# Gowalla App — user reviews > 25 indexed App Store user reviews of Gowalla App by Gowalla Exploration, Inc., rated 3.59/5 from 51 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gowalla-app/id1530503877/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gowalla-app/id1530503877.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 28 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 14 ## Newest reviews (5 of 25) ### 2/5 — Good visual design, terrible UI/UX *2023-06-04, version 1.0.4* The team focused a lot on making this app visually pretty, but the actual interface is not intuitive to use, not activity-centered, and also very buggy. I was looking forward to the promise of what the original was supposed to be, game-like where perhaps your friends could leave you objects at locations, or even a UI where you can actually see where your friends are if they’re not geographically close by. I’m not sure what problems they were solving when they designed this app, this seems like an art project not a utility. ### 1/5 — Not the same ole Gowalla *2023-03-10, version 1.0.1* Sorry Gowalla but I’m not going to allow access to my contacts. I really was hoping this was similar to Gowalla app from 10 years ago, but I guess I’m gonna delete. ### 1/5 — Forcing contact sync?! *2023-03-10, version 1.0.1* In 2023 no app should demand a full access to contacts without a way to skip that 🤯 ### 1/5 — Requires sharing contacts *2023-03-10, version 1.0.1* Was psyched to check out the new Gowalla but the onboarding seemingly won’t let me proceed without enabling contacts sharing. Hard pass. Oh well. ### 1/5 — Unusable on a smaller screen *2023-03-10, version 1.0.1* The developers forgot to put scroll bars on the intro screens. Controls are not accessible. Amateur effort. Pretty disappointed. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Full contact sync is a no go *2024-09-01, version 1.0.4* And pretty sure not GDPR compliant, was so excited to read that Gowalla is returning used it back when I spent a year in Australia when Gowalla still used the Wallaby as logo Also now I can't even log in ### 1/5 — Will not let me use without uploading contacts *2023-12-30, version 1.0.4* The app does not function without uploading all my contacts. It should let me check in to places without that. If I want to add friends later I should be able to look them up myself. Going to stick with Swarm. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t let me add friends *2023-10-02* Can’t add friends, only brings me to the App Store and stops there ### 1/5 — Won’t continue without access to contacts *2023-08-13, version 1.0.4* As other reviewers stated, the welcome screen won’t allow you to continue unless you give access to all your contacts. Additionally you can log in with email but can’t register with one… Happy to revisit the app once this is fixed ### 1/5 — Buggy and crashes *2023-05-27* Crashes when searching for places. Unstable. Hope they can fix things. ### 1/5 — Contact sharing required *2023-03-14, version 1.0.2* Discontinued setup because I refuse to do this. Also their support/contact email address bounces back. ### 1/5 — Requires address book sharing *2023-03-12, version 1.0.1* Don’t see why I need to share the address book if you just want to try this app out. Too bad, bad design decision. ### 1/5 — Excitement immediately turned disappointment *2023-03-11, version 1.0.1* I couldn't get past the intake considering it requires contact permission. We should have the option to manually add our contacts. Seems more like a data grab app for ai than loc based social media. ### 1/5 — Wants to copy your address book *2023-03-11, version 1.0.1* The app won't start unless you share all your contacts with the company. It's a hostage situation and the app won't start without the access to contacts. ### 1/5 — Where’s My Americano?!? *2023-03-11* I feel in love with this app as an early adopter when it was originally released. I travelled the East Coast of Australia, playing it with my best mate, much like my own boys play Pokémon Go now. I downloaded version 2.0 this morning and fired it up, full of nostalgia, ready to play all day. NOPE!! The backpack full of items ready for collection and trade has been replaced with merely asking if I want to start a conversation with my friends at the local coffee shop. No gameplay to be had at all. So disappointed. What a shame we won’t be able to share the glory of the first iteration of what was an amazing adventure with our next generation. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Funny it’s already dead *2025-09-13, version 1.0.4* Gowalla was cool before Facebook bought and shut it down like 15 years ago. Now it’s already dead again the same year it was launched, 2023. Sad ### 5/5 — Great concept, can’t wait for this platform to get more updates eventually! *2023-12-01, version 1.0.4* Been with Street Team since 2021, and it’s been a pleasure helping to build and curate my hometown and places I’ve been. Hoping that Gowalla will get updates again and hopeful that this app will fully take off and compete with the likes of Foursquare/Swarm, and especially Superlocal which has been quite a buggy experience. ### 5/5 — Gowalla is back!¡!…;) *2023-10-11* I loved this app when it made its first appearance on ISO. I was sad that it wasn’t available for those few years but am so excited for it to be back and I’m here to contribute and make it even better!¡! I look forward to finding items and leaving stuff for brothers to find. I would love to be part of the development if possible. I am building the ULTRAVERSE - where the ULTRA EQUAL 🟰 MYTHICAL BEINGS - live on planet 3Earth 🌍 ### 5/5 — Great concept, can’t wait for this platform to get more updates eventually! *2023-10-01* Been with Street Team since 2021, and it’s been a pleasure helping to build and curate my hometown and places I’ve been. Hoping that Gowalla will get updates again and hopeful that this app will fully take off and compete with the likes of Foursquare/Swarm, and Superlocal! ### 5/5 — Connect with friends *2023-03-14, version 1.0.2* A safe, fun, and beautiful app to share location, connect with friends, and find interesting places to visit. ### 5/5 — Gowalla is back! *2023-03-13, version 1.0.1* South by Southwest wasn’t the same without Gowalla ### 5/5 — Bringing fun and a human touch to social *2023-03-11, version 1.0.1* I loved the original. The art, the whimsy, the fun. Connection with friends and places is the best promise of social. Bravo to the team. ### 3/5 — Seems buggy *2023-05-01, version 1.0.4* I’m happy to see the return of Gowalla. I always enjoyed the festive artwork of all the pins. However, the app performance has been pretty spotty. I’m not able to add a custom profile image to my account. It gives an error every time. Notifications stay unread. App crashes when trying to check in. Hoping performance improves ### 3/5 — Forced to share contacts *2023-03-10, version 1.0.1* Unable to complete the onboarding process without sharing contacts. Sharing location data obviously makes sense, but contacts are unnecessary - I’ll connect with the people I want to connect with. Edit: Force killing the app seems get around the forced contact-share flow. Updating to 3 stars ### 2/5 — Zombie mode *2026-05-08, version 1.0.4* The app is in zombie mode and still operational. Rather strange. --- *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 2026-08-20.*