Explorin SoCal vs UrbexVault
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Explorin SoCal
Discover hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path locations in Southern California. Find unique spots like abandoned buildings and ocean caves with detailed descriptions, images, and directions.
- Discover low-key exploration spots
- Find abandoned buildings
- Locate caves by the ocean
- View location images
- Get detailed descriptions
- Receive directions
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"Explorin Socal" is a app where you can find all of the lowkey Explorin spots around you, thats if you live in Southern California Of course. The places range from Abandoned buildings to Caves by the Ocean. Each Location pinpoint will provide you with a Image of the Place, a description of the place, and directions.
UrbexVault
Discover and explore forgotten places with this urban exploration guide. Features starter and featured locations, interactive maps, and detailed information. Earn rewards and unlock coordinates through contributions.
- Starter and featured locations
- Interactive map interface
- Detailed location information
- Mark locations as visited/favorite
- Location bundles
- Filter free and premium locations
- Dark mode
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UrbexVault - Urban Exploration Guide Discover hidden gems and forgotten places with UrbexVault, your ultimate companion for urban exploration. KEY FEATURES: • Starter Locations: Begin exploring with our collection of locations • Earn rewards: Contributions result in points. These points can be used to unlock coordinates! • Featured Locations: Enjoy our handpicked featured locations • Mark locations as visited or favorite • Location Bundles: Save with our curated regional map bundles • Interactive Map: Browse locations with an easy-to-use map interface • Detailed Information: Get comprehensive details about each location, including coordinates and access information • Custom Collections: Access curated maps and location sets • Location Filtering: Easily filter between free and premium locations • Dark Mode: Comfortable viewing in any lighting condition Whether you're a photographer, history enthusiast, or urban explorer, UrbexVault helps you discover remarkable abandoned places while respecting local regulations and safety guidelines. Download UrbexVault today and start exploring the hidden world around you! Note: Always explore responsibly and respect private property. Some features require in-app purchases.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Explorin SoCal at 68% against UrbexVault's 25%. Explorin SoCal also leads on rating (4.4 vs 1.6) and ratings volume (136 vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
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. Explorin SoCal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and UrbexVault sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Explorin SoCal holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explorin SoCal has 136 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Explorin SoCal's written reviews are positive against 25% of UrbexVault's.
Explorin SoCal ships an update every 8 days, UrbexVault weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Explorin SoCal | UrbexVault |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (136 ratings) — better | 1.6 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 68.4% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 136 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | James Harrison | UrbexVault |
Customer experience
Explorin SoCal
UrbexVault
Bugs and requests
Explorin SoCal
Reported bugs
2 issues- Pictures of locations never show up
- App doesn't show where to go if not in LA
Requested features
3 requests- Update more frequently
- Add more locations in Pomona/West Covina/Ontario area
- Add more locations outside of California
UrbexVault
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Explorin SoCal
- Remove Ads$0.99
UrbexVault
- UrbexVault PRO - Switzerland$1.991 Month
- Finland$1.991 Month
- Sweden$1.991 Month
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- 1 Week Pro$3.997 Days
- Benelux$9.991 Month
- Pro monthly$12.991 Month
- UrbexVault PRO - Switzerland$22.991 Year
- Finland$22.991 Year
- Sweden$22.991 Year
- Monthly Pro$24.991 Month
- UrbexVault PRO - Spain$34.991 Year
- Pro 3-monthly$61.993 Months
- Benelux$99.991 Year
- Pro Yearly$119.991 Year
- 24 hour pro access$1.99
