--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "Countries Been" developer_entity: "Daniel Knoblauch" bundle_id: "com.riliclabs.countriesbeen" app_store_id: "1165849344" category: "Travel" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Freemium" offline_capable: false market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS & Android" app_last_updated: "2026-08-18" report_date: "2026-08-19" last_verified: "2026-08-19T00:00:00.000Z" report_version: "1.1.12" total_reviews: 25495 overall_rating: 4.9 sentiment: "Excited" sentiment_score: 65 confidence: "medium" confidence_score: 0.65 top_praise_theme: "The simple and interactive interface allows users to track their travel history with minimal effort" top_complaint_theme: "Users report significant data loss where saved countries and progress disappear following recent updates" review_sample_size: 50 total_review_count: 50 analyzed_review_count: 50 data_age_days: 9 momentum_velocity: "maintenance" intelligence_version: 3 tags: ["travel", "freemium", "excited sentiment", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "travelers", "globe-trotters", "document"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/apps/countries-been" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # Countries Been Intelligence Report ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Travel · Freemium - **Signal**: Rating 4.87 · Sentiment Excited - **Recent focus**: Users report significant data loss where saved countries and progress disappear following recent updates (top complaint) · The simple and interactive interface allows users to track their travel history with minimal effort (top praise) > **TL;DR:** Countries Been is a travel app by Daniel Knoblauch, rated 4.87/5 by 25.5K users, with Excited user sentiment (65/100), available on iOS & Android. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** - Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** Countries Been maintains Excited user sentiment (4.87/5 from 25.5K reviews), with users consistently praising the simple and interactive interface allows users to track their travel history with minimal effort. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 4.87/5 (25.5K reviews) | | **User Mood** | Excited | | **Category** | Travel | | **Developer** | Daniel Knoblauch | | **Pricing** | Freemium | | **Platforms** | iOS & Android | | **Confidence** | Medium (0.65/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 9d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** Daniel Knoblauch - **Category:** Travel - **Target Audience:** Travelers and globe-trotters who want to document their history and plan future trips via a visual checklist. - **Platforms:** iOS & Android - **Version Reviewed:** 1.1.7 - **Report Date:** 2026-08-19 - **Signal Count:** 50 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Medium (0.65/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 1165849344 - **Bundle ID:** com.riliclabs.countriesbeen - **Google Play ID:** com.riliclabs.countriesbeen - **Performance Trend:** Declining - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-08-19 ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** Countries Been is a travel-tracking utility for iOS and Android that allows users to mark visited countries and states on an interactive 3D globe. **Why users hire it:** Users want a persistent, visual record of their travel history to replace manual lists or memory-based tracking. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Differentiator] Interactive 3D Globe:** Visualizes travel history on a rotatable 3D globe interface, increasing session frequency. - **[Differentiator] Regional State Tracking:** Allows marking of specific states and provinces for over 30 countries, compounding switching costs. * *User Intent:* Users seek enhanced value through premium features. ## Market Position {#market-position} Countries Been maintains a niche position in the Travel category, though its 3.6-star rating reflects significant friction from data-loss reports. The 119-week average update cadence limits its ability to compete with more frequently updated travel-planning tools. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Freemium - **Tiers:** Free tier with ad support, In-App Purchases - **Analysis:** Freemium model relies on ad-supported engagement for the free tier, with IAP mechanisms for additional features. ## 🟢 User Sentiment (Medium Confidence: 50 of 50 reviews analyzed) {#user-sentiment} - **Overall Rating:** 4.87/5 - **Platform Split:** iOS 3.6/5 (27 ratings) | Android 4.9/5 (25.5K ratings) - **Overall Sentiment:** Excited ### Top Praises - **The simple and interactive interface allows users to track their travel history with minimal effort** - **Responsive customer support provides effective assistance for account management and data recovery issues** ### Top Complaints (Impact Areas) - **Users report significant data loss where saved countries and progress disappear following recent updates** ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Interactive 3D globe increases session frequency - Regional state tracking compounds switching costs **Growth Levers:** - Add note-taking feature for trip memories ## Recent Changes (v2 → v3) {#recent-changes} The outlook trend has shifted from mixed to declining due to the persistent, unresolved nature of data-loss bugs that threaten the app's core value proposition. The product remains in a maintenance-only state with no new feature development. **Overall trend**: Declining **Compared at**: 2026-08-19 ### High-impact changes - **[Declined] Outlook Trend Downgrade** (positioning) ### Medium-impact changes - **[Shifted] Refined Weakness Definitions** (swot) - **[Shifted] Executive Summary Pivot** (positioning) ## What's New - **Latest (v1.1.12, yesterday):** Optimized data loading for multi-country accounts, refined login transitions, and improved sign-up error messaging. ## App Momentum (Maintenance) {#momentum} - Ships bug fixes only. - Last major update absent. > **Cadence:** 2 total versions · 0 majors in last 6 months · 1 days since last update · 830 days avg between updates ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} Countries Been is a market-leading travel app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.87/5 rating from 25.5K reviews, it delivers strong user satisfaction. > **Bottom Line:** Stabilizing the user database is the priority, as the current data-loss bug invalidates the app's core value as a permanent travel record. **Best for:** Travelers and globe-trotters who want to document their history and plan future trips via a visual checklist. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [INVEST] Audit database migration logic because data loss is the top complaint → reduce churn ### Outlook: Declining The travel-tracking market is consolidating around tools that offer reliable cloud synchronization and memory-logging features. Countries Been remains exposed due to its maintenance-mode cadence, which leaves critical data-loss bugs unaddressed for extended periods. - 🔴 Persistent data loss post-update erodes the daily active habit, which compounds the rating drag already visible on the platform. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 4.87/5 | | Total Reviews | 25.5K | | Sentiment | Excited (65/100) | | Confidence | Medium | | Pricing Model | Freemium | | Platforms | iOS & Android | | Key Features | 2 analyzed | | Trend | Declining | | Outlook | Declining | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Countries Been** (this app) | 4.87/5 | Excited | Daniel Knoblauch | | [กิจวัตรมุสลิมไทย](https://marlvel.ai/apps/th-co-mtel-muslimdailythai) | N/A/5 | N/A | Mudarmeen Munlin | | [108 Divyadesam Navigator](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-rsunda12-divyadesams) | N/A/5 | N/A | Rajagopal Sundarrajan | | [17 Mile Drive Audio Tour Guide](https://marlvel.ai/apps/17-mile-drive-audio-tour-guide) | 4.5/5 | N/A | 17 Mile Drive Day Trips, LLC | | [1Call Taxi](https://marlvel.ai/apps/1call-taxi) | 5.0/5 | N/A | Ardalan Hussein | | [1st Central Connect](https://marlvel.ai/apps/1st-central-connect) | 3.0/5 | N/A | Cambridge Mobile Telematics Inc. | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** Daniel Knoblauch - **Website:** [https://www.countriesbeen.com](https://www.countriesbeen.com) ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store:** [View on Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countries-been/id1165849344?uo=4) - **Google Play:** [View on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riliclabs.countriesbeen&hl=en&gl=us) - **Dev Site:** [Official Website](https://www.countriesbeen.com) - **Sources:** Developer website content, App store metadata, User reviews. ## Related Intel Reports - [*กิจวัตรมุสลิมไทย*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/th-co-mtel-muslimdailythai) (Mudarmeen Munlin) · N/A Rating - [*108 Divyadesam Navigator*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-rsunda12-divyadesams) (Rajagopal Sundarrajan) · N/A Rating - [*17 Mile Drive Audio Tour Guide*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/17-mile-drive-audio-tour-guide) (17 Mile Drive Day Trips, LLC) · 4.5/5 Rating - [*1Call Taxi*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/1call-taxi) (Ardalan Hussein) · 5.0/5 Rating - [*1st Central Connect*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/1st-central-connect) (Cambridge Mobile Telematics Inc.) · 3.0/5 Rating - [*24Seven Taxi Driver*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/24seven-taxi-driver) (24Seven Taxi Dispatch, LLC) · 5.0/5 Rating - [*24Seven Taxi Service*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/24seven-taxi-service) (My Taxi Ride Inc.) · N/A Rating - [*2 one day trips Tokyo suburbs*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/2-one-day-trips-tokyo-suburbs) (mlet co.,ltd) · N/A Rating - [*360 Central Park AR NYC Map*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-vues-360centralpark) (Vadym Ustymenko) · N/A Rating - [*360 LA Los Angeles AR Map*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/360-la-los-angeles-ar-map) (Vadym Ustymenko) · 5.0/5 Rating ## Frequently Asked Questions {#faq} ### Is Countries Been free to use? Yes, Countries Been is free to download and use, though it includes ad support and in-app purchases for additional features. ### Does Countries Been save my travel data? Countries Been is designed to save your travel history, but recent user reports indicate that data loss can occur following app updates. ### Can I add notes to my visited countries? Currently, Countries Been does not support a note-taking feature for specific trip details, though this is a frequently requested addition by users. ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** - Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** - Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** - Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction into synthesised themes (no verbatim quotes). 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** - Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** - Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.65/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 50 - **Data Sources:** user reviews, developer website, App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 9 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/apps/countries-been) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.