Comparison

Polarsteps vs Ciela Village

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

Head to head
About

Polarsteps

This travel app helps you plan, track, and share your journeys. Automatically record your routes, add photos and stories, and create beautiful digital memories or printed books. Keep friends and family updated on your adventures.

Highlights
  • AI itinerary planner
  • Automatic route tracking
  • Photo and video capture
  • Trip sharing with friends and family
  • Digital memory creation
  • Printed travel books
Features
Read full description

Join 23M+ travelers using Polarsteps as their all-in-one travel app. Build unique itineraries with the travel planner, let the travel tracker record your route, share the journey with friends and family, and turn it into a photo book to relive later. Whether it's a six-month trip or a weekend canoeing close to home, Polarsteps is here to capture and share your journey as it unfolds. Awards ■ Top 26 Apps — Apple App Store (2026) ■ Top 3 Travel Apps — Apple App Store (2026) ■ App of the Day — Apple App Store (2025) PLAN ■ AI itinerary planner: Create a personalized adventure based on past trips or current goals. ■ Destination snapshots: Get a quick overview of each place, why it fits your travel style, and which friends have already been there. ■ Trip details: Add notes, accommodation details, and must-see spots and activities. ■ Transport planner: Choose how you'll get from A to B for every leg of the trip. ■ Inspiration: Follow other explorers, see where they went, and get ideas for your own trips. TRACK ■ Automatic route tracking: Accurately track the route you took on a beautiful digital world map. ■ Travel Buddies: Invite friends to track trips together. ■ Capture the adventure: Add photos, videos, and stories to each step to bring your journey to life. ■ Travel stats: See how much of the world you’ve traveled, with your total of countries visited, distances covered, and more. ■ Top spots: Add your favorite places and activities so they’re part of your story. ■ Transport mode: Select how you got from place to place, whether by plane, train, or even tuk tuk. SHARE ■ Trip updates: Share your journey so friends and family can follow along from anywhere, seeing where you are and what you’ve been up to. ■ Traveler tips: Leave suggestions for other travelers on what to see and do. ■ Privacy controls: Decide who sees your adventures: everyone, followers only, or you only. RELIVE ■ Digital memories: Scroll through the places, photos, stories, and stats you’ve captured across all your trips. ■ Trip Reels: With the press of a button, transform your trip into a memorable video (also perfect to share on socials). ■ Travel Books: Turn your trip into a beautifully printed Travel Book that showcases your route and memories. WHAT OUR USERS SAY: “Love this app! It tracks me on my vacation and provides real-time notifications to friends and family of my trip. At the end, I ordered a Travel Book of my photos which is very high quality.” “The Polarsteps app is great. I am totally addicted. It is so nice to keep up with all your travels. And friends and family can follow you wherever you go. The Travel Book, which you can order afterwards, is of very good quality.” “I’ve been using this app for years now. It’s always been good and it keeps getting better.” WHAT THE PRESS ARE SAYING ABOUT POLARSTEPS “The Polarsteps app replaces your travel journal, making it easier and more beautiful.” - National Geographic “Polarsteps helps you track and share your journeys in an easy and visually appealing way” - The Next Web “Polarsteps’ resulting travel log is impressive, and is the source of a severe case of itchy feet in your correspondent.” - TechCrunch

About

Ciela Village

Discover and book stays at beautiful campsites nestled in natural landscapes. Plan your activities, manage bookings, and access exclusive offers before, during, and after your trip. Enjoy a seamless holiday experience with practical information and local tips.

Highlights
  • Discover and book campsites
  • Create activity programs
  • Packing checklists
  • View entertainment schedules
  • Book additional services
  • Access special offers
  • View booking history
Features
Read full description

1) Haven’t booked your holiday yet? Use the Ciela Village app to discover all our campsites, immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of each site, choose a holiday to suit your tastes and book your stay directly from your smartphone in just a few clicks. Our campsites are all located in areas of outstanding natural beauty. True holiday destinations where you can play the sports you love, enjoy the fresh air and beautiful landscapes, splash around in our pool complexes, relax in our modern rentals or pitches and enjoy the fun and friendly atmosphere created by our teams for children and adults alike. 2) Already booked your holiday? Create your own activity programme using our tool which will be your holiday companion during your stay. This little wealth of practical information will make day-to-day life easier throughout your stay. You will be able to: Before your stay - Pack your bags with peace of mind using our check-list, - View our entertainment programmes and plan an activity schedule for your whole family in real time, - Access all the information you may need for your camping holiday in just a few clicks, - Choose from our latest services and offers for an unforgettable holiday. During your stay - Book an additional service in just a few clicks (baby pack, bed linen, etc.), - Manage your holiday from your phone without having to move an inch, - Take full advantage of our special offers and reduced rates from the palm of your hand, - Learn some of our tricks and tips, discover our hidden secrets and our ideas for sporting, cultural, festive, gastronomical or relaxing excursions, - Experience unforgettable moments on your holiday with us and share your experience after watching the entertainment. After your stay - Discover our other campsites and keep up to date with all our latest news - View your booking history and book your next holiday adventure in just one click. Because holidays are too precious to be left to chance, we take good care of you before, during and after your visit to our campsites. The ‘Ciel’Attitude’, or the art of freeing your mind to ensure you get the very most out of your holiday! Download the app free-of-charge

Screenshots

Polarsteps4 screens
Ciela Village4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Polarsteps at 90% against Ciela Village's 50%. Polarsteps also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#60 vs unranked). Ciela Village's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Polarsteps sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Ciela Village asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Polarsteps ships an update every 4 days, Ciela Village every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Polarsteps versus Ciela Village: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPolarstepsCiela Village
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (10K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews89.8% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings10K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#60 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size219 MB49 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPolarsteps B.V.Groupe GB

Customer experience

Polarsteps

All ratings10,090 ratings
Positive97.8%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews2,330 reviews
Positive89.8%
Neutral3.9%
Negative6.3%

Ciela Village

Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Polarsteps

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Trouble uploading videos
  • Incorrect time zone and location tracking
  • Steps and photos randomly disappearing
  • Crashes and freezes during usage

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to collaborate on trips with others
  • Option to customize page layouts for travel books
  • Improved video support and integration
  • More flexible map and route editing tools
  • Synchronization across multiple devices

Ciela Village

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Polarsteps

Subscriptions3
  • Plus Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Plus Yearly$34.991 Year
  • Plus Yearly$44.991 Year
None

Ciela Village

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Polarsteps free?
Polarsteps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ciela Village free?
Ciela Village is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Polarsteps or Ciela Village have ads?
Neither Polarsteps nor Ciela Village shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Polarsteps or Ciela Village?
Polarsteps ships an update every 4 days, and Ciela Village every 3 weeks. Most recently, Polarsteps was updated on November 3, 2026 and Ciela Village on November 3, 2026.

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