# Geocaching® vs Geo Bucket

The clearest difference is rating: Geocaching® at 4.8 against Geo Bucket's 3.9. Geocaching® also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (66K vs 85). Geo Bucket's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Geocaching® sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Geo Bucket sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Geocaching® holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Geocaching® has 66K ratings behind it against 85, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Geocaching®'s written reviews are positive against 48% of Geo Bucket's.

Geocaching® ships an update fortnightly, Geo Bucket every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Geocaching® | Geo Bucket |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (66K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geocaching/id329541503/reviews)** | [3.9 (85 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geo-bucket/id426675790/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **66K** | 85 |
| Positive reviews | **70.3% of reviews** | 47.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | — |
| Size | 143 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Groundspeak Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/292242506) | [Matti Mustonen](https://appshunter.io/developer/426675793) |

## What reviewers say

### Geocaching®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geocaching/id329541503)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Navigation, #57 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Discover millions of hidden containers worldwide with this app. It guides you through finding your first geocache with tips and instructions. Navigate using maps, compass, or driving directions, and connect with a global community of treasure hunters.

**Highlights:** View geocache details, activity, and hints, Navigate via map, compass, or directions, Live Search for nearby geocaches, Find traditional geocaches and events, Message other players, Trackable item management, Log geocaches with photos

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium membership | $6.99 | per month |
| 2 Shareables Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| 5 Shareables Yearly Subscription | $11.99 | per year |
| 2 Shareables Yearly Subscription | $11.99 | per year |
| 10 Shareables Yearly Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| 5 Shareables Yearly Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| 10 Shareables Yearly Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium membership | $39.99 | per year |
| 3-month membership | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1-year membership | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun outdoor activity
- 🌳 Explores new places
- 👍 Great family activity
- 🗺️ Useful navigation features
- 📸 Ability to log finds and photos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive premium subscription
- 🔒 Locking higher difficulty caches behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and bugs
- 🗺️ Inaccurate or limited map features
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to log trackables from the app
- Inconsistent performance when zooming and panning maps
- Unreliable GPS and compass functionality
- Difficulty canceling premium subscription

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit cache descriptions and add images
- Option to filter by cache placement year
- Trackable journey tracking on the app
- Seamless integration with other navigation apps
- Offline caching data and navigation


### Geo Bucket

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geo-bucket/id426675790)

This app allows you to store geocaches and maps offline, eliminating roaming charges. Easily populate your map with caches and access detailed descriptions, hints, and logging options. Supports multiple download methods for convenience.

**Highlights:** Offline cache storage, Live map population, Pocket query downloads, Individual cache downloads, Detailed cache descriptions, No internet required for caching

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| remove advertisements from Geo Bucket | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for planning geocaching trips
- 👍 Useful for paperless geocaching
- 🗺️ Detailed maps and cache information
- 💡 Ability to preload caches for offline use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs after updates
- 🗺️ Slow map loading and unresponsive navigation
- 💰 Restrictive free version, need to pay for full features
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive interface for beginners

**Reported bugs**

- Map filters not working correctly
- Unable to log caches due to duplicate IDs
- Caches not showing as archived on the map
- Geocaching links opening in the app by default

**Requested features**

- Ability to log finds directly in the app
- Folder system to organize cached locations
- Improved compass and distance tracking features
- Option to customize cache details and log templates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Geocaching® free?

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

### Is Geo Bucket free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Geocaching® or Geo Bucket?

Geocaching® is rated higher. Geocaching® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 66K ratings, while Geo Bucket averages 3.9 from 85 ratings.

### Do Geocaching® or Geo Bucket have ads?

Geo Bucket shows ads; Geocaching® does not.

### Which is updated more often, Geocaching® or Geo Bucket?

Geocaching® ships an update fortnightly, and Geo Bucket every 2 months. Most recently, Geocaching® was updated on October 29, 2026 and Geo Bucket 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.*