Softwr

Maps · head to head

Gaia GPS vs onX Maps

Gaia GPS logo

Gaia GPS

Maps

Premium backcountry navigation for outdoor adventurers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
onX Maps logo

onX Maps

Maps

Land ownership and offline navigation apps sold as separate subscriptions per activity: Hunt, Offroad, Backcountry

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gaia GPS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Gaia GPS no specific pricing details are published for the Premium tier; onX Maps hunt, Offroad and Backcountry are entirely separate subscriptions, so a user needing more than one activity pays for more than one product with no combined bundle discount.
  • They diverge on capability: Gaia GPS covers Topo maps, onX Maps covers Land ownership boundaries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gaia GPS and onX Maps actually diverge.

Attributes where Gaia GPS and onX Maps differ
AttributeGaia GPSonX Maps
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumSeparate per-product subscriptions, per user per year
Free tierYesNo
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (iOS, Android, Web), 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 Gaia GPS

  • Topo maps
  • Satellite imagery
  • Track recording
  • Waypoint management
  • Garmin inReach
  • Apple Watch
  • Garmin Connect
  • SSL encryption

Only in onX Maps

  • Land ownership boundaries
  • Waypoint and track marking
  • Elite tier private land data
  • 3D terrain view
  • Weather overlay

Both cover

  • Offline maps

What people use each for

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

Gaia GPS

  • Offline topographic map navigation for hiking and backcountry travelnot onX Maps
  • Trail discovery and uploading in remote areasnot onX Maps
  • 4x4 off-road and overlanding navigationnot onX Maps
  • Ski touring and backcountry skiing navigationnot onX Maps

onX Maps

  • A hunter who needs to know exact private and public land boundaries before crossing onto a propertynot Gaia GPS
  • An off-road driver planning a trail route with land ownership and access datanot Gaia GPS
  • A backcountry skier or hiker wanting offline terrain maps without cell signalnot Gaia GPS
  • Someone who does two or more of these activities and needs to budget for two or three separate subscriptionsnot Gaia GPS

Where each one falls short

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

Gaia GPS

  • No specific pricing details are published for the Premium tier
  • Pricing information only available through checkout or app interface

onX Maps

  • Hunt, Offroad and Backcountry are entirely separate subscriptions, so a user needing more than one activity pays for more than one product with no combined bundle discount.
  • Elite-tier pricing at roughly $99.99 a year per product is expensive if a buyer only occasionally needs the private land ownership data it adds.
  • The apps are US and Canada focused, with more limited usefulness for international travel compared to a global mapping product.
  • Land ownership data, while extensive, can lag real-world changes in property boundaries in fast-changing areas.
  • It is not a general-purpose hiking or trail-review app in the way AllTrails or Gaia GPS are, so casual hikers without a land-boundary need may find the focus narrower than expected.

Pricing, plan by plan

Gaia GPS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Gaia GPS review.

onX Maps

On request
  • onX Hunt Elite$99.99/year
    • Nationwide private land ownership data
    • Recent satellite imagery
    • Offline maps
  • onX Offroad Premium$34.99/year
    • Trail and land ownership maps for off-road use
    • Offline maps
  • onX Offroad Elite$99.99/year
    • Everything in Premium plus nationwide land ownership and recent imagery
  • onX Backcountry$29.99/year
    • Backcountry ski and hike focused maps
    • Offline maps
    • Avalanche and terrain data

Which should you pick?

Choose Gaia GPS if

  • You need topo maps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want satellite imagery.
Gaia GPS review

Choose onX Maps if

  • You need land ownership boundaries.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want waypoint and track marking.
onX Maps review

Questions people ask

Is Gaia GPS or onX Maps better?
Neither clearly leads. Gaia GPS starts at Free and onX Maps at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gaia GPS or onX Maps?
Gaia GPS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Gaia GPS and On request for onX Maps.
Does Gaia GPS or onX Maps run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Gaia GPS for free?
Yes. Gaia GPS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. onX Maps starts at On request.
What is Gaia GPS best used for?
Gaia GPS is most often used for offline topographic map navigation for hiking and backcountry travel, trail discovery and uploading in remote areas, 4x4 off-road and overlanding navigation, ski touring and backcountry skiing navigation. Of those, offline topographic map navigation for hiking and backcountry travel and trail discovery and uploading in remote areas are not what onX Maps is typically brought in for.
What can Gaia GPS do that onX Maps cannot?
Gaia GPS covers Topo maps, Satellite imagery, Track recording, Waypoint management. onX Maps covers Land ownership boundaries, Waypoint and track marking, Elite tier private land data, 3D terrain view. Both handle Offline maps.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gaia GPS: Does Gaia GPS offer a free version?

Yes, Gaia GPS Free is available. The service also offers Gaia GPS Premium as a paid tier, but specific pricing details are not disclosed on the website.

Source
onX Maps: Can I use one onX subscription for both hunting and off-roading?

No, onX Hunt, onX Offroad and onX Backcountry are separate apps with separate subscriptions.

Gaia GPS: How much does Gaia GPS Premium cost?

Gaia GPS Premium is a paid subscription option, but the vendor does not publish specific pricing on their website. Pricing information is available through the app's checkout or registration pages.

Source
onX Maps: What does the Elite tier add?

Elite tiers add nationwide private land ownership data, more recent satellite imagery and partner discounts on top of the base Premium tier.

onX Maps: Does onX work outside the US?

Coverage is strongest in the US and Canada; usefulness elsewhere is limited.

Share

Related pages

More on Gaia GPS

More on onX Maps

Keep looking

Other head to heads