Polarsteps

Polarsteps, the travel app to plan, track, and relive adventures

Polarsteps is a mobile app that accompanies travelers through the different stages of a trip: initial inspiration, itinerary planning, route tracking on a map, and later revisiting memories. The company presents itself as a single tool for all adventures and states it has more than 22 million travelers who use it to plan, track, and relive their journeys.

Trip planning features

The app includes an itinerary builder that lets you organize your next adventure and receive personalized travel suggestions. Users can add accommodations and activities, and see their route drawn on a map. Travel inspiration is offered through tips tailored to each profile.

Automatic route tracking

The trip tracker automatically captures your route and lets you add photos, videos, and stories. The system works offline and keeps tracking your location even in areas without coverage. According to the app's own information, battery consumption is efficient: typically less than 4% per day while tracking. Trips and stats unfold on the map, and step-by-step updates can be shared with family and friends.

Privacy and control over what you share

Polarsteps includes privacy controls that let you decide who can see each trip, with options ranging from close friends to the entire public. The app states it is ad-free.

Memories: videos and travel books

The Trip Reel feature creates a shareable video with one tap to relive the best moments of your trip. The company also offers the option to turn your trip into a hardcover book, designed as a keepsake and also as a gift. The catalog includes the option to gift a Travel Book.

Stats and countries visited

The app shows travel stats that grow as you accumulate trips, including the countries visited. This information is presented as a visual summary of the user's travel activity.

Company origin and history

Polarsteps was founded in 2015. Its origin dates back to a catamaran trip across the Atlantic: Niek, a Dutch adventurer, devised a system to send his location and daily descriptions to a server so friends and family could follow his journey in real time. The idea evolved into a full-fledged app. Niek was joined by Job, Koen, and Maximiliano to form a four-person founding team, with the initial goal of changing the way adventures are captured and, later, of accompanying travelers through every stage of their trip. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and its CEO is Clare.

User reviews

The app shows an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 based on 370,000 ratings. Among the testimonials collected, several users highlight its ease of use, its usefulness for remembering the route, and the quality of the travel books. One traveler mentions having completed a four-month trip with the app and values being able to share a link instead of constantly sending private messages.

Location and contact

Nieuwe Looiersstraat 29, 1017 VA Amsterdam, The Netherlands