OS Maps is a navigation app for hikers and cyclists providing topographic trail maps and offline route planning on iOS and Android.
Product velocity
Active
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#100
▲11Maps & Navigation · grossing
Sentiment
3.9
39k reviews
Nemesis
Fragmented field
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire OS Maps to ensure safety and navigation accuracy in remote areas where cellular data is unavailable.
For Outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, cyclists, and runners who require reliable offline navigation and trail planning tools.
What does it look like?
Key features
Detailed 3D terrain visualization for route planning.
Enables navigation without cellular reception, serving as a critical safety tool.
Automated route plotting between waypoints using existing trail data.
How much does it cost?
Subscription-only model anchored at $4.99/month, utilizing annual discounting to improve long-term retention.
Velocity
Active developmentnew contentUX improvementsShow more...
The app maintains an active development cadence, shipping two feature-rich updates within a three-week window. Recent development is focused on enhancing route discovery and user profile management through new content carousels and planning tools. The release pattern is stable, with consistent feature-driven updates across both Android and iOS platforms. The team is actively iterating on the user experience by refining navigation and personalization features.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Review voice lately leans frustrated. Users appreciate detailed topographic maps provide high value for outdoor enthusiasts planning hikes in the countryside and offline map functionality allows users to navigate wilderness areas without relying on mobile data, but report persistent technical issues following the latest update prevent users from accessing navigation and saved routes.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Weekly average review rating
What users say, by theme
- Detailed topographic maps provide high value for outdoor enthusiasts planning hikes in the countryside
- Offline map functionality allows users to navigate wilderness areas without relying on mobile data
- Snap to path mapping tools simplify the route creation process for leisure and professional users
- Persistent technical issues following the latest update prevent users from accessing navigation and saved routes
73 of 73 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Frustrated overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 2 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for OS Maps: Walk, Hike, Run, Bike
How's the Maps & Navigation market?
OS Maps holds the #1 Grossing position in the UK Maps & Navigation category, but its #124 Grossing rank in the US signals limited international scale. The subscription-only model creates a revenue ceiling that prevents the app from competing for casual users who favor ad-supported alternatives.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
Unlock the deeper market read.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for OS Maps: Walk, Hike, Run, Bike
Where is it heading?
The outdoor navigation market is consolidating around reliable, high-utility tools, and OS Maps' recent technical instability leaves it vulnerable to churn. The PM must address the navigation lockouts immediately to stabilize the subscriber base before the next renewal cycle.
- Persistent crashes post-update prevent access to core navigation, which erodes subscriber trust and increases churn risk.
- Users report: Allegations of deceptive subscription management practices create long-term brand damage and increase refund requests.
The SWOT
- Topographic map layers provide high-fidelity terrain visualization that standard GPS apps lack.
- Offline map downloads function as a critical safety mechanism for remote wilderness navigation.
- Native integration with sports watches would capture the fitness-tracking segment currently underserved by the app.
Next best moves
Rebuild navigation stability because crashes post-update prevent access to core features → restore subscriber retention.
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The subscription-only model is not a weakness but…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The analysis shifted from focusing primarily on technical bugs to identifying the subscription-only pricing model as a structural barrier to international growth and casual user acquisition.
Bottom line
OS Maps maintains a strong position in the UK through high-fidelity topographic data, but the recent technical instability and subscription friction threaten its subscriber retention, so the PM must prioritize stability over new features to protect the revenue base.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeSources
Report last updated