Polarsteps is a travel journal: it records your route automatically and can turn a trip into a printed Travel Book. If you want a shortlist of places to see in one city rather than a record of the trip, I built NomadSwipe, an Android app, for that job. Here are the two alternatives compared, mine included.
Polarsteps records the trip. NomadSwipe helps you choose the places for it.
Disclosure: I built NomadSwipe, which is Android only. It is one of the two apps compared. Updated 26 October 2026.
Most people who look at Polarsteps want one of three things: a record of a trip as it happens, a printed book afterwards, or help choosing where to go. This page covers the other options for the last two jobs. It names only the two alternatives whose sites we read on this date, and it says where Polarsteps is the better choice.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| NomadSwipe | Shortlisting real places in one city by swiping | Swipe-based discovery; Android only |
| Polarsteps | Recording a trip as you travel and printing a Travel Book | Automatic route tracking and Travel Books |
| Wanderlog | Building an itinerary with a map view | Itinerary and map in one view |
NomadSwipe
Best for: choosing places in a city by swiping
NomadSwipe is an Android trip planner for finding places. You pick a city and it shows real places one card at a time. Tap Save or swipe right to keep a place, and tap Skip or swipe left to pass. Saved places are pinned on a map for that trip.
A sample Lisbon trip: 16 saved places on the map.
- Strength: a quick way to build a shortlist of places before you have a plan.
- Limit: it does not record your route or make a Travel Book. The Google Play listing describes swiping, saving and a map, and does not describe route planning.
- Limit: it is Android only.
The base plan includes 3 trips, 2 destination searches and 2 custom pins a month, with a limited number of swipes. Premium (Monthly or Lifetime, bought in the app) removes those limits. Up to 20 saved trips are available offline.
Polarsteps
Best for: recording a trip and printing it as a book
Polarsteps captures your route automatically while you travel, lets you add steps with photos and videos, and can turn the trip into a hardback Travel Book. Its homepage says the app has no ads.
The help center says the core app stays as it is for people who do not subscribe. That includes trip tracking, unlimited photos and videos, sharing, an itinerary builder, forwarding booking confirmations, and collaborative planning with Travel Buddies. Plus adds 3D maps, Play mode, more map styles, step stats and elevation, more Travel Buddies, and a discount on Travel Books that needs the yearly plan.
- Strength: automatic route tracking and a printed Travel Book, which NomadSwipe does not offer.
- Limit: the extra features and the Travel Book discount sit behind Plus.
Wanderlog
Best for: building an itinerary with a map
Wanderlog's homepage describes one app for all travel planning: detailed itineraries, your itinerary and map in one view, and booking management. Reviews on the same page praise its AI feature and route optimization. We did not read its price this run, so check its site before you decide.
- Strength: the itinerary and the map sit in one view, and its homepage reviews praise route optimization.
- Limit: the homepage does not describe automatic route tracking or printed books, which are Polarsteps' main strengths.
Which to choose
- You want a log of the trip and a printed book: Polarsteps.
- You want to shortlist real places in one city on Android: NomadSwipe.
- You want a day-by-day itinerary with a map: Wanderlog, after you check its current price.
Questions people ask
How much is Polarsteps Plus? Plus is the paid tier. Its help center lists monthly and yearly prices that vary by country, so check the price shown in the app.
Does Polarsteps work offline? Its homepage lists "Works offline" among its features. The help pages we read do not describe offline limits.
Does NomadSwipe plan a driving route? No. The Google Play listing describes swiping, saving places and a map of each trip. It does not describe route planning.
Does NomadSwipe work offline? Up to 20 saved trips are available offline, according to the Google Play listing.
Want to shortlist real places in a city? Swipe through them on NomadSwipe. It is on Android: Get NomadSwipe on Google Play.
Facts about other apps come from their public pages, read on 26 October 2026. Prices and features change, so check the current listing before you buy.
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