Organic Maps review: free offline maps, no account

Organic Maps is a free offline maps app for hiking, cycling, and driving.¹ The project says there is no annoying registration, no ads, and no tracking.¹ Download a region, and search plus turn-by-turn directions are meant to keep working with no live internet connection.¹ It suits a walk, a ride, or a drive when you want the map stored on the phone itself.

Last checked October 28, 2026.

At a glance

What it is: A free offline map and GPS app powered by OpenStreetMap.¹

Works on: Android 5.0+, iOS 15+, Apple-silicon Macs on macOS 12+, and a Windows desktop build. Android Auto needs Android 8 and Google Play.⁵⁶⁴⁸

Price: Free. The project asks for donations and says they do not cover the cost of the work.⁶³

Licence: Apache License 2.0 for the code. Map files use a separate licence that F-Droid marks as non-free.³⁵

Best for: Trips where you want search and directions without an account or a signal.

Official site: organicmaps.app

What Organic Maps does (and how it protects your privacy)

The website says the app supports its features without an active internet connection: install it, download maps, and use them on the trip.¹ Search runs on the maps you downloaded, and spoken turn-by-turn guidance covers walking, cycling, and driving.¹ Places and roads come from OpenStreetMap. The store listing says volunteers maintain that map, and that it includes hiking paths, benches, and building labels many well-known maps do not.⁵

The route does not have to live in an online account. The privacy policy, effective 24 April 2021, says there is no tracking, no ads, and no spyware, and no collection of location, statistical, or personal data from the device.² The project calls itself indie and community-driven, made with the people who created MapsWithMe, later known as Maps.Me. The README says those founders still maintain it.¹³

The phone app is the main one. The 29 September 2026 notes also fix issues in the Windows app.⁴ In December 2025 the project said it had reached 6 million installs.¹ F-Droid added build 2026.09.29-32 on 3 October 2026. The App Store lists version 2026.09.29 from 1 October 2026.⁵⁶

Key features of Organic Maps

Offline search and voice directions for walking, cycling, and driving, once a region is downloaded.¹⁵
Trails and height: hiking paths, cycling routes, contour lines, elevation profiles, peaks, and slopes.¹
Bookmarks and tracks you can import or export as KML, KMZ, GPX, or GeoJSON.¹
Wikipedia articles for popular places on the map.¹
Metro maps. Live public-transport schedules are still in development.¹⁵
CarPlay and Android Auto. CarPlay is on the App Store page. Android Auto needs Android 8 and the Google Play edition.¹⁶⁸
Map edits. You can add a missing place to OpenStreetMap from the app.⁵
Search history control. The July 2026 notes add an iOS “Save search history” setting that can turn that history off and hide it.⁴

Pros and cons of Organic Maps

Pros

Free, with no account, and the project says no ads and no tracking.¹⁶
Search and navigation run from downloaded maps. The site lists no unexpected mobile-data charges.¹
Exodus Privacy lists the 29 September 2026 F-Droid and Google Play builds as having 0 trackers.⁷
Apple’s privacy label says the developer does not collect data.⁶
App code is Apache License 2.0. F-Droid builds and signs its package from the published source.³⁵
Bookmarks and tracks can be copied out as ordinary GPS files.¹

Cons

You must download a region before search and navigation work offline.¹
Live public-transport times are still in development.⁵
Compiled map files use a separate licence. F-Droid lists them as non-free assets.³⁵
The README says donations fall far short of the cost of sustaining the app, and that founders have funded most expenses.³
The current iPhone release needs iOS 15. Apple says the app may use location even when it is not open.⁶
Android Auto needs Android 8 and the Play Store copy.⁸

Is Organic Maps safe and private?

The privacy policy says Organic Maps does not track you and does not collect location, statistical, or personal data. It dates from 24 April 2021.² The README also says “no phoning home.”³ Apple’s label says “Data Not Collected,” and that the developer does not collect any data. That label is the developer’s declaration.⁶

Exodus Privacy lists version 2026.09.29-32, both the F-Droid build and the Google Play build, with 0 trackers.⁷ F-Droid describes precise location as foreground access, while you are using the app.⁵ Apple’s page says the app may use location even when it is not open.⁶

The first download uses the network. Our guide to what the internet provider can still see covers that. Afterwards, search and navigation are meant to work offline.⁵ On iOS, the July 2026 notes add a “Save search history” setting that can turn that history off and hide it.⁴ The App Store listing says bookmarks and tracks can be backed up and synced through iCloud.⁶ The App Store seller is Organic Maps OU. The code is Apache License 2.0, and F-Droid says its 3 October 2026 build corresponds to the published source tarball.⁶³⁵

How to get started with Organic Maps

Install from a source named in the 29 September 2026 notes: get.omaps.org, the App Store, Google Play, Huawei AppGallery, Obtainium, Accrescent, or F-Droid.⁴
Open it. There is no account. The project lists “no annoying registration.”¹
On Wi-Fi, download the region you need. The listing says downloads are unlimited and that search and navigation then work offline.⁵
Allow location while you use the map. F-Droid describes precise location as foreground access.⁵
Search or tap a place, then start walking, cycling, or driving guidance with voice.¹
For a car screen, CarPlay is on the App Store page. Android Auto needs Android 8 and Google Play.⁶⁸ See offline maps once you are in the car for saving the map before you drive.
Update before the next trip. The listing says map data is refreshed twice a month. The September 2026 release uses OpenStreetMap data as of 28 September 2026.⁵⁴

Who should use Organic Maps (and who might prefer something else)

Organic Maps fits travellers, hikers, cyclists, and drivers who want a free map with no account and no ads, and who can download a region before the signal drops.¹ It also fits if you like fixing a missing place yourself, because edits can go to OpenStreetMap from the app.⁵

To compare another offline navigator, read our guide to OsmAnd. For a community-led map project, our CoMaps guide is the companion piece. People who need live bus times will find that part of Organic Maps still unfinished.⁵

Frequently asked questions

Is Organic Maps free?

Yes. The website says it is absolutely free, with no ads, and the App Store lists it as free.¹⁶ The README says current donations fall short of the cost of the work.³

Is Organic Maps safe?

The privacy policy says it does not track you or collect location or personal data.² Exodus lists 0 trackers in the 29 September 2026 Android builds, and Apple’s label says no data is collected.⁷⁶ The download still uses the internet once, and Apple says location may be used when the app is closed.⁶

Does Organic Maps work on iPhone?

Yes. Version 2026.09.29, dated 1 October 2026, needs iOS 15 or later. The same page supports iPad, Apple-silicon Macs on macOS 12 or later, Apple Vision, and CarPlay.⁶

Does Organic Maps work offline?

Yes, after you download a region. The project says its features work without an active connection, including search and navigation.¹⁵ A connection is still needed for that first download and for later map updates, which the listing says arrive about twice a month.⁵