# Garmin Explore™ vs Hiker Trash

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hiker Trash at 100% against Garmin Explore™'s 46%. Hiker Trash also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.4). Garmin Explore™'s advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 1) and chart position (#110 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Hiker Trash holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Explore™ has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Garmin Explore™'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Hiker Trash's.

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, Hiker Trash fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Explore™ | Hiker Trash |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiker-trash/id6760950294/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#110** | — |
| Size | 452 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Willard Blevins Jr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886976542) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Explore™

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

**Currently charting:** #110 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


### Hiker Trash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiker-trash/id6760950294)

This app is a tactical logbook and tramily tracker for long-distance hikers. It allows users to record daily logs, mileage, notes, and photos, even offline. It also features smart location sharing designed to conserve battery life and a tramily dashboard to keep up with friends.

**Highlights:** Offline trail logging, Hiker resume builder, Smart location sharing, Tramily dashboard, User-controlled privacy, Public profile sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Explore™ free?

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

### Is Hiker Trash free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Garmin Explore™ or Hiker Trash?

Hiker Trash is rated higher. Garmin Explore™ averages 4.2 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Hiker Trash averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Garmin Explore™ or Hiker Trash have ads?

Neither Garmin Explore™ nor Hiker Trash shows ads.

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

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, and Hiker Trash fortnightly. Most recently, Garmin Explore™ was updated on October 27, 2026 and Hiker Trash on October 24, 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.*