Garmin Explore™ vs ScoutTrek
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Garmin Explore™
Navigate off-grid with this app, which pairs with a compatible Garmin device for trip planning, mapping, and navigation even without Wi-Fi or cellular service. Plan routes, download maps for offline use, and sync data to the cloud.
- Off-grid navigation
- Trip planning
- Offline map downloads
- Pair and sync with Garmin device
- Activity library
- Cloud storage
- LiveTrack location sharing
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OFF-GRID NAVIGATION When paired with your compatible Garmin device(1), the Garmin Explore app lets you use your mobile device for outdoor navigation, trip planning, mapping and more — with or without Wi-Fi® connectivity or cellular service. SEARCH TOOL Easily locate geographic points — such as trailheads or mountain summits — associated with your adventure. STREAMING MAPS For pre-trip planning, you can use the Garmin Explore app to stream maps when you’re within cellular or Wi-Fi range — saving valuable time as well as storage space on your mobile device. Download maps for offline use when venturing outside cellular range. PAIR, SYNC AND SHARE With Garmin Explore, you can pair your smartphone or tablet with your compatible Garmin device to sync and share data for off-grid adventures. Use downloadable maps for navigation anywhere. EASY TRIP PLANNING Plan your next trip by downloading maps and creating courses. Specify your start and finish points, and automatically create a course you can sync with your compatible Garmin device. ACTIVITY LIBRARY Under the Saved tab, review and edit your organized data, including your saved waypoints, tracks, courses and activities. See map thumbnails to easily recognize your trips. SAVED COLLECTIONS The collections list allows you to quickly find all data related to any trip — making it easy to sort and locate the course or location you’re looking for. CLOUD STORAGE The waypoints, courses and activities you’ve created will automatically sync to your Garmin Explore web account when you’re within cellular or Wi-Fi range, preserving your activity data with cloud storage. A Garmin account is required for storing your data in the cloud. LIVETRACK™ With the use of the LiveTrack™ feature, loved ones can follow your location in real time(2) and see data such as distance, time and elevation. What You Get with Garmin Explore • Unlimited map downloads; access topographic maps, USGS quad sheets and more • Aerial imagery • Waypoints, tracking and route navigation • High-detail GPS trip logging and location sharing • Unlimited cloud storage of routes, waypoints, tracks, and activities • Online trip planning 1. https://explore.garmin.com/appcompatibility 2. When used with your compatible smartphone, the Garmin Explore® app and your compatible inReach® technology-enabled Garmin device. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license.
ScoutTrek
Plan and manage Scouting events with ease. This app helps you schedule meetings, track RSVPs, and navigate to event locations. Stay organized and ensure youth protection compliance on all your outdoor adventures.
- Schedule events quickly
- Event details for meetings and adventures
- View upcoming events at a glance
- Event reminders via push notifications
- Manage event RSVPs
- Navigate to event locations
- Youth Protection compliant
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ScoutTrek, your ultimate Scouting trek companion designed for Scouting America...Troops and Cub Scout Packs! Made for adventurers, by adventurers, ScoutTrek is designed to help you navigate through the great outdoors with ease and confidence. Whether you're a seasoned trekker or a beginner, ScoutTrek will guide you on your journey. Key Features: - Scheduling Events in 3 Minutes: Plan your Troop or Pack events with ease and efficiency. - Let's Hit the Trail: All the details you need for a successful meeting, adventure, or special event. - Events at a Glance: Quickly review upcoming events in one screen for all your units. - Push Notifications: ScoutTrek sends event reminders which allows you to focus on planning an awesome event. - Event RSVP's: Invitees can choose an appropriate RSVP response. Event hosts can view the RSVP status within each event. - Take Me There: Navigate to your meet point or event location using Apple Maps or Google Maps. - YPT Compliant: ScoutTrek prioritizes Youth Protection to ensure proper digital communication is maintained. With ScoutTrek, no trail is too wild. Transform your trekking experiences, find breathtaking vistas, discover new trails, and engage with a passionate community. It's not just about getting to your destination, but enjoying every step of the journey.
Screenshots
Verdict
Garmin Explore™ and ScoutTrek both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of ScoutTrek's written reviews are positive against 46% of Garmin Explore™'s. ScoutTrek also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.4). Garmin Explore™'s advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 6) and chart position (#102 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Garmin Explore™ against 4.3 for ScoutTrek. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Explore™ has 1.1K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of Garmin Explore™'s written reviews are positive against 100% of ScoutTrek's.
Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, ScoutTrek every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Garmin Explore™ | ScoutTrek |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (1.1K ratings) | 4.3 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #102 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 452 MB | 85 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garmin | ScoutTrek, LLC |
Customer experience
Garmin Explore™
ScoutTrek
Bugs and requests
Garmin Explore™
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sync failures between app and Garmin devices
- Disappearing or corrupted user data
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS/Android versions
- Unreliable offline map downloads
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to edit waypoint coordinates
- More customization options for map layers and displays
- Improved route planning and navigation features
- Better syncing and data management between app and devices
- Support for more Garmin device models
ScoutTrek
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Garmin Explore™
No in-app purchases
ScoutTrek
No in-app purchases






