# r.485 vs Tread®

The clearest difference is rating: Tread® at 4.5 against r.485's 2.0. Tread® also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (452 vs 4). r.485's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. r.485 sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Tread® asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tread® holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tread® has 452 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of r.485's written reviews are positive against 63% of Tread®'s.

r.485 ships an update every 10 days, Tread® every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | r.485 | Tread® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/r485-navigation-and-more/id1502830009/reviews) | **[4.5 (452 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tread/id1518331465/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **452** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **63.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 25 MB | 288 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 16.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [r.485](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502646091) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## What reviewers say

### r.485

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/r485-navigation-and-more/id1502830009)

Plan routes with multiple stops and import GPX files. This lightweight navigator is designed for watch-based navigation, prioritizing battery life over advanced features like offline maps or automatic route recalculation.

**Highlights:** Multi-waypoint route creation, GPX file import, Lightweight watch navigation, Battery life optimization, Detailed driving instructions (with subscription)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features | $9.99 | per year |


### Tread®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tread/id1518331465)

Track friends, sync navigation data, and plan routes with this powersport navigator companion app. It allows for seamless data transfer and provides smart notifications and live weather updates.

**Highlights:** Track up to 20 friends on map, Sync waypoints, tracks, and routes, Plan routes with custom preferences, Import and export GPX files, Smart notifications, Live weather updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Ability to plan routes on phone/tablet
- 🚀 Easy to sync routes to Garmin device
- 👍 Customizable route settings (e.g. adventure mode)
- 👍 Offline maps and navigation
- 👍 Seamless integration with Garmin devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Syncing issues between app and Garmin device
- 🐛 Corrupted/altered routes when transferred to device
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 👎 Unintuitive user interface, steep learning curve
- 👎 Limited functionality compared to competitors

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save/load routes on mobile app
- Inconsistent behavior when importing routes
- Frequent disconnections between app and device
- Lack of metric units and other regional support

**Requested features**

- Web/desktop app for route planning
- Improved offline map coverage
- Collaborative route planning features
- Better organization and folder structure
- Larger text/UI options for accessibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is r.485 free?

r.485 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Tread® free?

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

### Which has better reviews, r.485 or Tread®?

Tread® is rated higher. r.485 averages 2.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Tread® averages 4.5 from 452 ratings.

### Do r.485 or Tread® have ads?

Neither r.485 nor Tread® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, r.485 or Tread®?

r.485 ships an update every 10 days, and Tread® every 3 weeks. Most recently, r.485 was updated on October 29, 2026 and Tread® on October 29, 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.*