SmartPhones: Which App Do You Use?

June 21, 2014

I just discovered geocaching within the last 24 hours which makes me both happy and sad: sad that it has been around for sooo long and I just now found it; happy because at least I did finally find it. I plan on using my Android SmartPhone because it is really convenient and there appear to be a myriad of apps that can be used with it. The phone appears to be sensitive enough, being able to use GPS inside of a brick and mortar apartment and track several satellites. Anyways, I have already discovered a few excellent apps like Locus and CacheSense. I'm curious to hear what you all use to help me understand which are the best one's to study and learn and to go pro with.

3.3k · June 21, 2014

I just discovered geocaching within the last 24 hours which makes me both happy and sad: sad that it has been around for sooo long and I just now found it; happy because at least I did finally find it. I plan on using my Android SmartPhone because it is really convenient and there appear to be a myriad of apps that can be used with it. The phone appears to be sensitive enough, being able to use GPS inside of a brick and mortar apartment and track several satellites. Anyways, I have already discovered a few excellent apps like Locus and CacheSense. I'm curious to hear what you all use to help me understand which are the best one's to study and learn and to go pro with.

I use NeonGeo on my Android (Samsung GSII HD LTE). I really like the ability to cache maps, access many various map servers, maintain multiple data bases, and easily update coordinates for puzzle caches and multi caches.

However, without a Premium Membership ($30/year), it is severely limited. I think you can only get the detailed cache info for 3 caches per day. Anyway, I think there is a free trial, so give it a shot and see if you like it.

3.8k · June 21, 2014

I use both a GPS and the Groundspeak app- the $10 one.

15.2k · June 21, 2014

I usually use Neongeo. In addition to the features mentioned by Andronicus, Neongeo's ability to grab solved puzzle coordinates from the Personal Cache Note has been useful to me.

June 21, 2014

on the play store, just search "geocaching"

the one with a colon in the name is what I use...it's the best free app...but you didn't hear that from me

June 21, 2014

As per the earlier reply - the one with the colon in it - c:geo. I've used this for a couple of years and it does all that I need. I run it on an old Android phone and I rarely get my handheld GPS out now unless its raining or I want to double check coordinates. I've tried several other Android apps and settled on c:geo not because it's free but because it works really well and has lots of useful easy to use functions.

2.3k · June 21, 2014

I use the App That Shall Not Be Named. I like that I can download entire state/province maps instead of having to cache (in the computer sense) map tiles. I tried NeonGeo, but didn't like it nearly as much.

June 21, 2014

I use the App That Shall Not Be Named.

Ah, c'mon, it can't be THAT evil.

June 21, 2014

Cachesense for me on a blackberry z10 and also my PlayBook. Also available on other phones. I am premium and it handles everything although I use a proper gpsr whenever possible.

June 21, 2014

I use NeonGeo if I'm caching with my phone. Normally I use my Etrex, but that's beside the point here. I personally don't like using apps (like the one mentioned above, with the : in the name), that aren't supported by GC. Use one that gets its info properly.

However, without a Premium Membership ($30/year), it is severely limited. I think you can only get the detailed cache info for 3 caches per day. Anyway, I think there is a free trial, so give it a shot and see if you like it.

I think the 3 caches per day would be on any app, with the possible exception of C:geo (since it basically steals the data from GC.com).

Edited June 21, 2014 by Kacher82

June 21, 2014

I just discovered geocaching within the last 24 hours which makes me both happy and sad: sad that it has been around for sooo long and I just now found it; happy because at least I did finally find it. I plan on using my Android SmartPhone because it is really convenient and there appear to be a myriad of apps that can be used with it. The phone appears to be sensitive enough, being able to use GPS inside of a brick and mortar apartment and track several satellites. Anyways, I have already discovered a few excellent apps like Locus and CacheSense. I'm curious to hear what you all use to help me understand which are the best one's to study and learn and to go pro with.

We use both a Garmin unit and the app with the ":" <_< in it. Both have features that contain tools that can be used to make a find. I prefer the Garmin unit because battery life is much better.

15.2k · June 21, 2014

I use the App That Shall Not Be Named.
Ah, c'mon, it can't be THAT evil.

Well, there was a time when c:geo was indeed "the App That Shall Not Be Named". The moderators would remove references to it in forum posts (either by removing posts or by editing them to remove the name or URL of the app). It took me a while to figure out which app was scraping the web site in violation of the terms of use, and thereby upsetting Groundspeak.

At some point, they decided to stop removing all references to c:geo. They still lock threads that are about c:geo, but they do allow some references to it in threads that are about a more general topic, like this one.

2.6k · June 21, 2014

I usually use a GPS, but on occasion for spur-of-the-moment caching I've been using the official Groundspeak from the beginning. I recently started using Geosphere which has some features that the Groundspeak app doesn't, like being able to navigate by road.

This is for the iPhone though.

1k · June 21, 2014

I really like CacheSense. I use a Garmin for navigation and CacheSense to log from the field. I like how I can pick up or drop trackables and they show up online immediately. With an OTG cable, I can do a live search in the field and output a gpx file to the Garmin. I also upload to Dropbox and my wife can import from Dropbox into her iPhone. Kinda cool that all three devices can share the same gpx file. Of course, on rare occasions I'll use CacheSense by itself for spur of the moment caching.

June 22, 2014

Thank you all for the wonderful replies. Went on my first 'hunt' on Saturday and found one cache using CacheSense. The app seems to have amazing accuracy when there are cell towers and wifi available in addition to GPS. I tried c:geo today to take me to a (probably dead) cache but reverted back to CacheSense to narrow down the triangulation. I think one reason for the accuracy of CacheSense is that it integrates with GPS Status. I also like that CacheSense integrates with a few other apps as well.

Anyone use Locus, or has tried it but disliked it?

Edited June 22, 2014 by GeoCacher.43

3.3k · June 23, 2014

Thank you all for the wonderful replies. Went on my first 'hunt' on Saturday and found one cache using CacheSense. The app seems to have amazing accuracy when there are cell towers and wifi available in addition to GPS. I tried c:geo today to take me to a (probably dead) cache but reverted back to CacheSense to narrow down the triangulation. I think one reason for the accuracy of CacheSense is that it integrates with GPS Status. I also like that CacheSense integrates with a few other apps as well.

Anyone use Locus, or has tried it but disliked it?

The app does not control the accuracy. That is your phone that provides the data to the app. Choose the app that has a User Interface you like. Also, you should consider that using c:geo does violate the TOU you aggreed to when you signed up for your account geocaching.com account. In so doing, it can provide a better caching environment for basic members.

1k · June 23, 2014

The app does not control the accuracy. That is your phone that provides the data to the app. Choose the app that has a User Interface you like. Also, you should consider that using c:geo does violate the TOU you aggreed to when you signed up for your account geocaching.com account. In so doing, it can provide a better caching environment for basic members.

In a way, it does. True, the hardware spits out the same coordinates no matter what app you're using, but I believe each app developer decides such things as how to average the readings received and how many readings to take before it updates the display location and pointer, etc. I guess it might be more proper to say the app influences the perceived accuracy, wouldn't you think?

1.4k · June 24, 2014

First off I paid for the app here. I have no complaints about it at all. I use it for looking up caches with a D/T that I want to seek out. It has its place. I have also tried many other apps but C:geo is the best I have found. Maybe because I started with it or something but I really like it. I wish they could all get along or this site would just buy it, Maybe make one like it. I don't know.

2.3k · June 24, 2014

If Groundspeak bought it, they'd ruin it somehow in their first update.

June 24, 2014

Another vote for cachesense. I use it on my Z10 and PlayBook, great for logging in the field.

June 25, 2014

C:geo on my droid phone and my garmin dakota 20. Android apps make it too easy.

July 1, 2014

As a premium member, I have no problems with using c:geo on my Android phone when I am out and decide to do some umplanned caching. I normally use my 60CSX or 62s for my hunting. I tried several other apps including the "official" one but like c:geo best.

July 7, 2014

c:geo is an app that does it all!

2.7k · July 9, 2014

c:geo is an app that does it all!

Does this app allow you to log finds directly from the field?

July 12, 2014

I find myself actually using cachesense most of the time, though I do hate that when I use walking navigation, it only sees the roads and not the paths. So I find myself using the compass/radar more and more. I'm gonna have to find a digital map for Israel that includes all of the known official trails... if anyone knows where to grab one, please inform.

July 25, 2014

Yes, it does. As well as upload photos on the field. It's the only APP I use, much better than the official geocaching app in just about every sense.

It's only available for Android and they aren't planning on releasing an Apple version though.

c:geo is an app that does it all!

Does this app allow you to log finds directly from the field?

July 26, 2014

Howdy......

.1% of the time I use C:GEO on my Android.

.2% of the time I use the official GEOCACHING APP. on my Android.

99.7% of the time I use me GPSMAP 62s.

Vern / Foothills Drifter...

July 31, 2014

c:geo for me. just today I was standing at ground zero with c:geo and switched over to this sites app. c:geo showed me .25 meters from it. this sites app showed me 576 ft from it!! with full signal and 4g!!! I also keep my trusty gps in my pocket for when I am low on signal.

July 31, 2014

I used to use NeonGeo but switched to Cachesense when I needed more capabilities that the now abandoned NeonGeo did not have.

3.3k · July 31, 2014

I used to use NeonGeo but switched to Cachesense when I needed more capabilities that the now abandoned NeonGeo did not have.

That is kind of annoying. Some of NeonGeo's really cool features are only half finished, and the creator seems to have disappeared. I have tried Cachesense, but I can't seem to get the hang of it. Maybe I should give it another try...

July 31, 2014

I used to use NeonGeo but switched to Cachesense when I needed more capabilities that the now abandoned NeonGeo did not have.

That is kind of annoying. Some of NeonGeo's really cool features are only half finished, and the creator seems to have disappeared. I have tried Cachesense, but I can't seem to get the hang of it. Maybe I should give it another try...

Cachesense is a very powerful app and does everything you need, but, it can be a bit of a learning curve. I use it on a Z10 and a legacy BlackBerry and they are laid out differently. Explore the menus and play about with the options at home and you'll soon be a cachesense pro. Downside of cachesense, very little help documentation.

3.3k · July 31, 2014

I used to use NeonGeo but switched to Cachesense when I needed more capabilities that the now abandoned NeonGeo did not have.

That is kind of annoying. Some of NeonGeo's really cool features are only half finished, and the creator seems to have disappeared. I have tried Cachesense, but I can't seem to get the hang of it. Maybe I should give it another try...

Cachesense is a very powerful app and does everything you need, but, it can be a bit of a learning curve. I use it on a Z10 and a legacy BlackBerry and they are laid out differently. Explore the menus and play about with the options at home and you'll soon be a cachesense pro. Downside of cachesense, very little help documentation.

NeonGeo's documentation isn't that good either. And the help foums are currently down.

1k · August 1, 2014

I used to use NeonGeo but switched to Cachesense when I needed more capabilities that the now abandoned NeonGeo did not have.

That is kind of annoying. Some of NeonGeo's really cool features are only half finished, and the creator seems to have disappeared. I have tried Cachesense, but I can't seem to get the hang of it. Maybe I should give it another try...

Cachesense is a very powerful app and does everything you need, but, it can be a bit of a learning curve. I use it on a Z10 and a legacy BlackBerry and they are laid out differently. Explore the menus and play about with the options at home and you'll soon be a cachesense pro. Downside of cachesense, very little help documentation.

CacheSense has a pretty active support forum and an active developer.

1.3k · August 1, 2014

I have an Amazon Fire, so I'm limited to whatever is in the Amazon app store. Right now, the only geocaching app is called CacheIt. It works great for pulling up nearby caches and updating on the fly but doesn't seem to support logging field notes. Logging field notes was the primary reason for using the Groundspeak app, for me, so I really miss that feature.

August 1, 2014

Locus for me.

I prefer logging at home after a hard days caching

August 4, 2014

I flip between cachesense and c:geo. The interface, and more specifically, the compass just looks so much better on cachesense. However, I live in a very rural part of the country where access to a signal is sketchy at best. This is where c:geo excels. Storing a cache and logging it to save for later just seems to be above and beyond easier with c:geo.

August 4, 2014

I just got started doing this and started out using the free Geocaching app. It was ok but quite limited so I tried c:geo and like it a lot. I then bought the $10 Android Geocaching App and a Premium Membership because I can see this activity is going something I stick with.

Strange thing is I still have to use c:geo to plan where I am going to go or to see where I want to go in the future. With c:geo I can zoom out and see every cache around Las Vegas, NV and zoom back in over Rapid City, SD to see what is there. The official Geocaching app only shows me the closest 20 or so caches to where I am or to a specific point. Kinda lame, really. But then I'm still a bit of a rube and may just not have figured out how to do that yet. Anyhow, didn't mind spending the $$ to support gc, but that's a pretty amazing feature not to have.

Also - I am loving this! I finally found an activity that fits! Yay!

August 7, 2014

but that's a pretty amazing feature not to have.

Didn't see where to edit my incorrect post, so, in case someone sees it and things the Geocaching app can't zoom out far, I shamefacedly post that I was wrong about that. It does. The other app just populates the screen automatically with caches as you zoom in and out. The Geocaching app requires you to push a button on the bottom of the screen to populate the specific area you are looking at, but it does work, and you can zoom out. The other app works more like the website. Apologies for posting the previous post.

August 11, 2014

Hi folks

Just want to ask for a bit of clarification about some of the very useful answers in this thread. I've been using Geocache Navigator (GCN) on my trusty old Nokia 5800 (ie Symbian) for a couple of years now, but the Nokia is slowly dieing so I'm looking to upgrade to an Android phone and wondering which app gets me closest to what GCN does. Having looked at a number of the apps mentioned here I can't easily see what each does. So can anyone advise (from your own use of one or more of the various apps) which ones will do the following:

1. Give me a list of any number of caches of all types within a specified area, allowing me to exclude those I've already found. NB I'm a Basic member, not Premium. Am I right in understanding that Groundspeak now limit non-premium members to only 3 caches - well GCN gave me a lot more so that's what I want.

2. Display those caches on a map (GCN uses only Open Street Map and displays just one at a time, but ideally I'd want UK OS maps and the ability to show all caches within the map area).

3. Allow me to save a list of cache details (description, location, hint, etc) for use off-line where there's no cell coverage.

4. Allow me to input lat & long manually.

4. Give me a "radar" display when I'm close to each GZ (easier to follow than a simple pointy arrow)

5. Allow me to log a basic "Found it" or "DNF" Field Note that I can update with more details later.

Is there any single app for Android that can do these things ?

Thanks in advance

3.3k · August 11, 2014

Hi folks

Just want to ask for a bit of clarification about some of the very useful answers in this thread. I've been using Geocache Navigator (GCN) on my trusty old Nokia 5800 (ie Symbian) for a couple of years now, but the Nokia is slowly dieing so I'm looking to upgrade to an Android phone and wondering which app gets me closest to what GCN does. Having looked at a number of the apps mentioned here I can't easily see what each does. So can anyone advise (from your own use of one or more of the various apps) which ones will do the following:

1. Give me a list of any number of caches of all types within a specified area, allowing me to exclude those I've already found. NB I'm a Basic member, not Premium. Am I right in understanding that Groundspeak now limit non-premium members to only 3 caches - well GCN gave me a lot more so that's what I want.

2. Display those caches on a map (GCN uses only Open Street Map and displays just one at a time, but ideally I'd want UK OS maps and the ability to show all caches within the map area).

3. Allow me to save a list of cache details (description, location, hint, etc) for use off-line where there's no cell coverage.

4. Allow me to input lat & long manually.

4. Give me a "radar" display when I'm close to each GZ (easier to follow than a simple pointy arrow)

5. Allow me to log a basic "Found it" or "DNF" Field Note that I can update with more details later.

Is there any single app for Android that can do these things ?

Thanks in advance

NeoGeo will definatly get you all those things. I have started playing around with CacheSense, and, although I am not fully familiar with it yet, I think that it will do all that as well.

I think that any of the new modern apps will get you all that stuff. Those would be considered basic functionality now days.

August 11, 2014

Hi Andronicus, thanks for the input.

As far as I can tell from the write-ups of both NeonGeo & CacheSense on Google Play, both of those apps fail my wish-list because they limit Basic members to just three cache listings per day. That's not what I get from GCN, and I was hoping to find an Android app that provided the same functionality. Am I looking for something that doesn't exist ? Or do I have to shell out for Premium membership - the "benefits" have never seemed particularly compelling before so I haven't bothered ?

3.3k · August 11, 2014

Hi Andronicus, thanks for the input.

As far as I can tell from the write-ups of both NeonGeo & CacheSense on Google Play, both of those apps fail my wish-list because they limit Basic members to just three cache listings per day. That's not what I get from GCN, and I was hoping to find an Android app that provided the same functionality. Am I looking for something that doesn't exist ? Or do I have to shell out for Premium membership - the "benefits" have never seemed particularly compelling before so I haven't bothered ?

The basic member issue bites back again!

I missed that one. The problem here is that the geocaching API limits basic members. It is not the software. There is nothing the developers can do about that.

The other option, there is an Android app that violates the TOS you signed up to when you got your geocaching.com account (the No Automated Screen Scraping rule). That one will work for what you are wanting.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Andronicus

1.2k · August 11, 2014

Where can I read the TOS that I agreed to 10 1/2 years ago?

15.2k · August 12, 2014

Geocaching.com Site Terms of Use Agreement

Third-party apps that use the API will limit basic members to 3 traditional caches per 24 hours.

The app that violates the TOU agreement to not use "any robot, spider, scraper or other automated means to access" will ignore this limitation of course. And it will sometimes break when Groundspeak updates the site.

IIRC, the paid version of Groundspeak's app gives even basic members more than 3 traditional caches per 24 hours.

August 12, 2014

Where can I read the TOS that I agreed to 10 1/2 years ago?

Geocaching.com Site Terms of Use Agreement

Hmmm, this looks decidedly murky.

Firstly I'm not sure the current Terms of Use are the ones I signed up to originally. If that were so then GCN would have been non-compliant when I bought it and I can't believe Groundspeak would have let Trimble get away with that. I'm pretty sure the API, and with it the Terms of Use, became more restrictive within the last couple of years and I don't recall Groundspeak bringing that subtle change to my attention. Does anyone have access to previous versions ?

Secondly item D(i) does not distinguish between Basic & Premium so arguably even Premium Members using an approved app are also violating it. A reasonable assumption for users would be that the app developers would have obtained the necessary permission (it's implicit in the API), it's not up to individual users to apply for specific written permission when they buy an app. So how does a user know whether any particular app complies or not ? Am I in violation because I'm using GCN ?

And if it's correct that Groundspeak's own app allows Basic Users to get more than 3 caches (jury's out on this, the details on Google Play are unclear) then GS obviously aren't particularly worried about violations by Basic Members.

BTW my problem with Premium Membership is not with the concept of paying for something (if I use it, I ought to pay a fair price for it), but rather with GS's pricing structure. Here in the UK I'm charged £24.99 for 12 months. If I was in the US I'd be charged $29.99 (that's £17.86 in proper money today) and if I was in the eurozone I'd be charged 29.99 euros (ie around £24, similar to the UK price). So why does GS charge UK & European users 40% more than US users ? Are they actively trying to discourage us ?

Anyway, back to the topic in hand. I now understand that if I want the functionality I currently get from GCN then either I have to violate the Terms of Use by using a non-API compliant app or I have to become a Premium Member at an inflated cost. Thanks for your inputs folks, I think I now know enough to make some decisions.

2.7k · August 13, 2014

Are you SERIOUSLY upset that you may have to pay for a Premium Membership to use an app after you have paid the price of a new smart phone? The cost of the PM is likely less than half what your data costs per month.

As to the TOU you agreed to 10-1/2 years ago, they most likely included a clause that allows for changes to be made by the provider, and your continued use of the site is your acceptance of those changes throughout the years.

15.2k · August 13, 2014

Secondly item D(i) does not distinguish between Basic & Premium so arguably even Premium Members using an approved app are also violating it.

Maybe it's just me, but I think an app that uses the official API will have an easy time with the "express written permission" part of that item.

And if it's correct that Groundspeak's own app allows Basic Users to get more than 3 caches (jury's out on this, the details on Google Play are unclear) then GS obviously aren't particularly worried about violations by Basic Members.

It's their app. Somehow, I think they'll give themselves "express written permission" to implement whatever functionality they want.

September 1, 2014

I just downloaded the Cachesense demo. Haven't used it yet, but looking at the interface and exploring the app a little bit, I think I'll really like it. I might end up going with that over NeonGeo. If you also play the QR code game (not sure if I can name it in these forums), it will show them on the map, too. Tapping them opens up the app for that game.

3.3k · September 5, 2014

I just downloaded the Cachesense demo. Haven't used it yet, but looking at the interface and exploring the app a little bit, I think I'll really like it. I might end up going with that over NeonGeo. If you also play the QR code game (not sure if I can name it in these forums), it will show them on the map, too. Tapping them opens up the app for that game.

I just bought the full version of Cachesense. It seems really powerfull, expecialy for filtering out caches you dont' want (i.g. micros)

September 19, 2014

tried neongeo and the offline maps were cumbersome... the forbidden apps offline maps much smaller in size and easier to zoom around... plus I really like their api to be honest. Theres not much about the program I do not like... it just works.

I think GS does a disservice only allowing their own api to be mentioned here. If not for that forbidden program I probably would not be a premium member nor have gotten my mother into its whos also a premium member buying trackables etc... they get a lot of side revenue from this fobidden program...

SmartPhones: Which App Do You Use?

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