Built for the places without bars
GPS doesn't need the internet — and a good GPS app shouldn't either. NomadTracks records, navigates and shows your custom maps with the radio off: no signal in the canyon, none in the fjord, none in Khaudum National Park. It also doesn't need an account, show ads, or phone home. Ever.
What works offline (everything that matters)
Recording with full elevation data. Your previously loaded tracks and POIs. Every georeferenced custom map, because they're stored on-device. Live stats, the compass, coordinates, distance measurement. The only things that need a network are downloading fresh basemap tiles and syncing.
No account. No ads. No analytics brokers.
There is nothing to sign up for. Your library lives on your devices and syncs through your own private iCloud (or your Dropbox or Synology NAS). NomadTracks runs no user database — there's nothing to leak and nobody to sell to.
The offline map trick
Generic offline maps cost subscriptions. Your own maps don't: georeference the paper or PDF map of your destination once, and you carry a perfect offline map of exactly the area you need.
Battery reality
A full hiking day records comfortably on one iPhone charge with the screen mostly off — or leave the phone in the pack entirely and record from the Apple Watch.
Related
FAQ
Does GPS work in airplane mode?
Yes — GPS is receive-only and works with the radios off. Recording in airplane mode is also a great battery saver.
Will I see a map with no signal?
Already-viewed basemap areas are cached, and your custom maps are fully stored on the device — those render with zero connectivity.
Is my location data ever uploaded to NomadTracks servers?
No. There are no NomadTracks servers holding user data. Sync goes through your own iCloud, Dropbox or Synology — all under your accounts.