptions are Cash Grabs

I've appreciated iOverlander for years and understand the costs involved in maintaining it. However, switching to a monthly subscription feels excessive for an app that was once a free resource for travelers. A one-time purchase model, like buying a game, would be far more reasonable and fair. For now, I’ll continue to use the original free app as long as it’s available.

I’d hope to see an option to pay once and own it outright rather than be locked into a recurring fee. Subscriptions can feel more like a cash grab, and I hope the developers will reconsider a model that values their loyal users.

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Jlank007

a month ago

Response from developer

Hi, thank you for your feedback. Please feel free to use the Legacy App, we will keep it running as long as possible. Also we are working on a Rewardsprogram, we will announce it as soon as it is finished. Safe travels!

Ultimate swing and miss

How a dev team goes from a thriving community and a fast, clean app to this mess is beyond me. I’m already not really a huge fan of iOverlander at this point because of how many irresponsible people place clearly illegal overnight spots in the app so that others go there, but I am almost stunned at how much version 2 is a downgrade from the original app. I get it, you need to make money and pay for your effort and server costs, but on top of the ads you’ve just made the experience so much worse than the original app. If it were me, I would not have a free version of the app at all to filter out some of the scummier user base that are probably trashing the campsites they find anyway and go out of my way to spend more time reviewing the content users submit. Between v1 and v2, that is still your biggest problem by a mile.

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Mattkrea

a month ago

Response from developer

Hi Mattkrea, thanks for your opinion. Our moderator team works hard on cleaning the database and close illegal spots. Feel free to use the Legacy Version of our App, it is still available and free.

Don’t bother upgrading.

I’m holding onto the old app until they kill it off. This app removes all functionality the old app had. Want to browse locations to trip plan? You have to download that states map. Want to check another? Have to delete the old map and add the new location. Such a pain. I don’t need downloaded maps 100% of the time. At this point the developers have effectively killed their app instead of improving their already well known and well liked app

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JTDRobinson

2 months ago

Response from developer

Hi, thanks for your feedback. Sadly it wasn´t possible to simply upgrade our old app. It was built on a platform that isn´t supported any more, so there was no other way than build a complete new version with a new look and new functionalities, like offline maps, amenity filters, adding favorites, quick check-in and many more. We wish we could remain completely free forever, but after 10 years of attempting to run iOverlander that way, we know it is not possible. Our original app is still free and without ads, we will keep it available as long as possible.