OsmAnd
Free tierThe heavy-duty outdoor navigator — contours, tracks and layers included
An OpenStreetMap-based offline map aimed at outdoor and long-distance use — contour lines and hillshading, GPX track recording and import, custom map layers, specialist renderings for nautical and ski maps, and fine-grained routing parameters. The free version allows seven map downloads; more requires the paid Maps+.
Why we picked it
GPL-3.0. The free tier caps map downloads at seven.
Its positioning is far from Organic Maps. Organic Maps aims for working the moment you install it; OsmAnd aims for everything being adjustable: which road classes routing avoids, vehicle weight and height limits, which data layers sit on the map, what interval the contour lines use. The number of settings is bewildering on first launch, which follows from who it is for — hikers, off-roaders, long-distance cyclists, people living in a camper.
GPX is its home ground. Recording tracks, importing someone else's route, navigating along a track, then reviewing elevation profile and per-segment speed afterwards is all complete in the free tier.
To be clear about:
- The seven-map allowance is a real limit. One map is typically a province or a mid-sized country, which is fine day to day and not enough for a long international trip. Beyond it you buy Maps+, as a one-off or a subscription.
- Installing from F-Droid does not lift the cap; it is not a distribution difference.
- Interface complexity is the most common complaint. For "get me from A to B without getting lost", Organic Maps or CoMaps cost far less to learn.