ApexGPS Hiking vs mapper.one

ApexGPS is a free iPhone hiking app for people who want the essentials of a good GPS navigator without ads, subscriptions, or the need to sign up. Offline maps, GPX, waypoints, track recording, route planning, and per-point weather — all data stays on your device. LANGUAGES • English, Deutsch, Français, Español, Polski, and العربية (Arabic) — with full right-to-left layout for Arabic • Built-in user guide translated into all six languages MAPS • ESRI Topo (default on new installs) • OpenTopoMap — topographic tiles with contour lines • OpenStreetMap Standard • ESRI World Imagery (satellite) • ESRI Hillshade (shaded relief) • Thunderforest Outdoors — contour lines + hiking difficulty shading (free API key required, added in Settings) • Switch styles with the Layers button; your choice is remembered OFFLINE • Tiles cache automatically as you browse, ready for airplane mode • Download a full region: pan the map to frame the area, pick a zoom range, hit Download • Cache size adjustable in Settings: 250 MB / 500 MB / 1 GB / 2 GB • Saved regions are stored separately and survive cache cleanups TRACK RECORDING • Keeps recording with the screen locked or while you use other apps • Live stats card right on the map: running duration, distance, elevation with its source (barometer or GPS), and total ascent — with confirmations so you never end a hike by accident • True mean-sea-level elevation (with a bundled global geoid correction) • GPS Diagnostics (Settings → Advanced): see exactly which quality gates each GPS fix passes and why a noisy altitude reading was filtered out — with a plain-language explainer for every gate GPX IMPORT & EXPORT • Open .gpx files from the Files app or share them in from WhatsApp, Mail, or any file-sharing app • Multi-file select for bulk import TRACK PLANNING • Sketch a route by tapping the map — drop numbered vertices • Long-press a vertex to drag, long-press a midpoint to insert a new one • Fetch the route's elevation profile from a worldwide DEM with one tap WAYPOINTS • Add by long-pressing the map, entering coordinates, or via GPX import • 32 OSM-aligned symbols, 16 colour choices • Long-press and drag on the map to relocate • Auto-fetch elevation from a worldwide DEM • Duplicates from re-imported GPX are automatically deduplicated WEATHER • Per-waypoint hourly forecast for the next 7 days (Open-Meteo, no API key) • Current conditions, pressure + humidity charts, sunrise / sunset / UV index • Fully localized: temperature units, condition labels, time-of-day follow your phone's language NAVIGATION & SHARING • Tap any waypoint to start navigation: dotted line, live distance + bearing, auto-stop on arrival • Full-screen compass mode for hands-free navigation • Send your live location as a one-tap link — opens in ApexGPS for recipients who have it, web map preview for everyone else DISTANCE MEASUREMENT • Tap to drop vertices; drag any vertex to refine; drag a midpoint handle to insert a new vertex • Total distance shown live in the stats bar MAP CONTROLS • Two-finger twist to rotate the map freely • Follow-me mode with screen-always-on during GPS tracking, plus a live stats bar: speed, elevation, distance SAMPLE HIKE • Load a real recording of the Watzmann Traverse (22.6 km, +2250 m) from Settings → Data and explore the app before your own first hike BACKUP & RESTORE • Export tracks, waypoints, saved map regions, and settings to a ZIP file • Restore on another phone with Merge (deduplicates) or Replace modes PRIVACY • All data stays on your device; location is never uploaded anywhere • Map tiles are fetched from public providers (OpenStreetMap, ESRI, Thunderforest) over anonymous HTTPS requests • No analytics, no tracking, no ad SDKs REQUIREMENTS • iPhone with iOS 17 or later • Location permission (optional — only needed for follow-me / recording) • No account, no sign-up Made in the UAE. Feedback welcome at sandwalker.one@proton.me.

mapper.one is a free, open-source field mapping app built for hikers, overlanders, and backcountry explorers. Standing on the shoulders of OpenStreetMap and the global open-data community. IMPORT YOUR MAPS Bring in routes from any source — GPX from Garmin or Strava, KML/KMZ from Google Earth or Avenza, and GeoJSON from any GIS tool. Every feature, waypoint, and track renders immediately on a full-screen map. OFFLINE-FIRST Download map tiles for any region before you leave signal. Saved tiles live in durable device storage so they survive cache pressure — your maps are there when the trail goes dark. RECORD YOUR ROUTE Hit record and mapper.one traces your path with timestamps and elevation data. Drop waypoints mid-trip with photos and notes — field markers that stay attached to the track. COMMUNITY LIBRARY Browse thousands of trails and overlanding roads contributed by the Adventure Collective and the open-data community. Filter by region, search by name, or let the app find routes near you. Download any route to your library with a single tap. SHARE WHAT YOU FIND Publish your recorded tracks to the community so others can follow in your footsteps. Open-source, open-access, community-first. Free forever. No ads. No subscriptions. No account required. Built with deep gratitude to OpenStreetMap contributors, the Leaflet project, and every surveyor and trailblazer who mapped the wild places before us.