Open GPX Tracker vs Garmin Explore™
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Open GPX Tracker
Record GPS tracks with waypoints and offline maps. This app offers privacy, no ads, and no in-app purchases. Ideal for travel, hiking, biking, and creating GPX data for mapping or app development.
- Create GPS traces with waypoints
- Offline map support
- Apple Watch App support
- Share and send GPX files
- Multiple map sources
- Add and edit waypoints
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Create GPS traces with waypoints. Offline map support, no time restrictions, no ads, no in-app-purchases, and all the data is private. Open GPX Tracker is ideal for: * Traveling and vacation (offline map app) * Collecting and sharing track and waypoints data. * Use it as your Camera GPS companion. * Keeping track of your hiking explorations and bike routes. * Creating routes and waypoints for editing Open Street Map. * Publishing Open Street Map Traces. * Creating real GPX files for testing your iOS apps in Xcode. Main Features: * Apple Watch App support * Offline maps of browsed areas * Load saved sessions and continue tracking * Auto recovery last session after crash or closing the app * Display tracking information in a map * Display speed, distance, coordinates and time * Use multiple map sources (Apple Maps, Open Street Maps, CartoDB, OpenTopoMaps, OpenSeaMaps) * Pause / Resume tracking * Add waypoint to user location * Add waypoint to any place in the map with a long press * Edit waypoint name * Drag & Drop waypoint pin * Remove waypoints * Share and send GPX files * Custom file naming All the tracked data is kept 100% private in your phone. No data is collected (Indeed, I don't want it at all). For all the details, please check the privacy policy link. Please note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Garmin Explore™
Navigate off-grid with this app, which pairs with a compatible Garmin device for trip planning, mapping, and navigation even without Wi-Fi or cellular service. Plan routes, download maps for offline use, and sync data to the cloud.
- Off-grid navigation
- Trip planning
- Offline map downloads
- Pair and sync with Garmin device
- Activity library
- Cloud storage
- LiveTrack location sharing
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OFF-GRID NAVIGATION When paired with your compatible Garmin device(1), the Garmin Explore app lets you use your mobile device for outdoor navigation, trip planning, mapping and more — with or without Wi-Fi® connectivity or cellular service. SEARCH TOOL Easily locate geographic points — such as trailheads or mountain summits — associated with your adventure. STREAMING MAPS For pre-trip planning, you can use the Garmin Explore app to stream maps when you’re within cellular or Wi-Fi range — saving valuable time as well as storage space on your mobile device. Download maps for offline use when venturing outside cellular range. PAIR, SYNC AND SHARE With Garmin Explore, you can pair your smartphone or tablet with your compatible Garmin device to sync and share data for off-grid adventures. Use downloadable maps for navigation anywhere. EASY TRIP PLANNING Plan your next trip by downloading maps and creating courses. Specify your start and finish points, and automatically create a course you can sync with your compatible Garmin device. ACTIVITY LIBRARY Under the Saved tab, review and edit your organized data, including your saved waypoints, tracks, courses and activities. See map thumbnails to easily recognize your trips. SAVED COLLECTIONS The collections list allows you to quickly find all data related to any trip — making it easy to sort and locate the course or location you’re looking for. CLOUD STORAGE The waypoints, courses and activities you’ve created will automatically sync to your Garmin Explore web account when you’re within cellular or Wi-Fi range, preserving your activity data with cloud storage. A Garmin account is required for storing your data in the cloud. LIVETRACK™ With the use of the LiveTrack™ feature, loved ones can follow your location in real time(2) and see data such as distance, time and elevation. What You Get with Garmin Explore • Unlimited map downloads; access topographic maps, USGS quad sheets and more • Aerial imagery • Waypoints, tracking and route navigation • High-detail GPS trip logging and location sharing • Unlimited cloud storage of routes, waypoints, tracks, and activities • Online trip planning 1. https://explore.garmin.com/appcompatibility 2. When used with your compatible smartphone, the Garmin Explore® app and your compatible inReach® technology-enabled Garmin device. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Garmin Explore™ at monthly against Open GPX Tracker's every 5 months. Garmin Explore™ also leads on chart position (#102 vs unranked) and ratings volume (1K vs 131). Open GPX Tracker's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 45%) and rating (4.3 vs 4.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Open GPX Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Explore™ has 1K ratings behind it against 131, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Open GPX Tracker's written reviews are positive against 45% of Garmin Explore™'s.
Open GPX Tracker ships an update every 5 months, Garmin Explore™ monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Open GPX Tracker | Garmin Explore™ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (131 ratings) — better | 4.1 (1K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 67.1% of reviews — better | 45.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 131 | 1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #102 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 18.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 449 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Juan Manuel Merlos | Garmin |
Customer experience
Open GPX Tracker
Garmin Explore™
User reviews
Open GPX Tracker
From 131 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple, intuitive, and clean user interface
- 💰 Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases
- 📍 Accurate GPS tracking and waypoint creation
- ⌚ Apple Watch integration for convenient tracking
- 🔋 Lightweight and battery-efficient operation
Room to improve
- 🐛 Files fail to save without error notification
- 🐛 App crashes when opening saved files folder
- 🐛 Data loss after app updates or crashes
- 🐛 Gaps in GPS recording data
- 🐛 App crashes when opening GPX files after inactivity
Garmin Explore™
From 1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent for planning routes and activities
- 💡 Great for offline navigation with downloaded maps
- 👍 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 👍 Useful for tracking and sharing adventures
Room to improve
- 🐛 Sync issues with Garmin devices
- 🔍 Lacking detailed map options in some regions
- 🔍 Confusing interface and terminology
- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🔒 Requires login and internet connection for full functionality
Bugs and requests
Open GPX Tracker
Reported bugs
13 issues- File save fails silently with long filenames or filepaths
- App crashes when accessing files folder from main screen
- GPX files lost after app updates or reinstallation
- Inconsistent file saving (fails approximately 1/3 of the time)
- App crashes when trying to open GPX files after period of inactivity
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- Duplicate or false track entries generated in exported files
- Decimal point missing in longitude coordinates
- App crashes when exporting via email
- GPX files not displaying on map after import
- App crashes or resets journey when returning to app
- Watch complication displays inconsistently
- Map does not follow user location during tracking
- App quits when phone is locked or closed
Requested features
18 requests- Auto-save functionality for tracking sessions
- Persistent notification when recording is active
- Ability to edit tracks before exporting
- Import custom geo-referenced map images
- Adjustable route color and line thickness
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- Topographical map layer option
- Offline cached maps for specific areas
- Bulk copy and delete operations for tracks
- Confirmation dialog for file deletion
- Customizable date/time format for filenames
- Automatic track upload to cloud services (Dropbox, iCloud)
- Jump-to feature for entering latitude/longitude coordinates
- Street names and speed limits on satellite maps
- Adjustable GPS data collection frequency
- Text-only display mode to save battery
- Progress bar for map loading
- Watch app map view for offline navigation
- Adjustable units (miles vs kilometers) based on region
Garmin Explore™
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sync failures between app and Garmin devices
- Disappearing or corrupted user data
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS/Android versions
- Unreliable offline map downloads
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to edit waypoint coordinates
- More customization options for map layers and displays
- Improved route planning and navigation features
- Better syncing and data management between app and devices
- Support for more Garmin device models
In-app purchases
Open GPX Tracker
No in-app purchases
Garmin Explore™
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Open GPX Tracker free?
Is Garmin Explore™ free?
Which has better reviews, Open GPX Tracker or Garmin Explore™?
Do Open GPX Tracker or Garmin Explore™ have ads?
Which is updated more often, Open GPX Tracker or Garmin Explore™?
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