Source-backed analysis7
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
7 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 11, 2026
How we review
Polarsteps Review
Travel journal that logs your route, with printed photo books
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- iOS
- Android
- Web
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Polarsteps suits travelers who want to record and share trips with friends and family for free, since the free tier covers the core. Its planning and booking side is shallower than dedicated itinerary apps, and Plus mostly adds presentation features.
Best for: Long-trip travelers who want friends and family to follow along on a map
Skip it if: Anyone who needs detailed hour-by-hour itineraries, booking-email parsing or in-app booking
Pros
- The free tier includes the core features, and the company says the app is ad-free
- Automatic route tracking, which the company says typically uses under 4% battery per day
- Three trip visibility levels: only you, followers or public
Cons
- Plus has no free trial, and the monthly plan has no Travel Book discount
- Some App Store reviewers ask for more Travel Book layout control, better route accuracy and more reliable sync
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- High store ratings on both the App Store (4.9) and Google Play (4.7)
- Privacy notice states personal data is not sold
Cons
- A shared Secret Link cannot be reset, only blocked by changing the trip's visibility
Best for
- People who want to turn photos and stories into a printed book after the trip
Skip it if
- People who do not want their location and photos stored on a third-party cloud service
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
What Polarsteps is
Polarsteps is a travel app from Polarsteps B.V. (Amsterdam, Netherlands), founded in 2015. It logs your route via location, lets you attach photos, videos and stories to each step, and builds a trip map that friends and family can follow. The homepage claims more than 23 million users, while a July 2026 press post cites over 20 million.
Key features
Per the Google Play listing and homepage, the app has four parts: plan (AI itinerary planner, notes, stays, transport), track (automatic route, Travel Buddies, stats), share (updates for followers, tips for other travelers) and relive (Trip Reels videos, printed Travel Books). The company says tracking continues offline.
Pricing and value
The company says the core stays free. Polarsteps Plus launched on 14 July 2026 at €8.99 per month or €29.99 per year, adding 3D maps, map styles, step stats, play mode and up to 10 Travel Buddies (5 on free). Only the yearly plan gets 20% off Travel Books. The US App Store lists $9.99 per month and yearly plans from $34.99. There is no free trial.
More analysis
Versus alternatives
Polarsteps leans toward journaling and sharing rather than detailed planning. For group itineraries on a shared map, Wanderlog is a different approach; for turning booking emails into an itinerary, TripIt is a closer fit. Privacy-minded users should read how trip sharing works and the list of data processors.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 11, 2026
Free
PersonalFree
Plan, track, relive and follow trips, with up to 5 Travel Buddies.
Plus Monthly
Personal€8.99/mo
€8.99 per month. Adds 3D maps, extra map styles, step stats, play mode and up to 10 Travel Buddies. No Travel Book discount.
Plus Yearly
Personal€2.50/mo
€29.99 per year (about €2.50 per month). Same features as monthly, plus 20% off Travel Books while the subscription is active. Prices may vary by region.
- Free plan limits
- The free version keeps the core features: planning, route tracking, sharing and reliving trips. The company says the app is ad-free. Printed Travel Books are sold separately.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
The Plus page states there is no free trial. After cancelling, Plus features remain until the end of the current billing period; fees for the rest of the period are non-refundable unless applicable law requires otherwise.
Privacy
Per the privacy notice (last modified 1 October 2026), Polarsteps B.V. is the data controller and says it does not sell personal data or share it for targeted advertising. Automatic route tracking requires consent and can be switched off per trip; uploaded photos may carry geolocation that the app reads to show where they were taken. Trips default to followers only, with "Only me", "Followers" and "Everyone" options. A Secret Link lets anyone holding it view a trip; the notice says it cannot be reset, and the only way to stop it is to set the trip to "Only me" or Travel Buddies. Processors include AWS, RevenueCat and Anthropic (for the AI Trip Planner and booking-email extraction). Personal data is deleted 30 days after account deletion; data held by third parties can take up to 90 days.
Polarsteps alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is Polarsteps free?
Yes. The free version covers planning, tracking, sharing and reliving trips, with up to 5 Travel Buddies. Plus is optional and printed Travel Books are paid separately.
How much is Polarsteps Plus?
Per the official Plus page: €8.99 per month or €29.99 per year, with prices varying by region. There is no free trial.
Who can see my trips?
By default, your followers. You can switch to "Only me" or public. Your name, photo, city, country and follower counts are always visible.
Does Polarsteps sell my data?
The privacy notice says it does not sell personal data to third parties or share it for targeted advertising.
Review evidence & sources7
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.3
- Features
- 7.6
- Value for money
- 8.2
- Performance
- 7.4
- Support
- 6.8
- Privacy & security
- 7.2
Why this score
Automatic tracking with photos attached to each step; ratings of 4.9 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play. Some reviewers report trip sync problems.
Why this score
Strong on route logging, sharing, Trip Reels and Travel Books; there is an AI planner but no in-app booking. Plus adds 3D maps, stats and play mode.
Why this score
The free tier covers the core; yearly Plus at €29.99 is optional. Held back by no free trial and separately priced printed books.
Why this score
The company says it keeps tracking offline and uses under 4% battery per day (not independently verified). One reviewer reported delayed trip sync.
Why this score
A help center and contact form exist; no chat or phone channel appeared on the pages opened. Store replies direct users to email.
Why this score
Commits to not selling data, tracking can be switched off per trip, and accounts can be deleted. Lowered for many processors (including a third-party AI), Secret Links that cannot be reset, and anonymized aggregate use that also covers private trips.
What users say
- App Store (US)4.9/5 · 10,000
- Google Play4.7/5 · 200,000
Sources
- Vendor-providedOfficial homepageNov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial Polarsteps Plus pageNov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial news: Polarsteps Plus launch (2026-07-14)Nov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial news: 1 million users and funding (2019-01-16)Nov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial privacy noticeNov 11, 2026
- storeApp Store listingNov 11, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 11, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Polarsteps B.V.
- Headquarters
- Netherlands
- Launched
- 2015
- Category
- Travel
Capabilities
- Mobile app
- AI features
- Real-time collaboration
- Works offline
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Interface languages
- English
- French
- German
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Indonesian
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Update.Privacy notice last modified on 1 October 2026, listing Anthropic as a processor for the AI Trip Planner.
- Price.Launched the Polarsteps Plus subscription at €8.99 per month or €29.99 per year; the company says the free experience is unchanged.
- Company.Reached 1 million registered users and raised a €3 million Series A led by INKEF Capital, bringing total funding to €4.6 million.
Full change history (4)
- Launch.Polarsteps founded in 2015 in Amsterdam, per the company's news post (exact date not stated).
About the author
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