Earthmate vs igc Viewer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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 descriptionHide 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.
igc Viewer
Easily view flight data from .igc files. Simply open the file through your device's File App or share it directly to the application. It handles various file sizes, displaying your flight information efficiently.
- Open .igc files
- File App integration
- Share to app functionality
- Handles various file sizes
- Displays flight information
Read full descriptionHide full description
How to use. - Open File App. (Alternatively, click the share button and open with 'copy to igc viewer') - Select [.igc] file. - The app will open igc file (it might take a few seconds depending on the file size).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: igc Viewer at 4.0 against Earthmate's 2.7. igc Viewer also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 22%). Earthmate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (272 vs 2). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. igc Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Earthmate asks for nothing beyond the download.
igc Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Earthmate has 272 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Earthmate's written reviews are positive against 50% of igc Viewer's.
Earthmate ships an update monthly, igc Viewer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Earthmate | igc Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (272 ratings) | 4.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 21.6% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 272 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 92 MB | 83 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garmin | Hiroki Kijima |
Customer experience
Earthmate
igc Viewer
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
igc Viewer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Earthmate
No in-app purchases
igc Viewer
- Flight Computer Mode$4.99
