# Garmin Alpha vs Dirt Ledger

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Dirt Ledger at 100% against Garmin Alpha's 27%. Dirt Ledger also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). Garmin Alpha's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (137 vs 3). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dirt Ledger sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Garmin Alpha asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dirt Ledger holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Alpha has 137 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Garmin Alpha's written reviews are positive against 100% of Dirt Ledger's.

Garmin Alpha ships an update monthly, Dirt Ledger every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Alpha | Dirt Ledger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (137 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-alpha/id6449200205/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dirt-ledger/id6759869403/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **137** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 27.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 478 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Mounir Saade](https://appshunter.io/developer/1881328503) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Alpha

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-alpha/id6449200205)

Track your dog's movements using cellular technology and your smartphone. This app works with a compatible Garmin dog tracking system to provide real-time location data and navigation features.

**Highlights:** Cellular dog tracking, Smartphone integration, VHF tracking signal support, Integrated mapping, Waypoint marking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Peace of mind for dog owners
- 👍 Good technology for hunting
- 👍 Easy to use software
- 👍 Good maps
- 👍 Customer service is second to none

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Many bugs currently
- 🐛 New update needs tweaking
- 🐛 New update is garbage
- 🐛 Map options don't work
- 🐛 Lost functionality from old app

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor lag on opening
- No distance, heading, or name on map when tracking dog
- Tracks won't clear
- Green screen when satellite map selected
- Unable to view any data from Alpha 10 on the map

**Requested features**

- Add yards as a unit of measure
- Add watch app
- Option to make corrections directly from the app
- Easier to switch between Bluetooth devices
- Option to connect multiple devices at once


### Dirt Ledger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dirt-ledger/id6759869403)

Record and share your off-road adventures with this GPS companion. Discover new trails, navigate offline, and ride together with friends. Your location tracking is always under your control.

**Highlights:** Record ride details (route, distance, speed, elevation), Discover nearby off-road and hiking trails, Offline map downloads for navigation, Group ride creation and live location sharing, Share completed adventure routes, User-controlled location tracking

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Alpha free?

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

### Is Dirt Ledger free?

Dirt Ledger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Garmin Alpha or Dirt Ledger?

Dirt Ledger is rated higher. Garmin Alpha averages 3.7 out of 5 from 137 ratings, while Dirt Ledger averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Garmin Alpha or Dirt Ledger have ads?

Neither Garmin Alpha nor Dirt Ledger shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Garmin Alpha or Dirt Ledger?

Garmin Alpha ships an update monthly, and Dirt Ledger every 2 days. Most recently, Garmin Alpha was updated on November 2, 2026 and Dirt Ledger on October 24, 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.*