Backroads vs Brownell
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Backroads
This app provides detailed information and daily route options for active travel adventures like biking and hiking. It offers helpful tips and regional information to enhance your journey. Your trip leaders are also available through the app for guidance.
- Daily route options
- Trip schedules
- Helpful tips
- Regional information
- Trip leader access
Read full descriptionHide full description
Backroads is the leader in active travel, offering Biking, Hiking and Multi-Adventure Trips in 55+ countries worldwide. This Trip Companion app, and a unique log-in code, will be available to you just before your trip starts. You’ll find daily route options, schedules, helpful tips and other regional information. Of course, your incredible Trip Leaders are available every day of your trip to guide you through some of the most beautiful places in the world. We look forward to seeing you out there!
Brownell
Read full descriptionHide full description
The Brownell App, powered by AXUS, is a collaborative tool that allows travelers to have instant access to all of the trip information provided by their travel advisor to ensure their time away is as smooth as possible. Travelers may use the app for free after receiving an access code from their advisor. Notable Features: - Travel details are displayed in the app as trip details come together in real time, allowing travelers to fill in the gaps of their schedules with their own ideas. - Organizes all of the details of each itinerary into a dynamic, paperless interface that travelers can seamlessly access it on the go. - Archives past trip itineraries so travelers have them for future reference. - Integrates Apple Maps so that travelers can navigate new destinations with ease. - Accessible offline so travelers can always have their important travel information at their fingertips.
Screenshots
Verdict
Backroads and Brownell are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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.
Backroads ships an update every 4 months, Brownell every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Backroads | Brownell |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (62 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 62 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 173 MB | 54 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Backroads | AXUS Travel LLC |
In-app purchases
Backroads
No in-app purchases
Brownell
No in-app purchases








