Viewranger replacement? Outdoor Active?

As a maps for life owner, quite tempted to hit them with a letter before proceedings if they try to delete my access. I'm sure there will be something in their terms and conditions that will render any legal proceedings a likely failure but would be fun to see their response.

I've taken the plunge and switched to the OS app.

Had VR for over a decade, but tried the OA one after I stopped being able to get tiles in the old way and it just did not work right.

OS not as good as VR but good enough

Viewranger website now point you towards Outdoor Active, though there is a link at the bottom to continue to VR, and the app continues to work, not sure how long for.

Gripe and moan. I pay about £5 for VR and it allows offline storage, and has open cycle map which I like as it mostly differentiates paths and bridleways.

OA is £26/year for offline mapping and doesn't appear to have open cycle maps (does it have anything better?)

The price seems about the going rate though, just that VR was cheap.

So, decision time -
OA, Komoot, Trailforks, Strava...

I am pretty sure I had the maps for life option too and further to my previous post it's no longer accessible. Meh.

I've paid quite a bit for ViewRanger map tiles over the years. I'll be annoyed if they drop support for the app, which will then inevitably stop working after an iOS update at some point.

Modern Life Is Rubbish sometimes.

For anyone with old memory map tiles, there's a new MMTracker apk, works great.

Edging closer.. the ViewRanger FB page just updated it's cover photo to something a bit more OA.

Also, the latest Android update to the app says : Remove the new account sign up, registered users not affected.

I'm really trying to persevere with OA but I have thrown my phone a couple of times 🙂

I really love VRs ability to use OpenCycleMap - I find the mapping really clear, good differentiation between bridleways and footpaths, nice contour lines.
Komoot seems better than OA for the mapping, but neither are as clear as OCM to me.

One thing I cannot seem to find anywhere is the ability to overlay specific trails on the map for on-the-fly route planning.
In VR, I can have a bunch of short routes (that I have imported from GPXs) all showing up on the map, and I can decide to loop out to that bit of trail, or this one a bit closer - as the weather/fitness/daylight allows.
Both Komoot and OA are more geared towards setting up an entire route and following it start to finish.
Strava segment explorer still does an appalling job by not showing segments that I know are there (or only showing them at certain zoom levels), trailforks and strava both need to be online, and you can only use 'official' routes/segments on there.

I've paid for the Komoot global mapping, as it seems to be the best of the rest, but if anyone knows how I can overlay my own routes in any other app, I would love to hear about it!

I really love VRs ability to use OpenCycleMap

i have some lifetime maps on viewranger. national parks plus some tiles.

signed into OA and it 'gave me' a year of premium plus membership.

don't mind the UI but it won't consistently record data through on iOS. records it in the OA app but doesnt pass it through properly to Health/Strava. Lots of sections missing and can't work out why. has all the permissions it needs.

Yep, there is a cycle layers feature (in premium OA only) which can be toggled on and off and looks like it uses same routes as OCM. The MTB layer is just awful.
Gradually getting used to OA after VR but it’s def not as user-friendly and intuitive as VR. I only really need it to host OS maps, show a downloaded route, be able to make some changes to it and show me where I am on it when I’m out. I tend to switch over to Trailforks when out to look for trails once in a particular area.
All the other stuff on OA eg Discover is just clutter I’ll never use.

Just an FYI to anyone wanting access to OS maps on an Android phone...
Backcountry Navigator Pro allows this for a relatively small one-off fee, and allows the tiles to be downloaded to your phone (but you're not going to be able to use previously purchased maps).

I don't know how much it is as I've been using it for many years.

The app store pricing is a little confusing as there are many additional purchase options for US based data layers/add-ons
There are other maps types (eg OpenCycleMap) available for free as well.
It's not built around route-planning and the sharing of routes as a bit clunky but you can import and export GPX files.
There's a free demo version but I'm not sure that includes the OS maps.

Email yesterday saying they've completed the merge and ViewRanger service goes away "soon".

I've got a lifetime premium sub that goes way back to old Nokia days before all the smart phone stuff and was a tiny price for a lifetime sub.

So do I lose that? They say the sub remains valid after connecting to OA but not for how long and mentions a 1 year sub offer, which is frankly rubbish and an insult.

Offline maps is key to me. Not fussed about OS maps so long as I get OSM and OCM, offline option, and with the same quality as VR maps, and ability to overlay tracks I've uploaded. For no extra cost than my existing lifetime sub. I suspect this is not the case?

The OS map app would be good enough except when you start it up it seems to always want to spend about 5 minutes trying to make a network connection somewhere before eventually giving up and letting you view your offline maps.

I've just looked back at the invoice for the 25K 'lifetime' maps I bought in 2015, it was £225 :-(. Seems pretty rough to just to loose them.

All-GB Landranger "bought" for £90 in 2012. Had my money's worth out of it. Unhappy to be (presumably) losing it, but always knew that you don't really own anything digital you buy unless it's in an open format.

Guess I'll have to subscribe to something. "Own nothing and be happy" etc.

Hate it when companies get bought out and good products are discontinued while funneling existing users to the buying company's worse offering.

The OS map app would be good enough except when you start it up it seems to always want to spend about 5 minutes trying to make a network connection somewhere before eventually giving up and letting you view your offline maps.

I'd suggest that's something on your phone causing that, mine (after they sorted a few other issues over the last few years) is superb now.

Just had an email from Google Play (Viewranger subscription is purchased through them):

Your ViewRanger: Trail Maps for Hiking, Biking, Skiing subscription from Google Commerce Limited on Google Play will be canceled on Jan 17, 2022. No refunds will be issued

That's when my current year's subscription was due to expire anyway, so I guess I can't expect a refund, so long as I can use it til then. I guess that's the end though. Shame. Presumably my owned maps will still work as long as the app still works, but I need to find an alternative, and it won't be OA, and I don't want to be using two different apps depending on where I'm going. Will probably give Backcountry Navigator a go.

Loved ViewRanger. Don’t like Outdooractive. What a shame!

Anyone tried Topo GPS?

This is gutting....anyone found a good alternative for offline maps?

OS is brilliant for offline maps.

There seems to be some kind of functionality that VR had that OS doesn't, I'm not sure what it is, as I never used VR.

This is gutting….anyone found a good alternative for offline maps?

I haven't found anything yet that handles offline maps in the same way. They all seem to be on a subscription and download model now. Its a pain. Maybe someone will write a app that can handle viewranger files. That happened for memory map but I believe they had licence or copyright issues and that died a death too

I had an email from outdooractive today saying viewranger will be taken offline soon and asking me to accept a legacy agreement. Something about anyone who'd bought maps on viewranger would now have access to them on outdoor active.
I accepted it and now I appear to have access to 25k and 50k OS maps for most of Britain. I'd only bought 50k map packs and tiles before, so this feels like a win. No indiciation of how long they'll last though.
I had not accepted the free 3month trial they'd offered me previously.

Anyone else had similar?

Yes, but unless you go Pro you can't download them for use offline, so it's pretty pointless still and doesn't match the functionality of ViewRanger.

Just realised this, bummer. It seems to cache the map but no idea how long for

Still happy with memory-map. Download whole of Scotland or England/Wales in one go, no worries (except space).

Not quite the experience of VR but perfectly useable. Can download on multiple devices too

@si465

Same here. I think you are getting a years free subscription and then your bought outright maps/tiles will no longer be accessible. I contacted support and asked (and moaned at them) and this is what I was told.

However:

' once your account is connected, a free subscription will be started automatically. When this subscription expires your account will default to basic and you will not be charged anything'.

So is that a just access to a pro account for a year? And then you default to a 'free' account with basic mapping? Or is that a basic account, but you get to keep the maps/tiles you bought? Biggest pisser for me will be the loss of the French IGN maps I bought and paid for. I want my money back!

@dufresneorama

I looked at MM, but as far as I can see they are only supplying older OS maps, not the latest series. I doubt that matters much, but I'm guessing some permissive BWs and cycle paths will be missing. I can't seem to find where on MM I worked that out from though - or it might have been some other OS reseller.

I'd love it if somebody took on/over 'Where's the path'. I love the simplicity and the ability to view OS maps alongside the satellite/earth view. Still works fine if you use it early in the day, before the OS page fetch quota is used up.

I thought they had the 2021 GB maps on there?

Memory Map

Edit... Looks like only in the platinum packages

I bumped my gums like most about OA but eventually decided to switch over completely and give it a chance with the 12 month pro offer. I'll be honest, its seems to do everything I need so far, but my requirements are simple... research and plot routes using the OS and satelite layers, pop onto the handset and navigate...sometimes download gpx for mates and their garmins on the same ride.

It would be nice if it allowed map storage on the SD card in the (Samsung) handset but no biggy. We'll see how much renewal is come September. As I said, my requirements are simple and I had only invested less than £30 in tiles.

It would be nice if it allowed map storage on the SD card

I was coming round to the idea that I've got nothing to lose by giving OA a serious try (wary of signing an agreement that says I've transferred whatever rights I have to the maps I've bought and then it's on their terms, but realistically I'm not going to take them to court, life's too short). But this makes it a non-starter. Why the hell can I not store large amounts of seldom accesses data on an SD card rather than internal device memory? Bonkers.

Yes, I'll not be subscribing in the future.
Shame as VR was a cracking app.

Customers don't count anymore...it's just about cash-flow and tying you in. Progress, eh?!

@Marko

Memory map just emailed me. They've released 2022 OS maps early.

OS are offering a tenner off their premium subscription so £13.99 for a year

OSMAPSTEN

Nice one cheers!

No worries - guess who managed to order it and forget to use the discount code 🤦‍♂️

pat100
Free Member

I’ve been using the excellent, free Openandromaps for a few years using the Cartograph 2

Did you create the app? I see this is your first post here and you are the first reviewer of the app too.

Is there a term for implausible and obvious lying while genuinely thinking others believe you? Guy I went to school with was like that too.

Is there a thread going for “what to replace with.”

OA and OS doesn’t seem to use OCM, and I don’t think Komoot does OS? And OS and OCM are what I really would like.

This is the only one I know of, but the title suggests it's exactly that.

I keep meaning to start a thread about Backcountry Navigator, which is probably the front runner for me. I've installed the free version but confused about a couple of things. Might go do that now...

OCM being Open Cycle Map I assume?

I think that's open street map them choose the cycling (or MTB) activity layer on outdoor active?

And so.. the end is near. Viewranger app shows a message when I start it to effect of then pulling the plug at the end of February.

I don't see why they need to "switch off access" when all my maps are stored on my device.

Yep it's started to slow down on my phone. Been using the OS app on subscription for the last couple of months as well.

It kind of does what viewranger used to do but worse. Had it randomly log out a couple of times when outdoors and the password reset is awful on a phone. Does the job but it does not feel like progress.

Great deal on OS Maps 12 month Premium subscription at the moment

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/12-months-os-maps-premium-annual-subscription-ps1399-with-code-osmapsten-3881004?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=position_4_button&utm_campaign=2022-01-31

It sucks if they are actually closing access totally. I'll understand if the app doesn't get updates or support but stopping it working seems really harsh. I've no interest in a subscription or online maps so there really doesn't seem to be another solution.

Yeah, turning off access to the map completely seems unreasonable. No chance I'm giving Outdoor Active any money.
Heard pretty mixed things about the OS Maps app, but at £14 for a year, it's worth seeing for myself how it works out.

Interesting twist.

I've just a reply from viewranger support when I queried the app closing.

"You need to switch to using Outdooractive now.

There you will have the whole of OSGB at both 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales permanently, so a significant upgrade."

And then some instructions on how to link my old viewranger account with lifetime maps to the new outdoor active app.

I'm a bit sceptical but I guess I have nothing to lose in trying it now.

I’ve just a reply from viewranger support when I queried the app closing.

I've done the above and I do indeed have access to my old maps, but I believe it is only access via a data connection - you can't download them to your device for offline access unless you subscribe to the Pro membership.

I've automatically been given a free pro+ sub for 1 year and I've been able to download an area which works offline. I've just queried what happens after the year ends.

I went on the outdooractive website and it had a link to activate my viewranger legacy maps, but it comes with terms and conditions.

I seem to have access restored on the OA app.

https://www.outdooractive.com/en/viewranger-map-agreement.html

https://www.outdooractive.com/en/mypage/

Here's my thinking.

Like everyone I loved viewranger. Gutted they sold out but hey, I'd of done the same with a big enough cheque...

I've transferred my account over and will give the free 3 months a go.. I'm not that interested in signing up long term just for this to happen again at some point.

I've hedged my bets and took the offer above on the official OS app.

Not expecting great things from both of them but at least with OS app I'm protected from a future sell out.... Maybe!

I already don't like them.. I want my tiles back... The download map area is awkward on both apps ....

Bloody change... What good ever came of that 😂

Also reading those terms above I should get full UK access even though I only bought tiles from viewranger?

Had anyone else found that...

I can't tell yet as like I said I agreed to the free 3 months premium.

I've switched my account too and have OS mapping. The Outdoor Active interface isn't very good. At 1:50000 I can see the anti-aliasing on symbols and text unless I'm zoomed right in. If I compare with the same view in ViewRanger it's perfectly clear so it's an app not phone fault. Also it switches to a low res road map style way to quickly when zooming out. Report submitted to Outdoor Active...

Yes I seem to have access to the whole UK even though I only have white and dark peak parks.

By accepting access to Legacy maps on the Outdooractive platform you confirm that you waive any legal claim against Augmentra Ltd and its directors in relation to any previously purchased contracts.

Before I choose between accepting that or sending them a Strongly Worded Tweet, I've queried the fact that they seem to be depriving me of the service I originally paid for - lifetime OS maps for offline use.

Surprise surprise the app is worse and has annoying behaviours and bugs. ViewRanger was like that once, they sorted it out with all the feedback from their customers.

I've got OS now with the £10 off first year, but it's not as reliable as ViewRanger. More than once I've had offline maps downloaded, which for no apparent reason became unusable while in the hills. Definitely take a paper map (or a printed piece which the subscription allows you to do) and compass with you, I almost always did anyway.

I’ve automatically been given a free pro+ sub for 1 year and I’ve been able to download an area which works offline. I’ve just queried what happens after the year ends.

I’ve queried the fact that they seem to be depriving me of the service I originally paid for – lifetime OS maps for offline use.

Answer - permanent free offline OS at both scales after the year ends.

@bikesandboots
Sounds great, but what about the users who only bought 'tiles' or the UK national parks in my case. It seems unclear if I'll get to keep these after my free trial period.

I had whole GB at 50k, I'm going to gain 25k as well. So that's great, for me.

The following, from the link that highpeakrider posted above, suggests you should get something as you made one-off payments for tiles and parks. You could ask them - their help page directed migration queries should be sent to support@viewranger.com.

If you made one-off payments to access maps within ViewRanger, then we are offering free access to a set of maps via the Outdooractive app and website instead. The maps we are offering depend on the region of the maps you made one-off payments for in ViewRanger.

I don't like this, one more step of faff before heading somewhere, but can live with it:

The maximum size of a single map section when downloading is approximately 40 x 40 kms. However, you can save as many map sections as you want.

I don’t like this, one more step of faff before heading somewhere, but can live with it:

Yep. Everything else seems ok but that aspect is a pain. I had most of the country in 1:50000 which was really handy. Now I have to download small bits one area at a time and I can only down 1:50k and 1:25k combined which I suppose is an upgrade but makes the files huge. It's sort of all there so not complaining too much yet. Just need to get used to it

...and I can't work out how to turn rotation off. Who wants to rotate a map while zooming? North is up on a map.

I've bought loads of tiles with viewranger and that suits me as I have all the bits I want

Are you saying that with the big switch over I'll be getting 3 months UK wide maps and then what?

I've gone on outdoor active and I seem to have full coverage in 1:50 and 1:25

Which I nice but I want my tiles permo!

All I know is what I quoted above from the website regarding "if you made one-off payments...".

It's such a modern thing to ask questions about a product/service, to everyone except the actual company providing it 😉

I've contacted support for more details.
Just what do you mean by 'free access to a set of maps'. Mine? A random map of Leeds?
How long do I get access to my paid for maps?
Can I get a refund on my paid for tiles/maps?

And where is my post preview button?

Gaia GPS is worth a look at. I'm using the Android version.

By moving your account to OA you are relinquishing your rights to any bought maps. You did read those T&Cs, didn't you? You should end up with better map access than you had before, eg if you had a small area you'll now have the whole country. The only confusion is the pro features like downloads but the guy I spoke to said they can give that feature to viewranger users on request, which is a faff but a small one, as long as they honour it.

@nickjb
Yes I read them and that's the issue. As quoted above what exactly are 'a set of maps'? Once I give up my rights can they just turn off my free access to my paid for OS tiles/maps. Why don't they just say you will still have access to your paid for maps for life?
I understand I'll have free access to the whole of the UK, but that is of no interest to me. I just want to keep the maps I've paid for.

From UKC Hill walking forum:

'I think many people do not realise that offline access to already purchased VR mapping will not be available unless you pay for a premium subscription every year. Not much use when in the mountains'.

When I downloaded Outdooractive over Chirstmas and opened it, it gave me 1:50k and 1:25k OS maps for the whole of the UK, without me having to do anything.

I had the whole of the UK at 1:50k on VR, bought on one of their deals a few years ago, and was expecting to lose all of that, but seemed to get 1:25k for free, as well. Not really sure how or why.

So far I think OA seems fine although I've only really used it for tracking and wayfinding on walks, haven't tried using it for route-following yet.

Or route planning, which was great on VR with an ipad and pencil.

I got an Apple Watch for Christmas and the integration with that seems good too.

edit: come to think of it I haven't checked my subscriptions lately; maybe I automatically signed up to something without realising?

Just had a reply from VR support:

'You'll be given the whole of OS GB and IGN France at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales. Those are permanent and free.

Also a year of free Pro+'.

I did purchase some IGN tiles, so maybe that's why I'm getting IGN access. Bonus for me.
I'm assuming these are not on the phone though and will need to be downloaded. I think the tiles/maps I purchased are in my phones memory? Is this correct?

The best free site with OSM cycle map and a route planner that doesn’t auto avoid all the good stuff (Strava) is https://www.plotaroute.com

It’s a bit clunky routing via phone, but does what I want which is just being able to view the map while out, and can be easily switched between cycle/satellite/hybrid etc, views and planning via a laptop laptop/desktop is excellent.

Just posting to say +1 to Backcountry Navigator so thanks to others who've recommended that here. It suits what I want which is purely to take OS maps offline rather than route-plotting etc. Lots of stuff to turn off in the menus to make it simple, but it seems to work.

OutdoorActive is totally unreliable on my two Android devices; with both online and offline maps I am frequently looking at a blank black screen which is frustrating after years of the reliable ViewRanger.

I tried Backcountry Navigator on a ride at the weekend. Got back to find my phone had turned off 2/3rds of the way round (still had 50% battery when I turned it back on). Could have been unrelated, but it's never done that before.

OutdoorActive is totally unreliable on my two Android devices; with both online and offline maps I am frequently looking at a blank black screen which is frustrating after years of the reliable ViewRanger.

FWIW I think that's more good luck with VR than especially poor luck with OA. I regularly used to have blank maps or maps stuck at roadmap scale and the like with VR, not yet had that with OA

Should anyone else be similarly inclined the android wear navigation is not intuitive at all on OA and I seem to struggle to get the map on screen on my watch whilst following a route.

Emails come out today saying website and app shut down from Feb 22.

Emails come out today saying website and app shut down from Feb 22.

Back country navigator does all that on Android. Don't know if that's on iOS too.

I found outdoor active to be poor when I briefly tried it.

there's a BackCountry Navigator XE by CritterMaps? Will check it out, ta!

EDIT: ugh, you can tell it was developed as an Android app first - UI/UX is absolutely woeful 🤣 still, will persevere & see if it can do what I want!!

OA is frustrating me but no doubt some user error. If I search for a point using a grid reference, or I long press on the map at my chosen location, I can then save that point. How do I then find that point again. I have saved three locations and I cannot see them on the map or find any way of locating them, but I know they are saved.

Anybody tried Maverick?

So I'm probably very late to this party but, having just logged in on my desktop there is a tick box and "agreement" in there to use "viewranger legacy maps" I'm currently on a freebie until month end so can't tell easily but I assume this means all my previously owned mapping should now be on OA...

... So after synching I now have an additional option in maps as "os" this lacks some of the various options shown for Topo so is distinct from that but looks to have my viewranger stuff on. Will have to see once my freebie expires to be sure but that it's there is a good sign.