# Polarsteps vs Raw Travel

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Raw Travel at none against Polarsteps's 3. Raw Travel also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Polarsteps's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (90% vs 67%). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Polarsteps ships an update every 4 days, Raw Travel every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polarsteps | Raw Travel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polarsteps/id947925763/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **89.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#56** | — |
| Size | 218 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Polarsteps B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/947925762) | [Sean McCann](https://appshunter.io/developer/1510379485) |

## What reviewers say

### Polarsteps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polarsteps/id947925763)

**Currently charting:** #56 Top Grossing · Travel (US App Store)

This travel app helps you plan, track, and share your journeys. Create custom itineraries, automatically record your routes, and turn your adventures into beautiful photo books. Keep friends and family updated on your travels in real-time.

**Highlights:** AI itinerary planner, Automatic route tracking, Photo and video capture, Trip sharing with friends and family, Printable travel books, Destination snapshots, Travel statistics

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Plus Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Plus Yearly | $44.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent app for travel blogging
- 👍 Easy to use and share with family/friends
- 🗺️ Great GPS tracking and map features
- 📷 Seamless photo/video integration
- 📚 Ability to create high-quality travel books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔄 Difficulty editing/rearranging photos and steps
- 🔋 Can be battery-intensive
- 🗺️ Inaccurate GPS tracking in some cases
- 🤖 Struggles with importing past trips and photos

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Raw Travel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raw-travel/id1510379486)

Navigate self-guided walking tours with detailed, step-by-step maps that show terrain and towns. Access your itinerary, accommodation details, and local points of interest with audio descriptions. Stay informed with localized weather and luggage transfer information, all available offline.

**Highlights:** Detailed step-by-step walking route maps, Offline access to maps and trip details, Accommodation details with contact information, Day-by-day itinerary with overviews, Audio descriptions for local points of interest, Localized weather reports, Map display options (Satellite, Terrain, Hybrid)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polarsteps free?

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

### Is Raw Travel free?

Raw Travel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Polarsteps or Raw Travel have ads?

Neither Polarsteps nor Raw Travel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Polarsteps or Raw Travel?

Polarsteps ships an update every 4 days, and Raw Travel every 6 weeks. Most recently, Polarsteps was updated on November 9, 2026 and Raw Travel on November 3, 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.*