Comparison

Earthmate vs AR AlpineGuide

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

Head to head
About

Earthmate

Connect your satellite communicator to your mobile device for text messaging, navigation, and trip planning. Access offline maps, track your location, and share your adventures globally. Stay connected and safe on any outdoor expedition.

Highlights
  • Send/receive text messages
  • Offline topographic maps
  • Waypoint and route navigation
  • Tracking and location sharing
  • Trip logging and planning
  • Cloud storage for trips
  • Control inReach device features
Read full description

Pair your inReach® satellite communication device with the Earthmate® app to get all the features you need to send and receive text messages, navigate and stay connected during your outdoor adventures. It’s perfect for planning, tracking and sharing your trip anywhere around the globe. This Garmin application lets you access¹: • Unlimited topographic maps that you can cache on your device and store for offline use, including topographic maps and quad sheets • Aerial imagery • Hybrid maps • Waypoints and route navigation • Tracking and location sharing • High-detail GPS trip logging • Unlimited cloud storage of routes, waypoints and tracks • Online trip planning • Control and access all the features of your inReach device from the app: send 2-way custom or preset text and email messages, trigger an SOS from anywhere in the world, track your location and more By pairing your mobile device (via Bluetooth® technology) with inReach, the Earthmate app turns your mobile device into a true satellite communication, GPS navigation and safety tool. To access the 100% global Iridium® satellite network for live tracking and messaging – including SOS capabilities – from the Earthmate app, an inReach device with active satellite subscription is required. You can plan your adventures from your account on the Garmin Explore™ website, wirelessly sync them to your smartphone or tablet, and then save all your trip data and maps with unlimited cloud storage. With the use of the LiveTrack™ feature, loved ones can follow your location in real time² and see data such as distance, time and elevation. Learn more about inReach devices and technology at www.garmin.com/inreach. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Don't forget to stop tracking. ¹Access varies by model. ²When used with your compatible smartphone and the Earthmate® app or when used with your compatible inReach-enabled Garmin device.

About

AR AlpineGuide

Identify mountains in real-time by pointing your device. See names, altitudes, and distances of over a million peaks worldwide in an augmented reality view. Explore 3D terrain and share your discoveries.

Highlights
  • Identify 1M peaks worldwide
  • Augmented reality peak naming
  • 3D terrain visualization
  • View from any map location
  • Photo sharing
  • Adjustable peak name display
  • Import photos for labeling
Read full description

Point your iOS device at the mountain and you'll see the name, altitude, and distance of the mountaintop. You can identify the names of all the mountain peaks in the 360-degree panoramic AR view. All features are free to use. Thanks to your support, we have reached 2.5 million downloads across all platforms, both domestic and international. Features - It has data from nearly one million peaks around the world. - It uses three-dimensional coordinates and a gyroscope to display the name at the peak, even if you tilt the camera. The display makes it easy to check. - The three-dimensional terrain is displayed semi-transparently, so it is easy to compare it with the actual shape of the mountain and check the location of the peak. - When you point your iOS device downward, the view switches to a 3D view looking down from the sky. - You can check the names of the terrain and mountains that can be seen from any location specified on the map. - You can take a photo with the name of the peak and share it via SNS or email. - Swiping the AR display up, down, left, or right allows you to adjust the position of the peak name display. - It is possible to adjust the position of the peak name display after the picture is taken. - You can import photos taken with another app and add the peak name. ※ If the direction is not correct (e.g. it always shows North), if your iOS device has a cover on it If there is a sensor in the case, please remove it. The metal or magnet on the cover may interfere with the sensor and cause it to malfunction. Terms of Service https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Earthmate4 screens
AR AlpineGuide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AR AlpineGuide at 4.6 against Earthmate's 2.7. AR AlpineGuide also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and review sentiment (42% vs 22%). Earthmate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement 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. AR AlpineGuide sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Earthmate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AR AlpineGuide holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 272 and 784 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Earthmate's written reviews are positive against 42% of AR AlpineGuide's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Earthmate ships an update monthly, AR AlpineGuide weekly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Earthmate versus AR AlpineGuide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEarthmateAR AlpineGuide
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (272 ratings)4.6 (784 ratings) — better
Positive reviews21.6% of reviews42.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings272784 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB175 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperGarminにゃんこソフトウェア

Customer experience

Earthmate

All ratings272 ratings
Positive33.1%
Neutral15.1%
Negative51.8%
Written reviews153 reviews
Positive21.6%
Neutral19.0%
Negative59.5%

AR AlpineGuide

All ratings784 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral3.3%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews191 reviews
Positive42.4%
Neutral10.5%
Negative47.1%

User reviews

Earthmate

From 272 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Offline maps
  • 📡 Satellite communication
  • 💬 Messaging functionality
  • 🗺️ Tracking and navigation

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
  • 🔍 Lacking detailed maps
  • 🔑 Login/sync issues
  • 🔧 Buggy and unstable
  • 🗓️ Frequent app crashes

AR AlpineGuide

From 784 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Useful app
  • 🚀 Works almost everywhere
  • 💡 Provides information about mountains, sun, and moon
  • 👍 Excellent app
  • 👍 Very good app, works well

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy, not functioning properly
  • 🐛 Inaccurate mountain identification
  • 🐛 Difficult to use, not intuitive
  • 🐛 Orientation issues, compass not calibrated
  • 🐛 Disappearing peak names after updates

Bugs and requests

Earthmate

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Invisible text fields
  • Disappearing waypoints and tracks
  • Inability to send preset messages from app
  • Incorrect wind speed display
  • Broken map downloads

Requested features

5 requests
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Customizable preset messages
  • Improved map detail and customization
  • Seamless sync between app and device
  • Frequent message check intervals

AR AlpineGuide

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App not launching after updates
  • Constant pop-up notifications
  • Camera view not working, only black screen
  • Compass spinning uncontrollably

Requested features

3 requests
  • Allow selecting elevation range to display
  • Add ability to download/save images locally
  • Improve language support and translations

In-app purchases

None

Earthmate

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

AR AlpineGuide

Subscriptions5
  • Ad-Free$0.991 Month
  • Ad-Free$1.992 Months
  • Ad-Free7 Days trial$3.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Ad-Free$5.991 Year
  • Ad-Free7 Days trial$5.991 Month
One-time1
  • AdFree (Forever)$14.99

Questions

Is Earthmate free?
Earthmate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AR AlpineGuide free?
AR AlpineGuide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Earthmate or AR AlpineGuide?
AR AlpineGuide is rated higher. Earthmate averages 2.7 out of 5 from 272 ratings, while AR AlpineGuide averages 4.6 from 784 ratings.
Do Earthmate or AR AlpineGuide have ads?
AR AlpineGuide shows ads; Earthmate does not.
Which is updated more often, Earthmate or AR AlpineGuide?
Earthmate ships an update monthly, and AR AlpineGuide weekly. Most recently, Earthmate was updated on October 19, 2026 and AR AlpineGuide on October 19, 2026.

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