Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Natural Atlas VS MAPS.ME

Compare Natural Atlas VS MAPS.ME and see what are their differences

Natural Atlas logo Natural Atlas

An evolving, nationwide map of the outdoors

MAPS.ME logo MAPS.ME

Fast, detailed and completely offline maps for mobile devices
  • Natural Atlas Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-10
  • MAPS.ME Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-13

Natural Atlas features and specs

  • Comprehensive Outdoor Mapping
    Natural Atlas provides detailed outdoor maps that include information on trails, campsites, and natural landmarks, making it a useful tool for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.
  • Community Contributions
    The platform allows users to contribute by adding photos, reviews, and notes, enhancing the richness and accuracy of the information provided.
  • Detailed Information
    Natural Atlas offers extensive details about flora, fauna, and geological features, which can be beneficial for educational purposes and for users with specific interests in nature.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The website and its mobile version are designed for ease of use, with intuitive navigation and a visually appealing presentation.

Possible disadvantages of Natural Atlas

  • Limited Coverage
    While Natural Atlas is growing, some areas may still lack extensive coverage or comprehensive data, particularly in less-traveled regions.
  • Subscription Costs
    To access all of Natural Atlas's premium features, users may need to subscribe, which could be a drawback for those who prefer free resources.
  • Reliance on User Contributions
    As with any community-driven platform, the quality and accuracy of some data can vary depending on user contributions.
  • Data Overlap with Other Services
    There are other mapping and outdoor adventure platforms that offer similar services, which might make it redundant for users who already use alternative solutions.

MAPS.ME features and specs

  • Offline Functionality
    MAPS.ME allows users to download maps and access them offline, making it highly useful in areas with poor or no internet connection.
  • Detailed Maps
    The app uses data from OpenStreetMap, which is known for its detailed and frequently updated mapping information.
  • Free to Use
    MAPS.ME is free to download and use, which makes it accessible to a broad audience without a financial barrier.
  • Routing and Navigation
    Provides turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, and cycling, complete with voice guidance.
  • Points of Interest
    Includes various points of interest such as restaurants, tourist attractions, and hotels, enhancing the travel experience.
  • Editable Maps
    Users can contribute to the maps through editing features, ensuring the most up-to-date information.

Possible disadvantages of MAPS.ME

  • Heavy Data Usage for Downloads
    Downloading maps for large areas can consume a significant amount of data, which may be an issue for users with limited data plans.
  • Battery Consumption
    Continuous use of GPS and navigation can lead to substantial battery drain, which can be problematic during long trips.
  • Limited Transit Information
    The app does not provide comprehensive public transportation data in all areas, limiting its usefulness for commuters relying on public transit.
  • Occasional Inaccuracies
    Despite frequent updates, the app can occasionally have outdated or incorrect information due to its reliance on community-driven data.
  • Advertisement Presence
    The presence of ads within the app can be intrusive and detract from the user experience.

Analysis of MAPS.ME

Overall verdict

  • Overall, MAPS.ME is considered a good choice for those who need reliable offline maps and detailed travel guides. However, users who rely heavily on live traffic updates or advanced navigation features might find other apps like Google Maps or Waze more suitable.

Why this product is good

  • MAPS.ME is appreciated for its offline capabilities, allowing users to download maps and use them without an internet connection. It's known for its detailed and up-to-date mapping data, ease of use, and the ability to search for places, routes, and points of interest offline. The app is also free, which makes it accessible to a wide audience.

Recommended for

    MAPS.ME is recommended for travelers, backpackers, and users in areas with limited internet connectivity who need offline access to detailed maps and routing. It's also a great option for those who enjoy hiking and outdoor activities since it includes trails and paths that aren't always found on other mapping services.

Natural Atlas videos

Natural Atlas in Topo Maps+

More videos:

  • Review - The Natural Atlas by Steve Squidoodle Turner | Book Flip Through

MAPS.ME videos

Maps.Me App Review

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Natural Atlas and MAPS.ME)
Travel & Location
20 20%
80% 80
Maps
5 5%
95% 95
Sport & Health
100 100%
0% 0
Web Mapping
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Natural Atlas and MAPS.ME. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Natural Atlas and MAPS.ME

Natural Atlas Reviews

We have no reviews of Natural Atlas yet.
Be the first one to post

MAPS.ME Reviews

Going Beyond: The Best Alternatives to Google Maps in 2024
Maps.Me is an excellent choice for travelers and wanderers who often find themselves in unfamiliar places. The app provides information on all the famous places in a city, such as tourist attractions, places to visit, and restaurants where you should try regional flavors. In addition, Maps.Me includes a comprehensive database of all tourist routes worldwide, regularly...
Source: stratoflow.com
Top 15 Google Maps Alternatives (2024 Edition)
Maps.me is an open-source mobile-only service and an excellent alternative to Google Maps. It uses the OpenStreetMap database and helps you download maps to use them offline. Therefore, you can save a lot on your mobile data if you use this service.
9 Google Maps Alternatives to Use in 2022
Available both; as an app and a website, Maps.Me offers all the important features you want in a decent mapping service; traffic info, public transport, cycling navigation, anything you can think of. Just like Google, it allows you to download the maps for later use if you are in a poor network area. This is a nice perk to have, especially when you are exploring a new city...
Source: geekflare.com
The Best 5 Google Maps Alternatives With Offline Maps Support
MAPS.ME is available free of charge on both iPhone and Android.OsmAnd MapsJust like MAPS.ME, OsmAnd was built with offline maps in mind, but as an extra, it also comes with support for CarPlay, so it can work on your car’s display as well.
Google maps is a paid service. What are the alternatives?
Maps.me is one of the leading mappings in writing services available for mobile applications. The greatest USP for this location-based services is its ability to render information while the device is out of network or off-line due to some reason. It is kind of public initiative that is based on the crowd-created database of streets and other features of the mapping data....

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MAPS.ME seems to be a lot more popular than Natural Atlas. While we know about 187 links to MAPS.ME, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Natural Atlas. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Natural Atlas mentions (3)

  • Show HN: I made an offline-ready hiking trail companion app
    I highly suggest checking out Natural Atlas (https://naturalatlas.com/) by the same small team who made the CoTrex app (https://trails.colorado.gov/) for Colorado Parks and Wildflife. A really fantastic team building some absolutely gorgeous topographic basemaps from publicly available data. Hopefully they'll find time to add a slope angle overlay at some point. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Going on a 2 week camping trip, can't download maps offline. Cool.
    I highly suggest Natural Atlas. The cartography is impeccable and they’ve been adding features over the last year. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Anyone know if there is some kind of public trail that leads to the top of this cliff? This was taken off 386 between hendersonville and gallatin.
    Try a recreational-themed map like naturalatlas.com. They will list most all known trails. Source: about 4 years ago

MAPS.ME mentions (187)

  • ha giang loop 3 days
    Bring your ID card or Passport Bring any type of medicine for preventing insects and common diseases; bring your toothbrush, toothpaste and towel Bring enough clothes Trainers or boots, an offline Google/http://Maps.Me app or a paper map Sufficient cash are suggested. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Install maps.me on ios 12
    I am trying to install the application maps.me to have better navigation on my iphone 6 running ios 12. I tried to use checkmate store + adowngrader without any luck. I was thinking about sideloading a older version of that app. Can anyone help me? Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Maps.me/offline map apps?
    I've downloaded maps.me to try. I don't have to have offline navigation but the marking and categorization of those marks is an absolute must. However, I noticed that I can't sync across devices with this one either. I've created a login through my Apple ID but haven't paid for any of the tiers. Does this app not support syncing across devices or do I have to pay for that feature? Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Solar Storm
    GPS and cell outages: Buy a Road Atlas for your State, and practice using it to plan a trip. Also download an offline map app for your phone, i.e. maps.me or Osmand. Most will let you download a certain number of maps to your phone for free. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • What do you guys think about the new Sony Walkman?
    I was reluctant to go the Android route with an audio player because it felt a bit pointless and just like having a smartphone, but I read that the screen is quite small, the system's performance is severely restrained and oriented towards audio processing, and you can remove practically every thing that comes with Android. I don't intend to use its other apps because I'd hate anything calling my attention when... Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Natural Atlas and MAPS.ME, you can also consider the following products

AllTrails - Explore over 50,000 trails, reviews, and photos. Share them…

Google Maps - Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

Gaia GPS - Trail maps for all your adventures

OsmAnd - Global mobile map viewing and navigation for online and offline OSM maps

The Outbound - Discover & Share New Outdoor Adventures

Waze - Waze is the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app. Join other drivers in your area who share real-time traffic and road info, saving everyone time and gas money on their daily commute.