Top 10 Offline GPS Apps for Rural and Remote Areas in 2025 (Free & Paid)

Have you ever found yourself deep in the countryside or on a remote trail, only to realize your GPS app has stopped working because you lost your mobile signal? For many travelers, this situation is all too common.

According to The Guardian, only 69% of rural areas in the UK have reliable 4G coverage from major network providers. This leaves many areas with spotty or no connectivity at all, making it difficult to access real-time navigation when you need it most.

Without offline GPS tools, this gap in coverage can lead to missed turns, delays, or even dangerous situations — especially when traveling in unfamiliar or isolated areas.

The good news? There are GPS apps designed to work without an internet connection, so you can navigate confidently anywhere, even when you’re off the grid.

Why Offline GPS Apps Matter

The best offline GPS apps offer essential benefits that make rural and remote travel safer and more convenient, such as:

• Reliable Access:
  Navigate without depending on network coverage in rural towns, countryside roads, or mountain areas.
• Cost Savings:
  Avoid roaming charges and data costs when exploring areas with weak or no mobile service.
• Enhanced Safety:
  Stay on track even in emergencies, thanks to offline maps and routing tools.
• Comprehensive Maps:
  Download entire regions and access topographic and street-level details offline.
• Advanced Features:
  Some apps offer offline navigation with POI search, hiking trails, and route planning tools tailored for remote travelers.

In this guide, you’ll discover the top 10 offline GPS apps perfect for navigating rural and remote areas in 2025.

Top 10 Offline GPS Apps for Rural and Remote Areas

1. Maps.me

Price: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android
Best for: Offline navigation in rural areas, countryside trips, and remote destinations.

Maps.me is one of the most reliable offline navigation apps for travelers who frequently venture into rural or low-connectivity regions. Built on OpenStreetMap data, it enables you to download offline maps for entire countries or regions, making it ideal for countryside drives, backroad adventures, and off-grid exploration.

Whether you’re hiking through forests, navigating remote farms, or traveling across small towns, Maps.me offers detailed offline navigation without relying on mobile data. The app supports walking, cycling, and driving directions — ensuring that travelers in rural areas can reach their destination safely and efficiently.

In addition to navigation, Maps.me provides offline search functionality and local POIs, such as rural landmarks, fuel stations, and rest areas, helping travelers locate essential services even in isolated areas.

Features:

• Full Offline Maps: Download country-wide or regional maps to use without internet, covering rural zones and remote destinations globally.
• Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Voice-guided offline navigation for driving, walking, and cycling on countryside roads and trails.
• Offline POI Search: Locate essential services such as fuel stations, accommodation, and rural landmarks directly within the offline maps.
• Customizable Bookmarks: Save important spots, routes, and waypoints to revisit or share with fellow travelers.
• OpenStreetMap Integration: Community-driven map updates ensure rural and remote areas are mapped accurately.

Pros:

• Free with no subscription required
• Works globally, even in low-coverage rural regions
• Fast and lightweight, ideal for offline use

Cons:

• Basic compared to premium GPS apps (no live traffic)
• Rerouting speed can be slow when off course

2. Sygic GPS Navigation

Price: Free basic plan, premium from $17.99/year
Platforms: iOS, Android
Best for: Drivers navigating rural roads and remote highways with advanced offline tools.

Sygic GPS Navigation is a premium-level app known for its offline-first design, making it a top choice for rural travelers and long-distance drivers. Built on TomTom offline maps, Sygic ensures accurate navigation even when there’s zero mobile signal. This makes it highly effective for remote countryside areas, mountain passes, and isolated road trips.

Sygic offers high-quality offline maps that cover rural and urban zones globally, with voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation. Its speed limit warnings and lane assistance are particularly useful when driving on unfamiliar rural highways or narrow countryside lanes.

The app also includes offline POIs, so travelers can find fuel stations, accommodation, and rest stops without a data connection. For drivers heading into rural regions, the app provides peace of mind by offering clear route guidance, safety alerts, and offline rerouting.

Features:

• TomTom Offline Maps: Download highly detailed maps based on TomTom data to navigate even remote roads without internet.
• Voice-Guided Navigation: Get clear, offline turn-by-turn instructions for both highways and countryside routes.
• Lane Assistance & Speed Warnings: Stay safe on unfamiliar rural roads with lane assist and real-time speed limit alerts (offline-enabled).
• Offline Points of Interest: Access thousands of offline POIs including rural gas stations, hotels, and roadside amenities.
• Offline Route Customization: Plan routes offline with multiple stops, avoiding tolls, ferries, or unpaved roads.

Pros:

• Strong offline support with professional-grade maps
• Ideal for long-distance rural and highway driving
• Voice navigation and lane guidance work without internet

Cons:

• Many advanced features require a paid plan
• App size is large due to detailed map downloads

3. Gaia GPS

Price: Free basic plan, premium from $39.99/year
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Best for: Outdoor adventurers, hikers, and off-road travelers in rural and remote areas.

Gaia GPS is trusted by hikers, backpackers, and outdoor enthusiasts who explore rural and off-the-grid locations. It offers highly detailed offline topographic maps, ideal for navigating forests, mountain ranges, and remote rural terrain.

Unlike traditional driving apps, Gaia GPS is optimized for wilderness and rural exploration. Whether you’re hiking, off-roading, or camping in areas without mobile service, you can rely on its offline maps to guide you safely. The app provides terrain details, elevation profiles, public land boundaries, and trail systems—all accessible offline.

Gaia GPS also integrates weather overlays and route recording, making it a versatile tool for travelers needing offline navigation in rural landscapes where standard road apps may fall short.

Features:

• Topographic & Terrain Maps:
  Download offline topographic maps with contour lines, trails, elevation, and terrain shading for rural areas.
• Offline Route Tracking:
  Track your movements, record custom routes, and save waypoints for off-grid navigation.
• Public Land Boundaries:
  View offline overlays of national forests, parks, and public land, essential for rural hiking or camping.
• Offline Weather Overlays:
  Download weather maps showing precipitation or temperature trends even in no-signal zones.
• Multiple Map Sources:
  Access satellite imagery, NatGeo trails, and USGS maps offline with premium plans.

Pros:

• Excellent for hiking, camping, and rural exploration
• Rich offline map layers with terrain and trail data
• Route recording works fully offline

Cons:

• Primarily designed for outdoor activities (not ideal for city driving)
• Some map layers require premium subscription

4. OsmAnd Maps & Navigation

Price: Free basic plan, premium from $13.99/year
Platforms: iOS, Android
Best for: Travelers who want customizable offline maps and routes in remote areas.

OsmAnd is a highly customizable offline GPS app built on OpenStreetMap data. It is designed for users who frequently navigate rural roads, backcountry trails, and remote destinations where mobile signals are unreliable.

The app allows you to fully download maps and tailor them with layers like hiking routes, contour lines, or cycling paths. Whether you’re traveling across rural highways or planning a countryside cycling trip, OsmAnd ensures offline access to detailed navigation tools.

OsmAnd is a great option for those who want more control over their offline maps, with adjustable map styles, offline search, and the ability to add custom POIs or offline plugins.

Features:

• Offline Map Downloads: Download maps by country or region and access them fully offline with no time restrictions.
• Offline Routing for All Modes: Supports offline routing for driving, cycling, walking, or public transport across rural or remote areas.
• Map Customization Options: Add layers such as contour lines, hiking trails, or slope gradients to improve rural navigation.
• Offline POI Search: Locate rural landmarks, campsites, or fuel stations even without internet access.
• OpenStreetMap-Based: Community-sourced map updates ensure rural roads and countryside details stay current.

Pros:

• Fully customizable offline maps
• Supports multiple travel modes offline
• Free and open-source base version available

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve for new users
• Map interface can feel complex for casual travelers

5. HERE WeGo

Price: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android
Best for: Rural and city drivers who need reliable offline navigation with traffic info.

HERE WeGo is a simple and dependable offline GPS app ideal for travelers navigating rural regions and small towns. Originally built for in-car systems by leading automakers, HERE WeGo offers downloadable maps for more than 100 countries, helping users stay on track when internet coverage disappears.

Perfect for countryside drives and rural trips, HERE WeGo provides offline turn-by-turn navigation for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. What makes it stand out is its ability to also display public transport routes offline in select cities, giving you flexibility if you move between urban and rural areas.

The app is highly intuitive and comes with a clean user interface, making it popular among those who want a balance between offline simplicity and modern navigation.

Features:

• Offline Maps for 100+ Countries: Download maps for entire regions or countries and use them without mobile data anywhere.
• Turn-by-Turn Voice Guidance: Offline navigation works for driving, walking, and cycling across rural roads and remote towns.
• Offline Public Transport Routes: Access available bus, tram, or subway routes offline in select cities (for hybrid rural-urban travelers).
• Rural Points of Interest: Find offline listings of fuel stations, parking spots, and public facilities outside city centers.
• Optional Traffic Data: If reconnected online, access real-time traffic info and alternate routes when leaving rural zones.

Pros:

• Free offline maps with a user-friendly interface
• Works well in rural and urban settings
• Supports offline navigation for multiple transport modes

Cons:

• Public transport data limited to certain regions
• Fewer hiking/cycling-specific layers compared to niche apps

6. CoPilot GPS

Price: Free trial, premium from $14.99/year
Platforms: iOS, Android
Best for: Rural drivers, delivery services, and truckers navigating off-grid and countryside routes.

CoPilot GPS is a driver-focused offline GPS app designed for rural travel and professional use. Whether you’re navigating remote highways, rural delivery routes, or farm roads, CoPilot GPS offers precise offline maps and specialized routing.

The app stands out with its vehicle-specific routing, allowing users to adjust navigation based on vehicle type — from cars and RVs to commercial trucks. For rural driving, this ensures you avoid low bridges, narrow lanes, or restricted roads commonly found in countryside regions.

CoPilot GPS also includes offline turn-by-turn voice navigation and clear lane guidance, helping rural drivers handle unfamiliar or poorly marked roads with ease.

Features:

• Offline Vehicle Routing: Customize routes for cars, RVs, or trucks to avoid restricted rural roads and optimize delivery paths offline.
• Offline Maps with Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Voice-guided offline navigation across rural highways, small towns, and countryside roads.
• Lane Assist & Clear Signage: Get visual lane guidance and accurate rural road signage, even when off the grid.
• Multiple-Stop Route Planning: Plan and optimize delivery routes with several stops offline, perfect for rural logistics or long drives.
• Offline POI Search: Locate rest stops, truck services, or fuel stations without relying on network coverage.

Pros:

• Offline support for rural and commercial driving
• Excellent for truckers and delivery drivers in remote areas
• Lane guidance and optimized routing for large vehicles

Cons:

• Truck-specific features require premium subscription
• Interface feels dated compared to newer apps

7. AllTrails

Price: Free basic plan, AllTrails+ from $35.99/year
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Best for: Hikers, outdoor enthusiasts, and rural explorers looking for offline trail maps.

AllTrails is a go-to app for hikers, runners, and nature lovers who frequently navigate rural trails and off-the-beaten-path routes. It features an extensive collection of over 400,000 trail maps worldwide, many of which are located in remote areas where mobile coverage is minimal.

For rural or wilderness trips, AllTrails+ users can download trail maps for offline use, track routes, and monitor elevation changes without depending on a mobile signal. Whether you’re trekking through forests, rural valleys, or mountain terrain, AllTrails provides GPS-based guidance even when you’re far from towns or cell towers.

The app also lets you filter trails by difficulty, distance, or activity (hiking, biking, trail running), making it easy to find safe and scenic routes in rural areas.

Features:

• Offline Trail Maps: Download detailed maps for hiking, biking, or running trails in rural parks and remote landscapes.
• Route Recording & GPS Tracking: Track your hikes or runs offline, log waypoints, and monitor elevation gain along the route.
• Trail Reviews & Photos: Access user-generated reviews, photos, and tips to find popular or hidden rural trails.
• Offline Safety Alerts: Download trail details like difficulty, route type, and elevation before heading to rural or remote areas.
• Custom Filters for Trail Search: Search rural trails by distance, user rating, pet-friendliness, or level of difficulty.

Pros:

• Excellent for rural hiking and outdoor sports
• Large database of verified trails worldwide
• Easy offline map downloads with AllTrails+

Cons:

• Free version has limited offline access
• Designed primarily for outdoor trail users (less for road navigation)

8. Polaris GPS Navigation

Price: Free
Platforms: Android
Best for: Off-road navigation, rural exploration, and outdoor survivalists.

Polaris GPS Navigation is a versatile offline GPS app built for those venturing into rural, off-road, or backcountry areas. Unlike standard navigation apps, Polaris focuses on providing wilderness navigation tools, including topographic maps, a built-in compass, and marine charts — making it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and off-road drivers.

This app is tailored to extreme environments where mobile networks are nonexistent. Whether you’re navigating dirt roads, forest trails, or isolated farmlands, Polaris GPS works offline and includes key features like track recording, waypoint saving, and offline navigation for both motorized and non-motorized travel.

Its extensive range of offline map types, from USGS topo maps to Nautical charts, makes it highly popular for rural and remote users who need more than basic driving directions.

Features:

• Multiple Offline Map Layers: Access and switch between topo maps, NOAA marine charts, trail maps, and city streets offline.
• Offline Compass & Navigation Tools: Built-in compass, waypoint manager, and navigation dashboard for off-grid survival and orientation.
• Track Recording & Playback: Record your rural or off-road routes and replay them later for route analysis or navigation.
• Offline Map Customization: Customize map displays with gridlines, declination info, and GPS coordinates for rural or outdoor navigation.
• Offline Safety Tools: Includes altimeter, speedometer, and sunset/sunrise tracking useful in isolated or survival situations.

Pros:

• Great for rural, wilderness, or off-road environments
• Free with full offline navigation features
• Compatible with outdoor and marine activities

Cons:

• Only available for Android users
• User interface feels dated compared to modern navigation apps

9. Guru Maps

Price: Free basic plan, premium from $14.99/year
Platforms: iOS, Android
Best for: Rural drivers and cyclists looking for offline mapping with customizable features.

Guru Maps is an easy-to-use offline navigation app, designed for travelers exploring rural areas, backroads, and off-grid regions. Built on OpenStreetMap data, Guru Maps lets you download full offline maps and create custom routes without relying on internet coverage.

Whether you’re driving through countryside roads or cycling remote trails, Guru Maps provides reliable offline routing for cars, bikes, and walking. Its smooth interface and fast offline search make it a solid choice for rural travelers who need lightweight yet powerful navigation tools.

Guru Maps also supports GPX and KML file imports, allowing users to plan and follow custom routes in rural areas where traditional navigation apps may not perform well.

Features:

• Offline Maps for Any Region: Download maps by region or country and navigate fully offline in rural areas.
• Offline Multi-Mode Routing: Supports offline driving, cycling, and walking routes on remote roads and trails.
• Customizable Offline Maps: Personalize map themes, overlays, and navigation settings for clearer rural navigation.
• Import GPX/KML Files: Upload custom routes and waypoints for rural exploration or planned backroad trips.
• Offline Search for POIs: Search offline for key services like fuel stations, campsites, or rural facilities.

Pros:

• Smooth offline performance with fast map rendering
• Custom route creation and offline map imports
• Easy-to-use interface for rural travelers

Cons:

• Some advanced features require premium subscription
• Fewer built-in POIs compared to larger apps

10. Locus Map

Price: Free basic plan, premium from $12.99/year
Platforms: Android
Best for: Rural hikers, bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts needing advanced offline navigation.

Locus Map is a feature-rich offline GPS app designed for travelers who explore rural trails, remote countryside, and wilderness routes. Known for its versatility, Locus Map supports offline maps from multiple sources, including OpenStreetMap, LoMaps, and topographic maps.

It’s perfect for rural explorers who want to combine hiking, biking, or off-road driving with advanced route planning. Locus Map offers offline turn-by-turn navigation, track recording, route editing, and even offline geocaching, making it a complete solution for navigating rural and remote areas.

With its ability to layer maps, import GPX files, and work fully offline, Locus Map is a favorite for users who want more control and detail when venturing beyond city limits.

Features:

• Offline Multi-Source Maps: Access offline topo maps, LoMaps, and OpenStreetMap data tailored for rural and outdoor use.
• Offline Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Navigate rural trails or countryside roads offline with voice-guided directions.
• Advanced Track Recording: Record routes, export GPX files, and analyze your rural or wilderness tracks offline.
• Customizable Map Layers: Add weather overlays, contour lines, or terrain shading to offline maps for safer rural navigation.
• Offline Geocaching Support: Download and navigate geocaches in remote areas without internet access.

Pros:

• Highly customizable with advanced outdoor features
• Wide offline map options for remote travel
• Great for hiking, cycling, or off-road adventures

Cons:

• Only available on Android
• May feel complex for casual drivers

Wrapping Up

Navigating rural areas and remote locations doesn’t have to be stressful or risky. While mobile networks often fall short in the countryside, the right offline GPS app can help you explore confidently and safely.

Whether you’re hiking remote trails, driving through isolated towns, or managing rural delivery routes, these offline GPS apps give you full control even without a signal.

From free apps like Maps.me to premium tools like Sygic GPS or Gaia GPS, there’s an option here for every type of rural traveler.

The next step?
Download 1–2 of these apps before your next trip and test them offline, so you’re prepared for wherever the road (or trail) leads.

FAQ

1. What is the best offline GPS app for rural driving?
For rural driving, Sygic GPS Navigation is a top choice thanks to its voice-guided offline maps, lane assist, and speed limit warnings.

2. Are offline GPS apps free?
Many offline GPS apps like Maps.me and HERE WeGo offer free versions, but premium features such as advanced routing or traffic data may require paid plans.

3. Do these apps work without internet or mobile signal?
Yes, once you download maps in advance, apps like OsmAnd, CoPilot GPS, and Gaia GPS work fully offline without needing a signal.

4. Can offline GPS apps show rural trails for hiking or biking?
Yes, apps like AllTrails, Locus Map, and Gaia GPS are built for outdoor enthusiasts and show trails, elevation, and points of interest offline.

5. Do offline GPS apps use more battery?
Offline maps generally consume less battery than online maps, as they don’t require continuous data connection, but heavy GPS use can still drain your device.