# Garmin Explore™ vs Maplet

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.

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 16, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Explore™ | Maplet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721/reviews)** | [3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maplet-map-location-bookmarks/id6748853120/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **45.1% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#92** | — |
| Size | 452 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Gemsheer Chalil](https://appshunter.io/developer/1777244155) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Explore™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721)

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Off-grid navigation, Trip planning, Offline map downloads, Pair and sync with Garmin device, Activity library, Cloud storage, LiveTrack location sharing

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent for planning routes and activities
- 💡 Great for offline navigation with downloaded maps
- 👍 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 👍 Useful for tracking and sharing adventures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with Garmin devices
- 🔍 Lacking detailed map options in some regions
- 🔍 Confusing interface and terminology
- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🔒 Requires login and internet connection for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maplet-map-location-bookmarks/id6748853120)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Maplet Pro: Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Maplet Pro: Yearly Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Maplet Lifetime Pro | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Explore™ free?

Garmin Explore™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Maplet free?

Maplet is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Garmin Explore™ or Maplet?

Garmin Explore™ is rated higher. Garmin Explore™ averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Maplet averages 3.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Garmin Explore™ or Maplet have ads?

Neither Garmin Explore™ nor Maplet shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Garmin Explore™ or Maplet?

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, and Maplet fortnightly. Most recently, Garmin Explore™ was updated on October 16, 2026 and Maplet on October 3, 2026.

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