Best Geocaching Apps for Android? (Currently Using the Official One)

[+hamsterdude10]

Hi everyone!

 

I’m currently using the official Geocaching app on my Samsung phone, and while it gets the job done, I can’t help but wonder—is it the best app out there for geocaching on Android?

 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to use and I like how everything is connected to my account, but sometimes it feels a bit limited—especially when I’m offline or trying to plan ahead.

 

So I wanted to ask the community:

 

Are there better or more feature-rich apps you’d recommend for Android?

 

Is there an app that works better for offline caching, or has better mapping/navigation options?

 

What do you personally use, and why do you like it?

 

Any apps that are good for planning routes, managing lists, or tackling puzzle caches?

 

 

I’d love to hear what tools you all rely on—especially for those who go beyond the basics or cache more frequently. Bonus points if the app plays nicely with the official geocaching.com data.

 

Thanks in advance, and happy caching!

[+MartyBartfast]

I've tried most  of the available Android apps over the years.

 

I prefed  Locus Maps Classic, with the Geocaching4Locus add on above  all others, being primarily a mapping app it's mapping/routing functions are streets ahead of the other apps, but the Geocaching add on has all the features you could ask for.

GeoohGo is another well regarded app, which has a built in Wherigo player,  the developer seems very responsive to maintenance/improvement requests,  but I didn't get on with  it myself.

 

Then there's the app which shall not be named, which also has a dedicated following, someone might mention it but if they do the post will most likely be removed.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 28 by MartyBartfast

[+ecanderson]

Wow -

 

Can't say enough for features on Geooh-Go.  In fact, there are SO many features that it will probably take a while to get up the learning curve far enough to appreciate just how much work the author has put into this app.

 

That said, it doesn't deal in anything but online maps (no stored maps), so that functionality could be an issue in some circumstances.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I'll second Locus Map.  It's a top-of-class map app specifically for outdoor sports like hiking, biking, and yes, even geocaching.  All the things you asked about, it does, and does quite well.

 

However, the Classic version (one-time purchase) is frozen, and has only been receiving bug fixes.  The "4" version (subscription, or ad-supported) gets all the development effort, and the developers are quite active.

 

You no longer need the add-on mentioned above for caching.  Those functions are now integrated.  Online- or offline caching, both styles work well.  And here's a little example of its support for a very small subset of puzzle caches:

 

 

The maps are a thing of beauty.  This is an older screenshot from the Classic version.  There's an almost endless variety of map styles.

 

 

Edited May 28 by Viajero Perdido

[+SpiritGuide]

7 hours ago, ecanderson said:

That said, it doesn't deal in anything but online maps (no stored maps), so that functionality could be an issue in some circumstances.

 

Not exactly correct... The enhanced subscription version of Geooh GO has an alternative maps feature for offline maps (stored maps).

[+SpiritGuide]

There are several authorized apps and websites.

 

https://partnerships.geocaching.com/geocachingapi/

[+ecanderson]

28 minutes ago, SpiritGuide said:

 

Not exactly correct... The enhanced subscription version of Geooh GO has an alternative maps feature for offline maps (stored maps).

Eh?  I've been a subscriber since the beginning, and have never had maps outside of cell coverage, which I'll grant you isn't very often.

 

Long ago I toggled the radio button for "Use Offline Maps" (Select to use offline maps from Mapsforge), but if I move to Airplane mode to cut off all outside comms, I get no map on the screen.  There seems to be an issue with where/how the *.map files are being stored.

 

Perhaps that learning curve is even steeper than I realized?

 

 

Edited May 29 by ecanderson

[+brekkcaching123]

Geooh GO and GCDroid.

I would say Cachly, but I can't use it anymore because I also use Samsung.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

I really like the Geooh Go app. It's robust and packed with features. The one thing it does way better than the official app, at least for me, is downloading offline lists/caches. I use the official app almost exclusively if I have a data signal but if I'm traveling, I will download whatever list I want to use offline using Geooh Go. I've given up on downloading lists with the official app. It always terminates with a List Download Failed message for me.  Maybe it downloaded some, all or none of the caches but I'm not going to wait to find that out when I'm away from home and can't use the app because I'm offline. 

[+SpiritGuide]

22 hours ago, ecanderson said:

Eh?  I've been a subscriber since the beginning, and have never had maps outside of cell coverage, which I'll grant you isn't very often.

 

Long ago I toggled the radio button for "Use Offline Maps" (Select to use offline maps from Mapsforge), but if I move to Airplane mode to cut off all outside comms, I get no map on the screen.  There seems to be an issue with where/how the *.map files are being stored.

 

Perhaps that learning curve is even steeper than I realized?

 

 

 

Works just fine in airplane mode. Just be sure you have .map files for the area stored in the folder you selected in settings. There really is no learning curve needed.

[+Viajero Perdido]

A quick search tells me that Geooh Go works with openandromaps.org maps with a bit of manual setup, in addition to the radio-button option of MapsForge maps, already mentioned.  (I've never personally used GoG so will always defer to the local expert; correct me on anything!)

 

Note that both map sources, OAM and MF, use the same internal format (MF), and both are built on OSM.  But the OAM maps (bigger download) contain extra data, most notably elevation contours.  GoG + OAM maps sounds like a great combination, roughly the screenshot I posted above, without the extra cost of a full-on map (+caching) app that is Locus.

 

Edited May 30 by Viajero Perdido
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