# BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps vs MAPGEARS Trails

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MAPGEARS Trails at none against BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps's 4. MAPGEARS Trails also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.4). BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (27 vs 2). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. MAPGEARS Trails asks for nothing beyond the download.

BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps has 27 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps ships an update every 3 weeks, MAPGEARS Trails every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps | MAPGEARS Trails |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brmb-maps-by-backroad-maps/id1528015531/reviews)** | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapgears-trails/id1588253210/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 35.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 230 MB | 217 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mussio Ventures Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/991230796) | [MapGears inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439850962) |

## What reviewers say

### BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brmb-maps-by-backroad-maps/id1528015531)

Navigate Canada's backcountry with detailed topographic maps and over 900,000 points of interest. Plan, track, and explore offline for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and more.

**Highlights:** Topographic GPS maps, Current location tracking, Offline map downloads, Custom adventure layers, Trip recording and waypoints, Satellite imagery overlay

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BRMB Maps PRO | $3.99 | per month |
| BRMB Monthly PRO Access | $6.99 | per month |
| BRMB Yearly PRO Access | $44.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO Promo | $44.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Great maps and data
- 🇨🇦 Excellent for exploring Canada
- ⛰️ Detailed topos and satellite imaging
- 👍 User-friendly for some
- ✨ Recent improvements noted

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 😠 Excessive and disruptive ads
- 🐛 Sync issues (hit or miss)
- 🚫 No waypoint management
- 📱 Poor CarPlay integration

**Reported bugs**

- Unwanted push notifications for challenges
- Issues resetting password
- CarPlay useless (no tracking/waypoint access)
- Sync of data is hit or miss
- Waypoints are a jumble of names, no numbers, folders, filters

**Requested features**

- Icon for mines/pins
- Crown land for BC
- Direction feature with distance and turn directions
- Waypoint management (numbers, folders, filters)
- CarPlay integration with tracking/waypoint access


### MAPGEARS Trails

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapgears-trails/id1588253210)

Manage, inspect, and maintain trails and infrastructure on your mobile device. Collect data offline with intuitive forms and sync automatically when back online. Ideal for professional trail managers and volunteer users.

**Highlights:** Cross-platform compatibility, Mobile data collection, Offline-first design, GPS track recording, Robust editing tools, Field-ready for clubs and volunteers

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps free?

BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MAPGEARS Trails free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps or MAPGEARS Trails?

BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps is rated higher. BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps averages 4.2 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while MAPGEARS Trails averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps or MAPGEARS Trails have ads?

Neither BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps nor MAPGEARS Trails shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps or MAPGEARS Trails?

BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps ships an update every 3 weeks, and MAPGEARS Trails every 4 months. Most recently, BRMB Maps by Backroad Maps was updated on November 7, 2026 and MAPGEARS Trails on November 3, 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.*