The 12 best hiking apps: from Komoot to OsmAnd

Today, going hiking without an app is a bit like driving without GPS. A hiking app transforms your smartphone into a true navigation tool: routes, track your progress, elevation gain, weather... everything fits in your pocket.

At Boutique Randonnée , we love useful technology, but we also know that it works even better with the right equipment: sports watches and lightweight backpacks .

What is a hiking app?

It's the outdoor equivalent of Waze:
It guides you on the trails, records your outings, helps you plan your routes and discover new itineraries.

Even though digital tools are convenient, always keep a hiking compass or map as a backup.

1. Komoot – The versatile benchmark

Ideal for planning your hikes, bike rides or mountain biking trips.
Filtering by difficulty, distance and terrain type.

Key features:

• Compatible with smartwatches

• Voice navigation

• Creating custom itineraries

Perfect with a GPS hiking watch to track your route without looking at your phone.

2. NodeMapp – The node point specialist

Simple and clear, ideal for adapting your route along the way.

3. Strava – For hikers who love stats

Performance tracking, graphs and social motivation.

4. Maps.me – The king of offline

Downloadable detailed maps, perfect for areas without network coverage.
Essential for trips with your camping equipment .

5. OutdoorActive – Simple Planning

Route planning + practical filters.

6. AllTrails – Wide selection of routes

Numerous filters: family, dogs, difficulty, user reviews.

7. Wikiloc – The hiking community

Thousands of routes shared by other walkers.

8. RouteYou – Full Navigation

Voice navigation + QR code to import routes.

9. OsmAnd – Ultra-comprehensive for experts

Very powerful, with numerous technical functions and offline maps.

10. Garmin Explore – For Garmin users

Perfect for syncing your routes with your hiking GPS.

11. Topo GPS – Detailed topographic maps

Transforms your phone into a true GPS topographic map.

12. Guru Maps – The Offline Explorer

Advanced offline navigation, ideal for remote areas.

Essential tip: think about your battery

GPS applications consume a lot of energy.
For hikes longer than 3 hours, an external hiking battery is essential.

Application or dedicated GPS?

For long hikes or trekking, a hiking GPS or a sports watch with navigation remains more reliable, more robust and more autonomous than a smartphone.

Which app should I choose?

Our experts particularly appreciate Komoot for its simplicity and versatility. But the choice depends on your needs: performance, discovery, offline use, or advanced planning.

Find all the equipment you need to accompany your hiking apps at Boutique Randonnée .