Garmin Explore™ vs Maplet
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.
Maplet
Organize saved locations, plan optimized multi-stop routes, and manage GPX files completely offline. This app offers advanced map markers with notes, photos, and voice memos, along with a route planner and GPS tools for navigation.
- Advanced map marker and pin log
- Organize bookmarks into folders and tags
- Plan multi-stop routes and track progress
- Pro compass and GPS tools
- Import and export GPX, KML, and CSV files
- Works fully offline
- No ads or tracking
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Maplet is the ultimate Map Marker and Route Planner for smart travelers, field professionals, and outdoor explorers. Save and organize places, plan optimized multi-stop routes, and manage GPX files completely offline. Whether you are managing work sites, planning a massive road trip, or navigating off-grid, Maplet keeps your location data organized, private, and entirely in your control. Key Features: Advanced Map Marker & Pin Log • Save any waypoint or place with a custom title, notes, photos, and voice memos. • Automatically fetch the address, weather, distance, and exact coordinates (Lat/Long, UTM, MGRS). • Organize your bookmarks cleanly into folders, tags, and color-coded categories. • 360° Look Around: Preview destinations with immersive, interactive street-level views. Route Planner & Journey Tracking • Plan multi-stop routes for RV trips, delivery runs, or hiking trails. • Auto-optimize your stop order to find the fastest path and track your progress live. • Check off locations as you go—perfect for travel itineraries and waypoint lists. Pro Compass & GPS Tools • View a live compass overlay directly on the map to see your exact facing direction. • Live Compass Target: Track your saved locations, the Sun, Moon, Qibla, and your parked car together on a tactical radar. • Arrival Alerts: Get a push notification when you enter a 500m radius of a pinned bookmark. • Ideal for off-grid navigation, geocaching, and outdoor field work. Import, Export & GPX Manager • Universal Import: Seamlessly load GPX, KML, and CSV files into your folders. • Smart Paste: Instantly convert copied text coordinates (DMS, Decimal) into map pins. • Easy Export: Back up your folders as PDF reports or export GPX files for other GPS units. Open & Share Anywhere • Open your saved coordinates directly in Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, and 8+ other navigation apps. • Share offline-ready folders via private deep links (no account needed). • Convert shared map links from other apps instantly into Maplet pins. Private & Offline-First • Works fully offline with optional iCloud sync for cross-device backup. • No ads, no tracking, and no account required. Your data is yours. • Lightweight, fast, and optimized with battery-efficient Dark Mode. EULA: https://gemshi.com/Maplet/eula.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Garmin Explore™ at 45% against Maplet's 0%. Garmin Explore™ also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). Maplet's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Maplet sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Garmin Explore™ asks for nothing beyond the download.
Garmin Explore™ holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Explore™ has 1K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Garmin Explore™'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Maplet's.
Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, Maplet fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Garmin Explore™ | Maplet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (1K ratings) — better | 3.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 45.1% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #101 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | 17.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 452 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garmin | Gemsheer Chalil |
Customer experience
Garmin Explore™
Maplet
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
Maplet
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Garmin Explore™
No in-app purchases
Maplet
- Maplet Pro: Monthly$3.991 Month
- Maplet Pro: Yearly Access7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Maplet Lifetime Pro$39.99









