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Maps · head to head

Atlas.co vs Trailforks

Atlas.co logo

Atlas.co

Maps

Browser-based collaborative GIS with published per-seat pricing and a free tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trailforks logo

Trailforks

Maps

Mountain-bike-specific trail database and navigation app owned by Outside Inc

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Atlas.co analytical depth is a long way short of a mature GIS: there is no serious raster analysis, network analysis, topology editing or geodetic control, so complex work still goes back to QGIS or ArcGIS.; Trailforks the free tier only allows one offline region downloaded at a time, which is limiting for a rider visiting multiple trail areas.
  • They diverge on capability: Atlas.co covers Browser GIS, Trailforks covers Mountain bike trail database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Atlas.co and Trailforks actually diverge.

Attributes where Atlas.co and Trailforks differ
AttributeAtlas.coTrailforks
Pricing modelPer user per monthFreemium, standalone Pro or bundled with Outside+
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maps).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Atlas.co

  • Browser GIS
  • Workflow builder
  • Geocoding
  • Collaboration
  • Data import
  • Cheap viewer seats
  • Export and embed
  • AI credits

Only in Trailforks

  • Mountain bike trail database
  • Community trail reports
  • Offline maps
  • Premium basemaps
  • Heatmap overlay
  • Weather and fire overlays

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Atlas.co

  • A renewables developer screening sites against constraint layers who needs an answer this afternoon and has no GIS analyst availablenot Trailforks
  • A planning or property team that mainly needs colleagues to view and comment on maps, where $7 viewer seats replace expensive read-only GIS licencesnot Trailforks
  • A consultancy producing client-facing maps and embeds without maintaining desktop GIS installs across a distributed teamnot Trailforks
  • An analyst with an address spreadsheet who needs geocoding, buffering and a shareable map without learning a desktop GISnot Trailforks

Trailforks

  • A mountain biker planning a ride on unfamiliar singletrack who needs direction-of-travel and difficulty datanot Atlas.co
  • Someone riding in an area with no signal who needs an offline downloaded trail mapnot Atlas.co
  • A rider checking recent community trail condition reports before heading outnot Atlas.co
  • Someone comparing several mountain bike regions using the usage heatmap before choosing where to ridenot Atlas.co

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Atlas.co

  • Analytical depth is a long way short of a mature GIS: there is no serious raster analysis, network analysis, topology editing or geodetic control, so complex work still goes back to QGIS or ArcGIS.
  • Geocoding and workflow runs are metered per tier, and a single large address batch can exhaust a month’s Pro allowance in one afternoon, forcing an upgrade for a one-off job.
  • The company is at pre-seed stage with roughly $2m raised and a small team, so buyers embedding it in a business process carry meaningful continuity risk.
  • Annual billing is required to get the advertised prices, which removes the flexibility that would otherwise make a young vendor a low-risk trial.
  • There is no offline or field capability at all, so any organisation whose spatial work includes data collection needs a second tool alongside it.

Trailforks

  • The free tier only allows one offline region downloaded at a time, which is limiting for a rider visiting multiple trail areas.
  • Pro pricing appears to be shifting toward bundling with the wider Outside+ media subscription, making the standalone price less stable and worth checking directly before buying.
  • Its focus on mountain biking means it is a weaker choice than Ride with GPS for road or gravel route planning.
  • Trail data quality depends on community contribution, so newer or less-ridden regions can have sparse or outdated information.
  • Being owned by a media company with a broader outdoor content bundle strategy introduces some uncertainty about how the standalone app product is prioritised long term.

Pricing, plan by plan

Atlas.co

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 3 projects
    • 3 editors
    • 1 GB storage
  • Pro$23/month
    • 10 projects
    • 10 GB storage
    • 10,000 geocoding runs
  • Team$72/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Viewer seats at $7 per month
    • 25,000 geocoding runs
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Unlimited storage and workflows
    • 100,000 geocoding runs
    • White-labelled embeds

Trailforks

Free
  • Trailforks FreeFree
    • Trail database access
    • Basic basemaps
    • One offline region at a time
  • Trailforks Pro$undefined/year
    • Unlimited offline regions
    • Premium basemaps including Gaia and ArcGIS satellite
    • Heatmap, weather and fire overlays

Which should you pick?

Choose Atlas.co if

  • You need browser gis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want workflow builder.
Atlas.co review

Choose Trailforks if

  • You need mountain bike trail database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want community trail reports.
Trailforks review

Questions people ask

Is Atlas.co or Trailforks better?
Neither clearly leads. Atlas.co starts at Free and Trailforks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Atlas.co or Trailforks?
Atlas.co starts at Free and Trailforks at Free.
Does Atlas.co or Trailforks run on more platforms?
Atlas.co runs on Web. Trailforks runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Atlas.co for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Atlas.co best used for?
Atlas.co is most often used for a renewables developer screening sites against constraint layers who needs an answer this afternoon and has no gis analyst available, a planning or property team that mainly needs colleagues to view and comment on maps, where $7 viewer seats replace expensive read-only gis licences, a consultancy producing client-facing maps and embeds without maintaining desktop gis installs across a distributed team, an analyst with an address spreadsheet who needs geocoding, buffering and a shareable map without learning a desktop gis. Of those, a renewables developer screening sites against constraint layers who needs an answer this afternoon and has no gis analyst available and a planning or property team that mainly needs colleagues to view and comment on maps, where $7 viewer seats replace expensive read-only gis licences are not what Trailforks is typically brought in for.
What can Atlas.co do that Trailforks cannot?
Atlas.co covers Browser GIS, Workflow builder, Geocoding, Collaboration. Trailforks covers Mountain bike trail database, Community trail reports, Offline maps, Premium basemaps.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Atlas.co: How much does Atlas.co cost?

Starter is free, Pro is $23 per user per month and Team is $72 per editor per month with viewers at $7, all billed annually. Enterprise is quoted.

Trailforks: Is Trailforks free?

A free tier exists with trail data and one offline region at a time; Pro removes that limit and adds premium map layers.

Atlas.co: Can it replace ArcGIS or QGIS?

For visualisation, light analysis and sharing, often yes. For raster, network or geodetic work, no.

Trailforks: Who owns Trailforks?

Outside Inc, which also owns Pinkbike and CyclingTips, acquired it in 2021.

Atlas.co: What is the viewer seat?

A read-only seat at $7 per month on the Team plan, intended for stakeholders who consume maps rather than build them.

Trailforks: Is it only for mountain biking?

Mountain biking is the core focus, though it has secondary support for hiking, gravel and motorised trail use.

Atlas.co: Where is the company based?

Oslo, Norway. It was founded in 2021 and has raised around $2m in pre-seed funding.

Atlas.co: Is there a free tier?

Yes, Starter gives three projects, three editors and 1 GB of storage with metered geocoding and workflow runs.

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