# Southern Explorations vs Backroads

The clearest difference is rating: Southern Explorations at 4.5 against Backroads's 3.3. Southern Explorations also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). Backroads's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (62 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Southern Explorations holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backroads has 62 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Southern Explorations ships an update every 10 months, Backroads every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Southern Explorations | Backroads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/southern-explorations/id1178129115/reviews)** | [3.3 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroads/id1479238431/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **62** |
| Positive reviews | — | 52.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 26 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [whistleBox](https://appshunter.io/developer/492257427) | [Backroads](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479238430) |

## What reviewers say

### Southern Explorations

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/southern-explorations/id1178129115)

Organize all your travel plans in one place, from itineraries and packing lists to restaurant recommendations and local facts. Access all trip details offline, anytime, anywhere on your smartphone or tablet to relax and enjoy your journey.

**Highlights:** Personalized trip itinerary, Weather forecasts, Restaurant recommendations, Packing lists, Offline access, Destination facts, Share itinerary and photos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backroads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroads/id1479238431)

This app provides detailed information and daily route options for active travel adventures like biking and hiking. It offers helpful tips and regional information to enhance your journey. Your trip leaders are also available through the app for guidance.

**Highlights:** Daily route options, Trip schedules, Helpful tips, Regional information, Trip leader access

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Southern Explorations free?

Southern Explorations is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Backroads free?

Backroads is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Southern Explorations or Backroads?

Southern Explorations is rated higher. Southern Explorations averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Backroads averages 3.3 from 62 ratings.

### Do Southern Explorations or Backroads have ads?

Neither Southern Explorations nor Backroads shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Southern Explorations or Backroads?

Southern Explorations ships an update every 10 months, and Backroads every 4 months. Most recently, Southern Explorations was updated on September 19, 2026 and Backroads on September 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*