TripLife vs Polarsteps: two ways to keep a trip
Polarsteps tracks and shares your route on iPhone and Android. TripLife plans trips, imports and exports GPX files, and stores travel documents. Compare them.
What is the difference between TripLife and Polarsteps?
Polarsteps is a trip tracker and sharing app. It records your route on a world map, collects photos, videos, and stories for each step, and lets friends and family follow along. TripLife plans the trip and keeps it afterward, with a daily itinerary, flights with live status, GPX routes, travel documents, and a chronicle with a photo map. TripLife runs only on Apple devices, including Mac and Apple Watch, while Polarsteps also has an Android app. Both are free to download.
How do TripLife and Polarsteps compare feature by feature?
| Feature | TripLife | Polarsteps |
|---|---|---|
| Apple platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch | iPhone app, also installs on iPad |
| Minimum iOS version | iOS 26 | iOS 17.0 |
| Android app | No | Yes, on Google Play |
| Download price | Free | Free |
| Paid option | TripLife Pro | In-app purchases; printed Travel Books |
| Day-by-day itinerary | Activities, reminders, weather | Not listed; AI planner, notes, transport per leg |
| Trip journal and photos | Chronicle with photo map and replay | Photos, videos, and stories per step |
| Automatic route recording | Yes, with TripLife Pro | Yes |
| Map of past trips | Yes, Map Memories | Yes, route on a digital world map |
| GPX import and export | Yes | Not listed |
| Apple Watch | Yes; full Watch app with TripLife Pro | Not listed |
| Offline itinerary | Not listed | Not listed |
| Travel documents | Yes, on device or in iCloud | Not listed |
| Sharing and collaboration | Share trips; Invite Travellers (Pro) | Followers, Travel Buddies, privacy controls |
| Lifetime travel stats | Yes | Yes; countries visited, distances covered |
| Printed travel book | Not listed | Yes, Travel Books (route and memories) |
| Expense tracking | Budget and expense log | Not listed |
Sources: the US App Store listings for TripLife (version 2.0.0) and Polarsteps (version 10.20.0), checked on November 10, 2026, plus the Google Play listing for the Android row. "Not listed" means the listing does not mention the feature, not that the app can never do it.
When is Polarsteps the better choice?
Choose Polarsteps if you want friends and family to follow along while you travel, or if you use Android. It records your route automatically, lets you decide who sees a trip (everyone, followers only, or only you), supports Travel Buddies, and can turn a trip into a Trip Reel video or a printed Travel Book. It also runs on iOS 17 and later, while TripLife needs iOS 26.
When is TripLife the better choice?
Choose TripLife if you want one app for the plan and the memory: itinerary planning with reminders, weather, and flight status, GPX import and export, and travel documents kept on your device or in iCloud, plus an Apple Watch app. After the trip, Map Memories lets you revisit your footprints, notes, and photos on an interactive map, and your travel journal stays in the same app. Automatic route recording is part of TripLife Pro.
How much do TripLife and Polarsteps cost?
Both apps are free to download. Polarsteps has in-app purchases and sells printed Travel Books, and TripLife Pro is optional, with monthly, quarterly, and annual plans and Family Sharing. Prices vary by region, so check the App Store for the current price of either app. You can also read TripLife vs Tripsy and TripLife vs Wanderlog.
Download TripLife on the App Store if you want one Apple-native app for planning, GPX routes, travel documents, and a lasting travel journal.