# Polaris® vs Garmin Explore™

The clearest difference is rating: Polaris® at 4.5 against Garmin Explore™'s 4.1. Garmin Explore™'s advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Polaris® holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.9K and 1K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 46% and 45% positive.

Polaris® ships an update every 4 weeks, Garmin Explore™ monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polaris® | Garmin Explore™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polaris/id493558794/reviews)** | [4.1 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 1K |
| Positive reviews | **45.6% of reviews** | 45.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #124 | **#95** |
| Size | 166 MB | 449 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Polaris Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/418680707) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## What reviewers say

### Polaris®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polaris/id493558794)

**Currently charting:** #124 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Manage your powersports vehicle's maintenance, plan adventurous rides with detailed maps and navigation, and discover gear. Connect to in-vehicle displays for an enhanced experience.

**Highlights:** Vehicle service history and maintenance reminders, Ride planning with snap-to-trail routing, On/offline maps and navigation, Group Ride tracking, 3D ride replays, Gear and accessory shopping, Help Center support

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Accurate tracking
- 🚀 Great features
- 👍 Awesome app
- 👍 Essential for riding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes/crashes
- 🐛 Clunky user interface
- 🐛 Unreliable mapping
- 🐛 Missing features
- 🐛 Buggy offline mode

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Ride tracking problems
- Disappearing vehicle data
- Mapping inaccuracies
- Constant sign-outs

**Requested features**

- Ability to plan routes
- Offline map downloads
- Larger font for map details
- Dark mode option
- Apple Watch compatibility


### Garmin Explore™

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

**Currently charting:** #95 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 Polaris® free?

Polaris® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Garmin Explore™ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Polaris® or Garmin Explore™?

Polaris® is rated higher. Polaris® averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Garmin Explore™ averages 4.1 from 1K ratings.

### Do Polaris® or Garmin Explore™ have ads?

Neither Polaris® nor Garmin Explore™ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Polaris® or Garmin Explore™?

Polaris® ships an update every 4 weeks, and Garmin Explore™ monthly. Most recently, Polaris® was updated on September 23, 2026 and Garmin Explore™ on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Polaris® or Garmin Explore™?

Polaris® currently peaks at #124 in the App Store charts, and Garmin Explore™ at #95. 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.*