# Backroads vs PastFinders

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PastFinders at 100% against Backroads's 52%. PastFinders also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Backroads's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (69 vs 5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PastFinders sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Backroads asks for nothing beyond the download.

PastFinders holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backroads has 69 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Backroads's written reviews are positive against 100% of PastFinders's.

Backroads ships an update every 4 months, PastFinders every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backroads | PastFinders |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroads/id1479238431/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pastfinders/id6736870878/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **69** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 173 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Backroads](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479238430) | [Remains 2B Seen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1773591289) |

## What reviewers say

### Backroads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroads/id1479238431)

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.

**Highlights:** Daily route options, Trip schedules, Helpful tips, Regional information, Trip leader access

**In-app purchases:** none


### PastFinders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pastfinders/id6736870878)

Discover historical sites worldwide with an interactive globe and curated collections. Experience guided tours and a virtual assistant for context and trivia. Offers premium tours and a society membership for full access.

**Highlights:** Interactive globe with geo-tagged sites, Expertly curated collections, Guided tours from museums and historians, Virtual assistant for guidance and trivia, In-app purchases for premium tours, Society membership for full tour access

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Society Member Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Society Member Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Tour Purchase Level 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 5 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 6 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 7 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Tour Purchase Level 8 | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backroads free?

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

### Is PastFinders free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backroads or PastFinders?

PastFinders is rated higher. Backroads averages 3.3 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while PastFinders averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Backroads or PastFinders have ads?

Neither Backroads nor PastFinders shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backroads or PastFinders?

Backroads ships an update every 4 months, and PastFinders every 3 weeks. Most recently, Backroads was updated on October 24, 2026 and PastFinders on October 25, 2026.

---

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