# Polarsteps vs PIB

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PIB at none against Polarsteps's 3. PIB also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Polarsteps's advantage is ratings volume (10K vs 1) and chart position (#58 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Polarsteps against 5.0 for PIB. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Polarsteps has 10K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Polarsteps ships an update every 4 days, PIB weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polarsteps | PIB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polarsteps/id947925763/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pib-places-ive-been/id6772883705/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 89.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#58** | — |
| Size | 219 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Polarsteps B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/947925762) | [Casey Olayos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439945946) |

## What reviewers say

### Polarsteps

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

**Currently charting:** #58 Top Grossing · Travel (US App Store)

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:** 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


### PIB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pib-places-ive-been/id6772883705)

This app lets you collect digital stamps by checking into real-world locations like parks, stadiums, and restaurants. Build a personalized map of your travels and discover new places with rarity-based suggestions.

**Highlights:** Check into real-world locations, Collect digital stamps with rarity tiers, Build a personalized travel map, Discover nearby places by rarity, Complete curated collections (e.g., National Parks, Stadiums), Earn XP and level up your Explorer rank, Receive exclusive business perks and rewards

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polarsteps free?

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

### Is PIB free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Polarsteps or PIB?

PIB is rated higher. Polarsteps averages 4.9 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while PIB averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Polarsteps or PIB have ads?

Neither Polarsteps nor PIB shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Polarsteps or PIB?

Polarsteps ships an update every 4 days, and PIB weekly. Most recently, Polarsteps was updated on November 5, 2026 and PIB on October 31, 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.*