In 2025, hiking has become the most common past time for people coming out from the pandemic and seeking more connection with nature.

At one point, US National parks logged more than 300 million visits in one season.

Across the world there’s also been a rise in bushwalkers in Australia; newbie tourists trekkers as well as series of hiking mishaps and deaths especially in Hong Kong as people come in clueless and unprepared.

Embarrassingly, I use to carry the same “naive optimism” when approaching trails.

It was some time in 2014 before phones had maps and I usually relied on paper trails left by some kind hikers or followed whoever that I met on the trail.

using the alltrails+ on some of my hikes

This resulted in me trying to play catch up, not being able to enjoy the outdoors at my own pace and frantically wondering if I’ll get lost the whole time. It was so stressful!

Yeah, it was not great but now things have changed. I started with Maps.Me and now have upgraded to a simple yet robust maps system and that’s AllTrails+.

But is upgrading to AllTrails+ (or Pro) really worth it? Here’s my honest review.

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What is AllTrails+ (previously known as AllTrails Pro)?

With more than 75 million trail-goers, AllTrails has become a go-to trusty app for newbie hikers and explorers to help them discover new places, and elevate their experiences on the trail.

AllTrails+ is the paid version of AllTrails — previously known as AllTrails Pro.

There are currently more than 460,000 curated trails around the world, plus detailed reviews and inspiration from other hikers.

I don’t think there’s a more popular app for hiking than AllTrails — the reviews are up-to-date, you can find detailed trail maps, difficulty ratings, and even user-uploaded photos to get a real sense of what to expect.

Get AllTrails+

The Best Features That Nails It For Me: Offline Parks

Considering how shockingly cheap it is ($29.99) a year, you get access to offline maps. That on its own should cost more.

With Offline parks, a single park download includes:

A full park map and routes for all of its trails
Reviews and recent photos of the park shared by visitors
Trail recommendations and guidance from experts, community members, and park officials
Essential park information like hours and fees

My battery tends to drain when I use offline maps so I make sure to download it beforehand and keep it on Airplane mode.

Honestly speaking, the offline mode feature is a true game-changer when you’re out of coverage in the middle of nowhere.

It’s peace of mind knowing you won’t get lost, and for such an affordable price, it’s hard to find a better value for outdoor enthusiasts.

The Second Best Feature: Live Sharing

If you’re worried about your safety or your parents can’t keep calm for the fact that you’re hiking solo in the wilderness, this live sharing feature helps a lot.

I think it is pretty damn cool that anyone with your unique Live Share URL will be able to view your real-time location and activity stats while you're actively recording on the AllTrails app.

Other Features Which Are Worth It IMHO

There are features which I think are super useful and much welcomed

Wrong-Turn Alerts: It was always Garmin or those $2k fancy watches which had this feature but now you don’t even need to keep looking at your phone. The app pings you if you veer off path.
3D Maps: The 3D map feature has been super useful on terrains where I feel it looks treacherous or a bit too crazy. You get a feel of the terrain and elevation before you start by viewing the trail map in 3D. This helps in known all the peaks and valleys you’ll be attempting before you hit the trail.
Advanced Conditions: With Advanced Conditions, you can check the temperature along the trail, ground conditions, and mosquito activity before you go.
Trail Previews: Hitting the trail previews has been addictive as I replay and am able to get an immersive preview of any trail like the terrain and elevation at specific points.

How Does AllTrails Fare In Comparison With Komoot, Gaia GPS and Other Hiking Apps?

I’ll be honest and say AllTrails+ is simplistic and does the job but sometimes that is enough if you’re someone who just wants to get out there and hike.

But if you want more layers to your planning especially things like campsites, water sources, and hard-to-find approaches and descents with 100% more accuracy then Gaia GPS may be worth it. It is built more for the serious hiker or mountaineers in mind.

For those who want more versatility especially if you’re cycling or running, than Komoot wins in this department.

The bottom line is that: If you’re a casual hiker, AllTrails+ is the easiest and most affordable option. For advanced adventures, Gaia GPS and Komoot might be better suited. It all depends on what you need for your trips!

My Overall Experience of AllTrails+

I have not used AllTrails+ for multi-day hikes and this is where I have yet to test it out fully. But for long day-hikes in Europe and Asia, I have successfully used it with no problems.

The fact there are reviews, and pictures which are regularly updated and more accessible also makes it better to plan your hike accordingly.

Have you used AllTrails? Share with me your experiences and tell me if it is worth it in the comments below!

Gear

Is AllTrails+ (Pro) Worth It? Maybe, It Depends On How You Hike