# Garmin Explore™ vs VE

The clearest difference is update cadence: VE at weekly against Garmin Explore™'s monthly. Garmin Explore™'s advantage is chart position (#106 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (18.4 vs 26.5). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, VE weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Explore™ | VE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#106** | — |
| Size | 452 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.4** | 26.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Marco Frigerio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873934230) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Explore™

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

**Currently charting:** #106 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


### VE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ve-display/id6781215472)

This app reads and displays data from Victron Energy BLE Instant Readout devices directly on your iPhone and Apple CarPlay. It provides electrical values in a clear interface and uses text-to-speech for announcements while driving.

**Highlights:** Local Victron BLE Instant Readout decoding, Configurable advertisement keys, Automatic BLE scanning, Device list with stale-device removal, iPhone display for decoded values, Apple CarPlay device list with voice announcements

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Explore™ free?

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

### Is VE free?

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

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

Neither Garmin Explore™ nor VE shows ads.

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

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, and VE weekly. Most recently, Garmin Explore™ was updated on October 19, 2026 and VE on October 10, 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.*