# Arc Timeline - Trips & Places — Your automatic quantified self

> Automatic tracking of places visited, travel methods, and activities. (iPhone/iPad app by Matthew Bruce Greenfield.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-timeline-trips-and-places/id1063151918 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Matthew Bruce Greenfield](https://appshunter.io/developer/444610547)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.20/5 from 425 App Store ratings · 237 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 43 MB
- Languages: American English, European Spanish, Catalan, German (Germany), Thai, French (France), Japanese
- Released: 2016-11-09
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-timeline-trips-and-places/id1063151918/reviews.md

## What is Arc Timeline?

Automatically keep track of the places you visit, how you got there, and what you did while you were there. With a learning engine that gets smarter and more accurate the more you use it. 

FEATURES

- The highest accuracy cycling detection available!
- Automatic running and cycling recording - no start button required!
- Automatic recording of places you visit, with analytics and statistics that evolve over time
- Automatic detection and recording of walking, running, cycling, driving, train, tram, bus, airplane, motorcycle, boat, skiing, snowboarding, wheelchair, and many more
- A learning engine that makes it possible to achieve increasingly accurate and detailed recordings of visits and trips, personalised specifically for you
- A searchable memory of your life's travels, searchable by places names, locations, activities, and more
- Export individual trips, or entire days, weeks, months, or years to standard GPX format files, for analysis and visualisation in hundreds of third party services and apps

AND MORE

- Collates place statistics, average visit durations, average calories burned, heart rate, and more
- Compare individual visit statistics to your averages
- Collates workout sessions, sleep times, and weather reports for each timeline item
- Altitude graphs for visualising mountain hikes, airplane flights, etc
- Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly activity summaries, showing duration, distance, calories burned, and much more, for every activity type
- Automated daily and monthly exports in GPX format or full detail JSON files
- Save walking, running, and cycling workouts to Apple Health
- Moves app data importer

HEALTH DATA

Collection of Health data such as calories burned and heart rate requires an Apple Watch or other Apple Health connected device.

BATTERY USE

Arc is only awake and using GPS when you are active and moving. For the rest of the day Arc stays in a low power sleep mode, with GPS turned off, to conserve battery. 

On a typical day of two to three hours of travel a single full battery charge should last from morning to evening without requiring extra recharging during the day. However longer trips (for example a long hike or cross country drive) may consume more than expected battery, due to Arc needing to be awake and recording, with GPS activated, for the duration of the trip. 

For longer trips, I recommend plugging your phone into a car charger or battery pack, to avoid unpleasant battery surprises.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PURCHASES

A free trial, active subscription, or Lifetime purchase is required to use the app.

## Subscription Details
            
Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account. At the end of the term your subscription will automatically renew in your iTunes account. You can turn off automatic renewal in your iTunes account settings at any time, but you must do so at least 24 hours before the end of the current term.

## Legal 

https://www.bigpaua.com/arcapp/terms
https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms
https://policies.google.com/privacy

## Key features

- Automatic cycling detection
- Automatic recording of places visited
- Automatic detection of various transport modes
- Searchable travel memory
- GPX export for trips and data
- Activity summaries and statistics

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arc Subscription · Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Arc Subscription · 6 Monthly | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| Arc App Backer · Yearly | $44.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arc App Backer · Lifetime | $179.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Arc Timeline?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 🚀 Accurate tracking
- 🔒 Privacy-focused
- 👍 Useful location history
- 👍 Responsive developer
- 🚀 Detailed activity data
- 👍 Customizable settings
- 👍 Seamless Moves import

**Cons**

- 🐛 Inconsistent tracking
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Paywall for historical data
- 👎 Confusing subscription model
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 👎 Lack of data export options

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Inaccurate activity detection
- Unexplained data gaps
- Syncing issues with iCloud
- Slow performance on older devices

**Most requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Weekly/monthly activity summaries
- Improved location accuracy
- Better background tracking
- Easier data editing tools
- Customizable units of measurement

## Recent user reviews (10 of 237)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-timeline-trips-and-places/id1063151918/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Developer harassed me on Twitter and via email

*2026-06-05, version 3.17.4*

Developer harassed me on Twitter and threatened me via email for posting a 1 star review. I have the receipts to prove it. He also seems to report negative reviews to Apple to have it removed. 

Just look at all of his responses to negative reviews. He insults customers and can't seem to take negative reviews seriously.

### 1/5 — Too bad

*2026-05-22, version 3.17.4*

I was recommended your app because I was specifically looking for a modern replacement for Moves, and honestly, from a technical standpoint it seems really excellent.

However, after reading several replies left to users in the reviews, it left a very bitter impression on me.

I completely understand that an app like this is expensive to maintain and that a free model may no longer be sustainable. No one should expect a developer to work for free forever. That said, responding to criticism with so much aggression, insults, or contempt unfortunately gives a very unprofessional image of the project.

It’s a shame, because the app seems to have enormous potential, but when people are literally entrusting years of personal data and life history to a platform, the human factor and trust in the developer become just as important as the technical quality.

I sincerely wish you the best with the project, but I think many users would probably have accepted the pricing changes more easily with a calmer and more respectful approach.

### 5/5 — Does what it says

*2026-04-30, version 3.17.3*

Have always been happy with this app when I found it after moves app ceased and found it easy to import all my data and have been happy ever since its very reliable and any issues which I only had one which turned out to my fault was promptly resolved by the creator

### 1/5 — Stopped working around 2 days ago

*2026-01-30*

The screen stays black after opening the app. If we force close and reopen, there’s data loss

Edit.: I created an issue on the developer’s support forum around an year ago. Problems where not solved and I regret selecting this app maybe up to 10 years ago

The migration to the new maps created issues that were never resolved and it’s still a mess with multiple ways of handling backups. I already lost too much data while migrating between devices to continue using and supporting this app with a subscription

**Developer response:** Hi! This is something you need to post on the support forum (https://support.bigpaua.com). App Store reviews are not a support channel - I can't assist you here.

Additionally,  posting this as a 1 star review is like walking up to someone, punching them in the face, then saying "I want you to help me". Not a great approach. 1 star reviews harm businesses.

If you would like me to help you work through the problem and get it fixed, please post a description of the problem on the support forum.

### 5/5 — Great replacement for Google Maps

*2026-01-14, version 3.17.1*

Since Google Timeline got functionally difficult, this is a great replacement.  Probably not a good idea anyway to let Google track your every movement anyway.  This takes a bit more work to identify places, but you often had to do that with Google Maps anyway.  Recommended!

### 1/5 — Broken & Abandoned

*2025-12-12, version 3.17.1*

I’ve been paying for this app for a few years, and now I can’t even access my data. For last few days it’s not been recording location data until today and now it shows ‘Thinking’, freezes and crashes every single time I open it. No support email to contact. No updates for almost a year.

### 1/5 — Ruined Christmas For My Family

*2025-12-11, version 3.17.1*

This is abandonware with a subscription model a masterclass in extracting recurring revenue from a neglected product.  Developer (Mr. Mattew Bruce Greenfield) continues charging $4.99 monthly for an app he has demonstrably stopped maintaining.
The core failure is the so-called "learning engine” which never actually learns. Despite manually correcting hundreds of misidentified trips 30-minute tram commutes repeatedly logged as "walking," walking segments corrupted by phantom "cycling" recordings, the system and machine learning bogus shows zero improvement. The advertised highest accuracy detection is fiction; it cannot distinguish between a bicycle and an airplane moving at vastly different speeds, rendering all statistics meaningless.
Battery consumption directly contradicts the developer's claims. The app description promises "low power sleep mode" with GPS deactivated when stationary, yet Arc routinely consumes 40-50% daily battery on an iPhone 15 Pro—effectively requiring mid-day charging for anyone with a two-hour commute. This is not the "morning to evening" performance advertised.
Most egregiously, the GPX export function (the only method to retrieve your personal location data) produces corrupted files unreadable by standard mapping tools like QGIS or Google Earth. Your location history is held hostage behind a paywall for an export feature that fundamentally does not work.
The support forum is a ghost town; critical bug reports receive no developer response and the developer himself hasn’t been active on his own form in almost a year. When challenged about converting a functional app into a mandatory subscription service, Mr. Greenfield's published response dismisses us: "if you're not willing to pay for this kind of functionality, yes, you will need to look elsewhere."
This app’s business plan is a monthly tax on data you generated but cannot reliably access or export all while the developer requires that you give him access to all of it. The last update (January 2025) addressed trivial edge cases while core functionality deteriorates.  Do not subscribe. Do not reward this developer for monetizing software he refuses to maintain. Time to sunset this and move on.

### 1/5 — Disappointing and dishonest

*2025-11-21, version 3.17.1*

I’m glad this app exists. It’s full of problems and has been for years. Button says two week trial when it’s not. Place search works 10% of the time. Suggests outlandish things like 400mph airplane trips as “stationary”. Crashes constantly. Support forum is full of unfulfilled promises and user-blaming. Don’t waste your time or money!

### 1/5 — Haven’t Tried it Yet

*2025-11-09, version 3.17.1*

I'm not sure I haven't used it yet.
One star.

### 1/5 — Crashes Often

*2025-10-09*

Fantastic idea and, when it behaves, best-in-class. But right now it crashes constantly, especially when editing or even just viewing past location data. At $5/month, I’d expect active development: stability fixes and new feature development (not knocking the developer for lack of current features, just trying to justify $60/year). No matter how rich the feature set, an app that can’t stay open can’t be relied on. Sad!

The app hasn’t been updated in about 8 months. I respect the developer and the work that clearly went into this, but it’s starting to feel like a neglected project. When it works, it’s great!

**Developer response:** Hi! You have *not* reached out through the support system, because if you have you'd realise this app is under very active development, and there's a complete rewrite already in public beta. Anyone who has spent even a second on the support forum would realise that "neglected" is completely incorrect, and I absolutely live and breath this app, working on it every day.

In future, please don't lie in reviews. And if you want actual positive responses from developers, don't give them 1 star reviews that harm their business. Do you realise that review scores make and break businesses, and that giving 1 star reviews can do significant harm to indie developers? If you care about a product, don't do that.

Edit: This reply isn't passive aggressive, it's straight up aggressive. You're lying, you're being an awful person, and you're not welcome to use my apps. Cancel any subscription if you have it, delete my app, and do not come back. That should be clear enough - no ambiguity. Get lost.

## Frequently asked questions about Arc Timeline

### What does Arc Timeline do?

Arc Timeline automatically tracks the places you visit, how you travel between them, and the activities you engage in. It uses a learning engine to become more accurate over time, providing detailed insights into your daily movements and trips.

### What are the key features of Arc Timeline?

Key features include highly accurate automatic cycling detection, automatic recording of running and cycling without a start button, and automatic recording of places visited with evolving analytics. It also supports automatic detection of many transport modes and offers a searchable memory of your travels.

### How much does Arc Timeline cost?

A free trial, active subscription, or a Lifetime purchase is required to use the app. Subscriptions are charged to your iTunes account and automatically renew unless turned off at least 24 hours before the current term ends.

### What devices is Arc Timeline compatible with?

The app collects health data like calories burned and heart rate, which requires an Apple Watch or another Apple Health-connected device. The app itself is designed for iOS devices.

### What are common use cases for Arc Timeline?

Common use cases include automatically logging daily commutes, tracking workouts like running and cycling, documenting travel and vacations, and building a comprehensive personal history of places visited and activities undertaken for later analysis.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.17.4 — 2026-05-05

Improved reliability of subscription restore. A new "Get help" button now appears if Restore Purchases doesn't surface your existing access — taps to send diagnostic info to support so we can sort it out.

### 3.17.3 — 2026-04-29

All new subscriptions and Lifetime purchases now happen in Arc Timeline 4. This app stays in place for existing subscribers. The subscription view is now clearer, with a more prominent Restore Purchases button and a quick link to Arc Timeline 4 if your access needs syncing.

### 3.17.2 — 2026-04-17

Arc Timeline 4 is now available on the App Store - a ground-up rebuild with higher quality recording, proper dark mode, a new Places tab, and more. Your subscription carries over automatically.

### 3.17.1 — 2025-01-03

- Added a new Privacy Setting for including Shared Photo Libraries in timeline view
- Hopefully finally fixed the airplane segment merge fails
- Fixed some setting changes not saving in some cases

### 3.17.0 — 2024-09-25

## New timeline confirmation flow

- The "needs confirm" flow has been redesigned and rebuilt, and now includes both "uncertain" items and "unconfirmed" items
- Uncertain items are the same before - items where the app isn't sure about its choice
- Unconfirmed items are all the rest - items that the app feels confident about, but that you haven't confirmed
- A new "Confirm All" button allows for quick confirmation of these, locking in the of these, locking in the timeline's state as it appears at that time

## Other bits

- Added rowing to the activity types that can be saved to Apple Workouts
- Photos from shared libraries are now filtered out
- Many bug fixes, performance improvements, and minor tweaks. It's been a while since the last update so there's been an accumulation of cleanups and fixes since then!

## Apps similar to Arc Timeline

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Peak: Health & Fitness Widgets](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/peak-health-and-fitness-widgets/id6443923491) | 4.6 (91) | Free | Health & Fitness |
| [Moves Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moves-lite/id1418984896) | 4.4 (419) | Free | Health & Fitness |
| [PathPal - Auto Track Activity](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pathpal-auto-track-activity/id6504746030) | 4.0 (31) | Free | Health & Fitness |
| [Quantified Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quantified-map/id1224409581) | 4.2 (62) | Free | Health & Fitness |
| [Druck](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/druck/id6443528375) | 5.0 (8) | Free | Health & Fitness |
| [MoveX - Step and Run Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/movex-step-and-run-tracker/id1407115522) | 3.7 (417) | Free | Health & Fitness |

## More apps by Matthew Bruce Greenfield

- [Arc Mini](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-mini/id1510217238)
- [Life Balance](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-balance/id1607824907)
- [This & That](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-and-that/id1660363624)
- [Arc Timeline Recorder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-timeline-recorder/id6499296846)
- [Arc Timeline 4](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-timeline-4/id6740688708)

All apps by Matthew Bruce Greenfield: https://appshunter.io/developer/444610547

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*