Comparison

Mapstr vs guidepal

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

Head to head
About

Mapstr

Save and organize all your favorite places worldwide, from restaurants to hidden gems. Discover new spots through recommendations from friends and trusted sources, and easily share your own curated maps.

Highlights
  • One-tap place saving
  • Unlimited color and tag organization
  • Import existing map lists
  • Personal notes, ratings, and photos
  • Follow trusted users and influencers
  • Shareable map links
  • Private by default
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Never lose a place – always know where to go. Mapstr allows you to save every spot you love anywhere in the world and shows trusted recommendations from friends, pros and influencers, right when you need them. —— A STORY YOU KNOW —— You spot an incredible bakery, hear rave reviews about a hidden jazz bar, promise you’ll remember… and two weeks later it’s gone. Screenshots multiply, notes pile up, Google stars blur together, anonymous reviews feel useless. Mapstr ends the chaos: one tap to save, tag, colour-code and—when friends ask—share a link they can open in any browser, no app required. —— SAVE, ORGANISE, (RE)DISCOVER —— * One-tap pins for cafés, shops, hikes—whatever catches your eye * Unlimited colours & tags to surface “Sushi”, “Sunset spot”, “For a date”, etc. in seconds * Import Google Maps, CSV or KML lists - if you don’t want to start from zero * Personal notes, ratings and photos; mark places “To try” or “Tried” to track memories * Follow the voices you trust: friends, favourite chefs, magazines, local creators * Merge their maps with yours to uncover hidden gems in 190 + countries * Share your map with a simple link, viewable in any browser, no app needed * Full control: flip your entire map to private, or hide individual pins on your public map * Private by default: your notes, ratings and pictures are only visible to your followers * Custom places you create (like this cute secret beach) stay only on your map and never enter mapstr’s global database * 100 % EU servers, GDPR-first, zero ad-tracking —— MAPSTR PLUS — 7-DAY FREE TRIAL, CANCEL ANYTIME —— Unlock extra power for map addicts and frequent travellers: * Unlimited places * Bulk edits for lightning-fast management * Smart Search: AI suggestions by mood, budget or diet to find any spot you want in the world * Real-time table filter: see restaurants with free tables for your date, time and party size, then book in two taps * Visits journal to relive every trip or every meal * Proximity alerts so you never walk past a saved gem again * Multi-map overlay for instant recs from the maps you follow * AI matching algorithm to get 100% personalized recommendations tailored on your tastes * Desktop web version for big-screen planning * Invitations to soft openings and special events (Paris-only for now) —— WHY MAPSTR? —— * Memory saver: pins replace screenshots and scattered notes forever * Personal compass: maps mirror your unique taste, not algorithmic hype * Trusted network: no anonymous reviews—only voices you choose * Fair freemium: core features stay free; go even further with personalized recommendations and map management with mapstr plus * Built in Europe: GDPR compliant, EU servers, no ads, no data sales —— PRIVACY & SUPPORT —— We never sell your data. Ever. Need help or have an idea? Email hello@mapstr.com—real humans answer fast. Download Mapstr today and defeat address amnesia while discovering new places from the people who matter to you most.

About

guidepal

This app acts as a personal local guide, understanding your requests and plans to provide tailored recommendations and itineraries. It organizes travel details, offers daily briefings, and helps you discover places worth visiting.

Highlights
  • AI-powered conversational planning
  • Automated itinerary generation
  • Daily weather and news briefings
  • Booking confirmation organization
  • Personalized local recommendations
  • Saved places atlas
Features
Read full description

GuidePal is a local friend everywhere you go. Tell it what you want, forward the confirmation email, and let it sort out the rest — then wake up knowing exactly what today looks like. JUST ASK Talk to GuidePal like a person. "Find me a cozy coffee place." "What's worth doing this afternoon?" It knows where you are and what you've planned, and answers out loud or in chat — no endless scrolling, no seventeen open tabs. EVERY MORNING, ALREADY BRIEFED Each morning GuidePal reads your itinerary, checks the weather and skims the local news, then tells you how today will go — in a few lines, or a 40-second listen. EVERY DETAIL. ONE JOURNEY. Say "a long weekend in Stockholm with my kids" and GuidePal drafts the itinerary. Every day, every stay, every flight — on one timeline and one map, with a checklist and notes for everything else. BOOKINGS, WITHOUT THE BOOKING BRAIN Upload a confirmation or drop a PDF into chat. GuidePal reads the fine print, shows you what it will add, and files flights, hotels and car rentals into the right trip. Your tickets live in Trip Docs, ready when the gate agent asks. PLACES WORTH STOPPING FOR Nearby picks based on the time, the weather and your plans. Swipe through photos, ratings and opening hours, get directions in one tap, and save anything that catches your eye. KEEP WHAT YOU LOVE Every place you save turns into your own atlas, grouped by city — there next time you're nearby. No spreadsheet required. GUIDEPAL PRO Some features need a GuidePal Pro subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.guidepal.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.guidepal.com/privacy

Screenshots

Mapstr4 screens
guidepal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Mapstr at 2.6K against guidepal's 16. Mapstr also leads on chart position (#69 vs unranked). guidepal's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Mapstr sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and guidepal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

guidepal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mapstr has 2.6K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mapstr ships an update monthly, guidepal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Mapstr versus guidepal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMapstrguidepal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.6K ratings)5.0 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.6K — better16
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
Best chart rank#69 — better—
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size192 MB103 MB
Age rating+412+
DeveloperHulabGuidepal AB

Customer experience

Mapstr

All ratings2,606 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews536 reviews
Positive60.3%
Neutral6.3%
Negative33.4%

guidepal

All ratings16 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Mapstr

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch for some users
  • Locations not showing up correctly on the map
  • Inability to access saved data after subscription change

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to add notes and photos for each location
  • Option to create multiple maps or organize by city
  • Offline access and map downloads
  • Integration with other services like Yelp
  • Ability to change icon colors

guidepal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Mapstr

Subscriptions9
  • mapstr plus$5.991 Month
  • mapstr plus - Monthly7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Mapstr plus monthly7 Days trial$8.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Mapstr plus monthly$8.991 Month
  • Yearly membership7 Days trial$32.991 Year
  • mapstr plus - yearly$59.901 Year
  • mapstr plus - yearly7 Days trial$59.901 Year
  • mapstr plus - Yearly2 Months trial$59.991 Year
  • mapstr plus yearly$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • My Secret NYFree
3 purchases

guidepal

Subscriptions2
  • Guidepal Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Guidepal Pro Annual3 Days trial$69.991 Year
One-time1
  • The complete guide$1.99

Questions

Is Mapstr free?
Mapstr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is guidepal free?
guidepal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mapstr or guidepal?
guidepal is rated higher. Mapstr averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while guidepal averages 5.0 from 16 ratings.
Do Mapstr or guidepal have ads?
Neither Mapstr nor guidepal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mapstr or guidepal?
Mapstr ships an update monthly, and guidepal every 2 months. Most recently, Mapstr was updated on November 1, 2026 and guidepal on October 30, 2026.

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