Comparison

Castle Explorer vs Xplorist

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head

Castle Explorer

20,000 castles to discover

Discover hidden places

Free

🌐 Social Networking

No ratingsView app →

About

Castle Explorer

Features

Read full description

The only application on smartphone that references nearly 20,000 castles in Europe. Participate and publish new castles or photos of these magnificent buildings.

About

Xplorist

Features

Read full description

- Map with 5000+ abandoned places - Advanced research tools - Earn XP by contributing - Join local exploration groups - Share photos of your adventures - Advanced filter options - Organize places in Collections - Create and solve Research Challenges Uncover abandoned locations and other spots off the beaten path. Xplorist features an interactive urbex map filled with thousands of forgotten and hidden places. Share your photos, connect with like-minded adventurers, and expand your discovery list. Join our Urbex community today! Terms of Use: https://xplorist.net/terms.html

Screenshots

Castle Explorer4 screens

Xplorist4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Castle Explorer at none against Xplorist's 6. Castle Explorer also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.0). Xplorist's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On price, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Xplorist sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Castle Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Castle Explorer ships an update weekly, Xplorist every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level

Castle Explorer versus Xplorist: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter	Castle Explorer	Xplorist
Price	Free	Free
Update frequency	Weekly	Every 2 days — better
Ads	No	No
In-app purchases	No — better	Yes
Devices	iPhone	iPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS	16.6 — better	26.0
Further details — not scored
Size	100 MB	37 MB
Age rating	4+	12+
Developer	richard prandini	Lennart Venus

In-app purchases

None

Castle Explorer

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Xplorist

Subscriptions2

XploristNet Premium$4.991 Month
XploristNet Premium$34.991 Year

One-time4

100 XP$0.99
500 XP$2.99
1.000 XP$3.99

Show 1 more

5.000 XP$8.99

Questions

Is Castle Explorer free?

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

Is Xplorist free?

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

Do Castle Explorer or Xplorist have ads?

Neither Castle Explorer nor Xplorist shows ads.

Which is updated more often, Castle Explorer or Xplorist?

Castle Explorer ships an update weekly, and Xplorist every 2 days. Most recently, Castle Explorer was updated on October 14, 2026 and Xplorist on October 7, 2026.