What is the best free hiking app?
The one that does the essentials without making you pay to walk, whether it’s a mountain hike or a simple walk. With Hikez, GPS recording, GPX route guidance, offline maps, summit recognition, iCloud backup and the whole community are free, with no ads. The community map also gives you hiking ideas: routes shared by other hikers, ready to start in one tap.
Is Hikez really free?
Yes. The essentials are free forever, with no ads and no time limit: GPS recording, GPX route guidance with off-trail alerts, offline maps, summit recognition, the journal, weekly and monthly stats, iCloud backup and the whole community. Hikez Pro (€24.99 a year or €3.99 a month in the eurozone) adds the 3D flyover, an unlimited GPX library (3 routes free), the complete summit log, automatic weather, yearly stats and GPX export.
How does the monthly leaderboard work?
Every month, Hikez ranks hikers by elevation gain, distance and number of hikes, worldwide or among the people you follow. Only hikes recorded live with the app count, and our servers recalculate the figures from the track to rule out inconsistencies.
Is Hikez made for walking and hiking trails?
Yes, that’s what it’s built for: day walks, waymarked trails, long-distance paths or mountain hikes. GPS records your walk, you can follow a GPX route with off-trail alerts, and maps stay available without signal.
Does Hikez measure elevation gain?
Yes. Elevation gain shows live while you walk, along with your altitude. Every hike gets its elevation profile, your stats add up your gain week after week, and the summits you reach join your log.
How do I find my friends on Hikez?
Create your account with Apple and a username, then search for your friends by username and follow them. Their hikes show up in your feed; if their account is private, they approve your request.
Does Hikez work without signal?
Yes. The iPhone’s GPS doesn’t need a network, maps download ahead of time around your routes, and the summit database is inside the app. Before you leave, just open your route once with a connection.
Is Hikez available on Android?
Not for now: Hikez is an iPhone app, for iOS 18 and later. We’d rather make one very good app on one system.
Do I need an account?
No. Without an account, your journal stays on your iPhone and in your iCloud. An account is only for the community: you create it with Apple, a username and a photo, no email needed.
How much is Hikez Pro?
€24.99 a year or €3.99 a month in the eurozone (local prices vary), with a 7-day free trial for a first subscription. Cancel anytime from your Apple Account settings.
Is my data sold?
Never. Hikez shows no ads and sells nothing. Your journal lives on your iPhone and in your private iCloud; what you post to the community, you choose hike by hike.
Can I import my hikes and routes?
Yes. Import a GPX file to follow it (3 routes free, unlimited with Pro), or add a hike you’ve already done with its photos, notes and weather.
Does Hikez work outside France?
Yes. In France, Hikez uses IGN maps; elsewhere, OpenStreetMap. The app speaks English, French, Spanish and German.