Want to know the best tools for planning your next hikes and accompanying you on your walks? Here are our top 6 hiking apps!
Hiking is the ideal way to combine the pleasures of a walk with those of a sporting activity. There are hundreds of thousands of itineraries to choose from, offering you the chance to clear your mind, take in sumptuous scenery and enjoy yourself.
From the majestic high mountains to the gentle Mediterranean coast, from the rich valleys to the oceanic lands… It’s sometimes difficult to find the nearest, easiest and most suitable hike!
But with the rise of mobile apps, you can now be guided and accompanied on your next outing by apps dedicated to hiking. To help you find your way around, we’ve selected our 6 best hiking apps!
1. Alltrails
- 👍 The multitude of trails on offer and the many free features
- 👎 Offline mode only available in pro version
The first app we recommend is Alltrails, undeniably THE best hiking app on the market! It offers directions to over 200,000 hikes and mountain bike routes – worldwide, including over 20,000 in France – thanks to carefully selected trail maps, as well as reviews, opinions and photos provided by millions of community hikers.
With Alltrails, you’ll be able to select the hike that’s right for you and your fitness level! The application lets you filter your search to find the trail best suited to your needs (number of km, altitude difference, duration). To put you in the best possible condition before setting off, Alltrails provides you with GPS maps and topo-guides. Other features include a GPS activity tracker (a must if you don’t want to get lost), your hiking statistics, detailed GPS itineraries for direct access to trailheads, adventure recording and saving of your favorite hikes.
Price: all the above features are available in the free version. There is also a pro version, which gives access to additional features such as offline mode or real-time maps (with details of air quality, satellite weather or pollen count in the area). The price is €29.99 / year, or €59.99 / 3 years.
2. Visorando
Photo credit: App Store
- 👍 Its database and numerous itineraries in France
- 👎 ING maps are only available in the paid version
Visorando is also one of the best hiking applications on the French market. Thanks to its extensive database, you have access to over 20,000 varied, high-quality hiking itineraries, both in France and abroad. What’s more, the app also supports other activities such as mountain biking and skiing.
So, when you choose a route, you’ll be able to obtain information such as the duration of the hike, the number of kilometers and the altitude difference. The hike descriptions are often very detailed, as each route is checked by a team of moderators before being published, and community members can also add details by adding photos or reviews, for example. The Visorando application also gives you access to features such as location, so you can check your exact position on the type of map you’ve chosen (IGN or OpenStreetMap).
Price: a free version is available. However, ING cards are only available free of charge for a period of 3 days. Beyond that, you’ll need to take out a quarterly(11.99€) or annual(18.99€) subscription.
3. Decathlon outdoor: the free hiking app
- 👍 The possibility of downloading the circuit to consult it without a network
- 👎 Bugs on some phones
The Decathlon Outdoor application gives you access to thousands of itineraries in an intuitive and fun way. You’ll find hiking trails all over France, created by users, verified by Decathlon professionals and rated by the community. You can also filter your search by selecting the mode of travel, duration and difficulty of the circuit.
Another plus point is that the hikes are all extremely detailed. So, before you set off, you’ll have access to the duration, difficulty, distance and even a detailed description of your walk, as well as a photo to let you know what’s in store. What’s more, Decathlon Outdoor lets you download your tour before you set off.
As well as saving battery power, you can enjoy your ride 100% and take great photos! Detailed, interactive maps and audio and visual guidance keep you on the move in complete safety. Last but not least, Decathlon Outdoor is connected to the Decath Club app. Every time you go for a walk, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for rewards such as gift cards, free delivery, gym memberships, etc.
In terms of price, the application and access to all its functions are 100% free.
4. Whympr
Photo credit: App Store
- 👍 Active community and ease of use
- 👎 Search function not yet optimized enough
Whympr is a community application for hikers, climbers, ski tourers and mountaineers. It’s a comprehensive application that provides everything you need to enjoy the pleasures of the mountains. You’ll find topographical maps and descriptions for over 60,000 routes worldwide.
You also have access to your logbook and to feedback from the community to help you prepare your next outings. But that’s not all: the app also lets you save your outings and locate yourself on the map, so you can easily find your way around the mountains. All these features make Whympr one of the best hiking apps on the market!
Price: most of the above features are available in the free version. There is also a paid version that gives access to the full application, with features such as offline mode, summit weather and GPS tracker. The price is €19.99 / 3 months or €29.99 / year.
5. Wikiloc
Photo credit: App Store
- 👍 It’s the community that suggests the routes
- 👎 The maps are not complete enough
Thanks to the Wikiloc application, you can discover millions of itineraries all over the world! In fact, unlike the applications described above, here it’s the users who propose the itineraries. So you can create your own itinerary by adding photos and information, which you then share with the rest of the community.
The number of itineraries increases as the community grows, making it one of the best hiking apps on the market. You can also access other data, such as the length of the hike, the altitude difference and the time taken by the person who created the route.
Pricing: the features described above are available in the free version. There’s also a premium version that gives you access to additional features such as a GPS navigator, position sharing, weather forecasts and search filters. You can try out the premium version for free for 14 days, then pay €9 / year.
6. Outdooractive
Photo credit: App Store
- 👍 The maps, which are complete, precise and practical
- 👎 The number of routes in France
Outdooractive is an application dedicated to outdoor activities and hiking. It offers thousands of hiking itineraries worldwide. It also offers routes for horseback riding, skiing and cycling, making it one of the best apps for outdoor activities!
Thanks to a large library of itineraries, you’ll be able to find the ideal trail for your next outing. Routes are supplied with full details (on number of km, duration, altitude difference…), photos and nearby points of interest. You can also plan your routes by creating your own circuit, based on your own criteria, which you can share with the rest of the community. But the real plus of this application lies in its maps, which are highly accurate and of excellent quality.
Price: the above features are available in the free version. There’s also a pro version that lets you use the app in offline mode, access satellite images or the Outdooractive map with all trail networks. But there’s also a pro + version that includes official maps from alpine clubs, premium maps from KOMPASS and hiking guides. You can try out these features for free for 30 days, then pay €29.99 / year for the pro version and €59.99 / year for the pro + version.