# Scenic Map Alaska vs Garmin Explore™

The clearest difference is price: Garmin Explore™ at Free against Scenic Map Alaska's $1.99. Garmin Explore™ also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 4). Scenic Map Alaska's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (63% vs 46%). On ads, in-app purchases, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Garmin Explore™ is free to download; Scenic Map Alaska costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scenic Map Alaska holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Explore™ has 1.1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Scenic Map Alaska's written reviews are positive against 46% of Garmin Explore™'s.

Scenic Map Alaska ships an update every 6 months, Garmin Explore™ monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scenic Map Alaska | Garmin Explore™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scenic-map-alaska/id403580662/reviews)** | [4.2 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **62.5% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #153 | **#101** |
| Size | 65 MB | 452 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 18.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [GrangerFX](https://appshunter.io/developer/363698835) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## What reviewers say

### Scenic Map Alaska

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scenic-map-alaska/id403580662)

**Currently charting:** #153 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

Explore detailed 3D topographic maps of Alaska and the entire world, with offline access and satellite imagery. Navigate, track your location, and customize map views for hiking, driving, or boating.

**Highlights:** Offline 3D topographic maps, Global online map coverage, Satellite image overlays, GPS location tracking, Customizable map views, GPX track import/export, 3D tilt and flight simulator modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Garmin Explore™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721)

**Currently charting:** #101 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Navigate off-grid with this app, which pairs with a compatible Garmin device for trip planning, mapping, and navigation even without Wi-Fi or cellular service. Plan routes, download maps for offline use, and sync data to the cloud.

**Highlights:** Off-grid navigation, Trip planning, Offline map downloads, Pair and sync with Garmin device, Activity library, Cloud storage, LiveTrack location sharing

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent for planning routes and activities
- 💡 Great for offline navigation with downloaded maps
- 👍 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 👍 Useful for tracking and sharing adventures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with Garmin devices
- 🔍 Lacking detailed map options in some regions
- 🔍 Confusing interface and terminology
- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🔒 Requires login and internet connection for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Sync failures between app and Garmin devices
- Disappearing or corrupted user data
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS/Android versions
- Unreliable offline map downloads

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit waypoint coordinates
- More customization options for map layers and displays
- Improved route planning and navigation features
- Better syncing and data management between app and devices
- Support for more Garmin device models


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scenic Map Alaska free?

Scenic Map Alaska costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Garmin Explore™ free?

Garmin Explore™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scenic Map Alaska or Garmin Explore™?

Scenic Map Alaska is rated higher. Scenic Map Alaska averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Garmin Explore™ averages 4.2 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Scenic Map Alaska or Garmin Explore™ have ads?

Neither Scenic Map Alaska nor Garmin Explore™ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scenic Map Alaska or Garmin Explore™?

Scenic Map Alaska ships an update every 6 months, and Garmin Explore™ monthly. Most recently, Scenic Map Alaska was updated on October 19, 2026 and Garmin Explore™ on October 21, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Scenic Map Alaska or Garmin Explore™?

Scenic Map Alaska currently peaks at #153 in the App Store charts, and Garmin Explore™ at #101. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*