Comparison of free off-line GPS software
This article contains a list with gratis (not necessairily open source) software[1][2] for a range of devices (PC, laptop, tablet PC, mobile phone, handheld PC (Pocket PC, Palm)). Some of the free software mentioned here does not have detailed maps (or maps at all) or the ability to follow streets or type in street names (no geocoding). However, in many cases, it is also that which makes the program free (and sometimes open source[3]), avoid the need of an Internet connection,[4][5][6] and make it very lightweight (allowing use on small portable devices, including smartphones). Very basic programs like this may not be suitable for road navigation in cars, but serve their purpose for navigation while walking or trekking, and for use at sea. To determine the GPS coordinates of a destination, one can use sites like GPScoordinates.eu and GPS visualizer.
Some software presented here is free, but maps may need to be paid for. In this instance, and in the instance that some maps (of specific countries) are not standardly available, Mobile Atlas Creator (MOBAC) can be used (e.g. on OruxMaps, Maverick, Sports Tracker, Maplorer).
Some of the software mentioned can also be run on different devices than what they are intended for. A particular case-in-point is the Android software which can often be run on laptops or PCs (running Linux, Windows or Mac OS X) as well. This can be done using emulators.
Some of the software mentioned here may run only on devices that are no longer commercially sold (such as the PalmPilot and PocketPC devices). However, these devices are often still obtainable via second-hand websites.
Name | Company | Type of device[7] | Operating system | 3rd-party GPS-able?[8] | Software with maps? Follows streets? | Open-source? | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maverick[9][10] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | No | ? |
gvSIG Mini[11][12] | Prodevelop | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | Yes (GNU/GPL) | ? |
Navionics Boating App[13] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Intended for marine navigation |
OpenSatNav[14] | Kieran Fleming et al. | Tablet PC | Android, OpenMoko | ? | yes (OpenStreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Minimap[15] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
MapDroyd[16] | CloudMade Deutschland GmbH | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
OsmAnd[17] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | Yes (GPLv3+) | ? |
OruxMaps[18] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | No | ? |
MapFactor[19] | MapFactor, s.r.o., Czech Republic | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
NavFree[20][21] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Skobbler GPS Navigation 2[22][23] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | No | Program is free and can be used without limitations online, offline maps need to be paid for |
AlpineQuest GPS Hiking (Lite)[24] | ? | Tablet PC, | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
AndNav 2[25] | ? | Tablet PC, | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Big Planet Tracks[26] | ? | Tablet PC, | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Sports Tracker[27] | Sports Tracking Technologies | Tablet PC | Android, | ? | yes (?), ? | No | Does not allow navigation to specific points, only tracking |
osmdroid[28] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | may not allow actual navigation from point-to-point, only showing the current position on a map |
RMaps[29][30] | ? | tablet PC | Android, | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | may not provide actual navigation, only marking of GPS points, and the current position |
AFTrack[31] | ? | Tablet PC, handheld PC (Symbian) | Android, Symbian OS series 60 | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
CacheBox[32] | ? | Tablet PC, PC, handheld PC (pocket PC) | Android, Windows Mobile, Windows for PC | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | initially intended for geocaching |
Mapopolis[33] | ? | Handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | yes (black and white maps), ? | ? | only has maps for USA |
SailPalm[34] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | yes (black and white maps), ? | ? | Free program, but maps need to be paid for (hence called "shareware" at Tucows), intended for marine navigation (sailing) |
HandMap[35][36] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | yes (color maps, basic), ? | ? | May be a free program, but maps need to be paid for (hence called "shareware" at Tucows) ? |
Magellan Nav Companion[37] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
FieldNote[38] | Mobile Computing | handheld PC (pocket PC) | Windows CE | ? | no, ? | ? | mainly intended to mark specific points without a map, not intended for actual navigation |
TZGPS[39] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Trax[40][41] | Luke Klein-Berndt | handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | ? (?), ? | ? | ? |
SoaringPilot[42] | ? | handheld PC (Palm, some PocketPC/WinCE devices) | Palm OS | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Originally intended for use in sailplanes |
CotoGPS[43] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | Palm OS | ? | ? (?), ? | ? | Originally intended for geocaching |
GpsPilot[44] | ? | handheld PC (Symbian One) | Symbian | ? | no (?), ? | ? | ? |
Maplorer[45] | ? | handheld PC (pocket PC) | Windows CE, Mobile | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
OSMtracker[46] | ? | handheld PC (pocket PC), smartphone | Android, Windows Mobile | ? | yes (?), ? | Yes (GPLv3) | ? |
gpsVP[47] | ? | handheld PC, certain smartphones | Windows Mobile 5,6, 2003 | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
CacheWolf[48] | ? | Laptop, PC | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Glopus[49] | ? | Laptop, PC, handheld PC (Pocket PC) | Windows, ? | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
TrekBuddy[50][51] | ? | PC, laptop, handheld PC (Palm, Symbian, BlackBerry), Windows Phone | Windows XP, Vista, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | Runs on Java, hence cross-platform |
gvSIG 2.0[52] | ? | PC, laptop, | Windows XP, Vista, Linux, OS X | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | cross-platform; originally intended as a GIS; however can be fitted with GPS receiver and has support for it[53] and also allows to easily download maps from any location from an online database as Openstreetmaps, and many others[54][55] |
LuckyGPS[56] | ? | Laptop, PC, smartphone | Windows, Linux, OpenMoko | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Mumpot[57] | ? | Laptop, PC, smartphone | Linux, OpenMoko, GPE | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Navit[58][59] | ? | Laptop, PC, tablet PC, smartphone | Windows for PC, Linux, Android, OpenMoko | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | intended for car navigation, quite popular |
Pyroute[60] | Ojw | Laptop, PC, smartphone | Windows XP, Linux, OpenMoko | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
TangoGPS[61] | Marcus Bauer | Laptop, PC, smartphone | Linux, OpenMoko | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
FoxtrotGPS[62] | ? | Laptop, PC | Linux, OpenMoko | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | based on TangoGPS, actively being developed, especially adapted for use with touch screens |
Rana[63] | Ojw | smartphone | OpenMoko, Neo Freerunner | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | runs on Python, so possibly cross-platform |
BikeAtor[64][65] | ? | smartphone (OpenMoko, Symbian), tablet PC | Android, OpenMoko, Symbian | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
OpenCPN[66] | ? | Laptop, PC | Windows XP SP3, Vista, 7, 8, IntelMac, Linux (Fedora, Ubuntu, CentOS) | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | Intended for maritime navigation |
Osmarender[67] | ? | laptop, PC | Windows, OS X, Linux | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Not intuitive |
Mobile Trail Explorer[68] | ? | smartphone, ? | Symbian, multiple OSs | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | Runs on Java, so a cross-platform GPS navigation software |
Open Citymap[69] | ? | smartphone (Qt) | Windows CE, OpenMoko | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
NaviComputer[70] | ? | Windows Phone | Windows Mobile | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | works with NaviMapper to store maps and transfer them to the phone |
Mappero | ? | Nokia N810 | Maemo[71] | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
NaviPOWM[72] | ? | handheld PC, Laptop, PC | Windows for PC, Windows Mobile 5/6/2003 SE, Linux | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
GPSS | Robin Lovelock | Laptop or Pocket PC | Windows for PC, Windows Mobile | ? | yes (can import) | No (but open) | Since 1995. www.gpss.co.uk |
NaVisu | ? | Laptop, PC | Windows, OS X, Linux | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Developed for marine applications, not intuitive, built around NASA WorldWind |
Cetus GPS[73] | Cetus software | embedded system (Garmin) | OS 5 | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
GPS interpreter[74] | Marcel Durieux, Christian Tavernier[75][76] | Embedded system (purpose-build PCB)[77] | ? | ? | yes, ? | ? | ? |
Andrew Holme's GPS software | Andrew Holme[78] | Embedded system (several custom PCB's + Raspberry Pi)[79] | Raspbian Linux | ? | ?, ? | ? | ? |
AdvRider WD[80] | Adi Barda | Android | Android | ? | yes (can import) | Yes | Since 2013. |
See also
References
- ↑ cGPS mapper: open-source yet paid, not included
- ↑ Chaeron GPS: open-source yet paid, not included
- ↑ Having open-source GPS programs available for different devices also allows people to expand on this software for certain projects, like automated or semi-automated steering systems for vehicles
- ↑ Programs like Google maps require an internet connection as the maps are not available offline, in part because this would also make the program very large in filesize
- ↑ GPS software without internet connection ref 1
- ↑ GPS software without internet connection ref 2
- ↑ Tablet PCs have touchscreens, laptops do not
- ↑ support of add-on GPS receiver, rather than say the embedded GPS receiver of the device the software was initially designed for
- ↑ Maverick
- ↑ Maverick download site
- ↑ gvSIG Mini download site
- ↑ gvSIG Mini main site
- ↑ Navionics Boating App
- ↑ OpenSatNav
- ↑ Minimap main download site
- ↑ MapDroyd
- ↑ OsmAnd
- ↑ OruxMaps
- ↑ MapFactor
- ↑ NavFree
- ↑ NavFree download site
- ↑ Skobbler GPS download site
- ↑ Skobbler GPS main site
- ↑ AlpineQuest
- ↑ AndNav2
- ↑ Big Planet Tracks
- ↑ Sports Tracker
- ↑ osmdroid
- ↑ Maps SQLite
- ↑ Rmaps download site
- ↑ AFTrack
- ↑ CacheBox
- ↑ Mapopolis
- ↑ SailPalm
- ↑ HandMap
- ↑ HandMap GPS plugin
- ↑ List of free GPS software for Palm
- ↑ Mobile Computing
- ↑ TZGPS
- ↑ Trax main site
- ↑ Trax old Tucows site
- ↑ SoarPilot main page
- ↑ CotoGPS main site
- ↑ GpsPilot
- ↑ Maplorer
- ↑ Osmtracker
- ↑ gpsVP
- ↑ CacheWolf
- ↑ Glopus
- ↑ TrekBuddy
- ↑ TrekBuddy versions
- ↑ gvSIG
- ↑ gvSIG having GPS receiver support
- ↑ gvSIG allowing to download OSM maps
- ↑ gvSIG video showing how to load maps from OSM
- ↑ LuckyGPS
- ↑ Mumpot
- ↑ Navit
- ↑ Navit
- ↑ Pyroute
- ↑ TangoGPS
- ↑ FoxtrotGPS
- ↑ Rana
- ↑ BikeAtor
- ↑ BikeAtor
- ↑ OpenCPN
- ↑ Osmarender
- ↑ Mobile Trail Explorer
- ↑ Open Citymap
- ↑ NaviComputer
- ↑ Maemo
- ↑ NaviPOWM
- ↑ Cetus GPS
- ↑ [http://www.elektor-magazine.com/en/magazine-contents/previous-issues.html?tx_elektorarticle_listissues[article]=18921&tx_elektorarticle_listissues[action]=show&cHash=15557dd0aaa057b844b945af27d6960d GPS interpreter download site]
- ↑ Original program from Marcel Durieux on Mikroelektronika Forum
- ↑ Modification by Christian Tavernier for the EM-406A GPS Receiver, mentioned in GPSElektorElektronicsWorldWide.txt file in 070309-11 zip file from http://www.elektor-magazine.com/en/magazine-contents/previous-issues.html?tx_elektorarticle_listissues[article]=18921&tx_elektorarticle_listissues[action]=show&cHash=15557dd0aaa057b844b945af27d6960d
- ↑ GPS receiver PCB
- ↑ A Holme's homemade GPS page
- ↑ Raspberry Pi's site on Holme's project
- ↑