Publish maps to your users — without a store in the middle
If you publish maps — as a park, an agency, a guide school, a hunting club, an event organizer or a commercial map maker — the app-store model just failed you: Avenza's store no longer accepts new maps or updates from publishers. NomadTracks works the other way around. You host the file, you hand out the link, and your users open it free. There is no store to be approved by, no per-download fee, and no account anyone has to create.
A georeferenced PDF or GeoTIFF is all you need. Users tap your link or scan your QR code, open the file in NomadTracks, and see themselves live on your map — offline, on iPhone and Android.
How distribution works
Put the GeoPDF or GeoTIFF where your users already are: your website, a QR code on the trailhead sign or the visitor-center handout, an email attachment, a shared drive. NomadTracks registers as a handler for these file types on both platforms, so "Open with NomadTracks" appears wherever the file does. Updating the map means replacing the file at your link — no review process, no waiting.
The .nomadmap format — your map plus its calibration
For maps that need manual georeferencing (a scanned historic map, a stylized trail panel), do the georeferencing once in NomadTracks and export a .nomadmap file. It bundles the original map with its control points, fit model and display settings — so every user who opens it gets a perfectly calibrated map with zero setup. It exports and imports on both iOS and Android.
What your users get, free
The people you hand the map to pay nothing and sign up for nothing: unlimited map imports, live GPS position on your map, offline use, POIs and track recording are all part of NomadTracks' free core. That matters if your users are event participants, students or one-time park visitors — there is no adoption barrier beyond installing a free app.
What NomadTracks doesn't do (yet)
Honesty corner: there is no hosted catalog, no paid-map DRM, and no analytics on who opened your map — NomadTracks has no servers and never sees your file. If you sell maps and need licensing enforcement, a store model still serves you better. If your goal is getting a map into your users' hands with the least friction, this page is the better model.
Who this fits
- Parks & agencies — the gate handout as a live map, linked from a QR at the trailhead.
- Guide schools & outfitters — one calibrated .nomadmap of the concession for every student and guest.
- Clubs & leases — the revier or club-water map, distributed in the group chat.
- Event organizers — the course map for a trail race, ride or rally, live on every participant's phone.
- Commercial publishers — sell or give away the file from your own site and keep the customer relationship.
Related
FAQ
How do I distribute my map to NomadTracks users?
Host the GeoPDF, GeoTIFF or .nomadmap file anywhere — your website, a shared drive, a QR code — and share the link. NomadTracks opens these file types directly on iPhone and Android via 'Open with', and georeferenced files align themselves automatically.
Do my users have to pay or create an account?
No. Opening maps, unlimited imports, offline use, GPS position, POIs and recording are NomadTracks' free core, with no account on either platform. Your users install a free app and tap your link.
Can I update a map after distributing it?
Yes — replace the file at the link you shared. There's no store review; users re-open the new file. For a versioned workflow, date-stamp the filename.
What is a .nomadmap file?
NomadTracks' portable map bundle: the original map image or PDF plus its georeferencing (control points, fit model) and display settings in one file. Calibrate once, distribute everywhere — the recipient gets a ready-to-use map.
What file formats can I publish?
Georeferenced PDF (GeoPDF) and GeoTIFF open with automatic alignment. Plain PDFs, JPG/PNG scans and photos work too — georeference them once in-app and export as .nomadmap so your users don't have to.
Does NomadTracks host or sell maps?
No — NomadTracks runs no map store and no servers. You keep hosting, pricing and the user relationship; the app is the viewer and GPS layer for whatever you publish.