The Outdooractive app for the smartphone and the tour planner on the website in detail in the test. With Outdooractive you can find a nice route for your next bike tour. Hiking and many other sports are supported.
Need inspiration for your next tour? Or you already know the destination and are looking directly for suitable routes for navigation? The Outdooractive tour planner can help you. Outdoor is made for outdoor athletes. In the meantime you can find thousands of tour suggestions at Outdooractive.
Everything you need to know about Outdooractive, I present to you in this article:
Outdooractive App for iPhone, iPad and Android
✅ Outdooractive route planner (is called “Outdooractive tour planner”)
✅ Outdooractive website with goal suggestions
Outdooractive with online tour suggestions
Outdooractive offers tours compiled to a particularly high standard, for example by tourist offices. Of course, you will also find numerous tour suggestions that are created and rated by the Outdooractive community.
The tours provided are aimed at hikers, mountaineers, bikers, explorers, families, etc. You can download the GPX files from the online portal or use them directly in the Outdooractive app.
Outdooractive App for Android, iPhone & iPad
Simply download the Outdooractive app for iPhone, iPad and Android.
The app with the basic functions is free of charge.
Free basic functions are the Outdooractive tour planner and the download of tours. More functions are available with Outdooractive Pro and Outdooractive Pro+. These subscription models cost about 30 € and 60 € per year respectively.
The premium app for a one-time fee of €10 was available until 2018. Then they switched to the subscription.
The following functions are available in the Outdooractive Pro and Pro+ subscriptions:
- No advertising
- Outdooractive offline map function
- various alternative maps (e.g. more detailed maps, topo maps and maps with cycle network index)
- More additional functions such as augmented reality mountain recognition, premium tour suggestions and premium map material
More functions are available with Outdooractive Pro not only in the app, but also on the website in the route planner. All the free Outdooractive functions and all the functions of the Outdooractive Pro subscriptions are described in detail in this article.
Find tours: Tour search function
A large number of tour suggestions with quality can be found at Outdooractive. Now you can find out how to find suitable tour suggestions in the app and on the PC in the browser.
Find tours on the road with app
With the Outdooractive app, you can find interesting tours on the go – that’s one of the main advantages of the app. We all know it: We are already on the road and still looking for a suitable tour. Of course, we’re doing it with the smartphone.
The best way to find exciting tours with Outdooractive is to do it this way:
- Open Outdooractive App
- move the map to the area where you want to receive tour suggestions
- Tap on the button “search in this area”. Now all tours in this area are displayed
- On the top left, there is a “Filter” function. Tap on it to see the filter functions
- Select the following features > category > cycling. Here you can select your preferred sport. Tap “Apply”
6. in the category filter menu you can now set further filters e.g. route length, tour ascent (metres in altitude to be climbed), tour duration and characteristics of the route.
7. you have adjusted the filters to your liking? Tap “Apply Filter”
The tours that are suitable for you are now displayed in your desired area. When you click on a tour icon, the route is displayed on the map.
Tip: You can now swipe left or right at the bottom of the screen. The Outdooractive app then automatically jumps to the next or previous tour. Conveniently and quickly, you can view the tours that match your filter.
Tap on the tour in the lower part of the screen to open a detailed view with information and details. You can also tap on all tours on the map to open them.
Outdooractive tour search on website
Outdooractive is even more convenient to use on the large screen. Of course, all changes are synchronized between your smartphone and your online account.
The tour search from the smartphone is also available in the web browser:
- You can find the function under “Tours > Tour Search”.
- Now you can find the filters on the left side by the “Filter” button.
- With the enlarge button the map is displayed much larger. Click directly on it to display the map almost in the whole browser. So it can be planned more pleasantly 😉
- There are also many filtering options in the web browser. These are similar to those on the smartphone.
A useful start for planning a bike tour would be to set the following filters:
- Category > Cycling: Select here the bike category that suits you, such as bike tour, road bike, mountain bike, mountain bike transalp, long-distance bike trail.
- Sorted by: Distance or Duration
Tours that match your selected filters are displayed on the left of the screen. More details about the tour are displayed by clicking on the tour in the sidebar or on the map.
It would be nice to see the route for all tours right on the map. But it’s not. You have to move the mouse over the tour symbol. Only then will the complete route be displayed on the map. Tours that start far away and pass by me in the area are not displayed this way. You will only discover these tours if you move the mouse over the tour symbol.
If you would like to have more than one tour in the overview, then clicking on the list- or gallery icon can be worthwhile.
In these views, the data of a large number of tours can be recorded at once.
Tour planner
The Outdooractive Tour Planner is the route planner from Outdooractive. Tours can be planned either on the web or on your Android or iOS smartphone. Your planned tours are automatically synchronized between the devices via your Outdooractive account.
The Outdooractive tour planner masters many comfort functions and at the same time remains simple to use. In this section of the Outdooractive test, I will give you an overview of the tour planner on the web and on the smartphone. You will now learn the most important functions.
Outdooractive tour planner in the app
On the iPhone and Android smartphone, the range of functions is similar to that on the web. Of course, the smartphone screen is smaller than the screen on the computer or laptop at home.
Therefore, the Outdooractive tour planner in the app is ideal for planning spontaneous and simple tours on the go. You can then use the app to navigate you if you need to.
Navigation is possible by entering an address or by inserting points on the map.
Fast navigation (target navigation)
For quick navigation to the destination, the start and destination can be entered using the mobile phone keypad. First start the Outdooractive tour planner.
- Tap “Map” in the menu bar at the bottom.
- Tap the icon with the card pins in the top right corner. Now you are in the Outdooractive tour planner
First you can choose your activity profile on the button below. The choices for cyclists are: bike tour, mountain bike, mountain bike tansalp, road bike, long-distance bike trail. These are the same activity profiles as you have already seen in the Outdooractive tour search.
If you want to enter a place or an address, tap on the ABC symbol at the top right of the screen. By tapping “Where to?”, you can enter the location or address of your start and destination.
You will now see a preview of your calculated route on the map. Intermediate destinations can also be added. By tapping the handle icon and dragging up and down, you can shift the order of scheduled stops.
At the bottom of the screen are the “Navigate” and “Save Planning” buttons.
Plan navigation on map
You can also plan the navigation directly on the map. A route already created by entering an address can also be extended, shortened and fine-tuned on the map at any time..
Any points on the map can be tapped and held down. A menu with the following functions then appears:
- Start here
- Route here
- Create point
Once you have set the start and end points, the preview of the route is displayed on the map. You can also “Navigate” directly or save your “Planning”. Whether you plan your route by entering an address or using the map is mostly a matter of taste. Both methods lead to the goal.
The fine-tuning of the route is clearly a strength of planning by map: By long tap and hold on the map, you can create a waypoint. A card pin will then appear on the card. Long press and hold this map pin and move it to customize the tour to your liking. As soon as you release the pin, Outdooractive recalculates the tour. There’s a real-time calculation while you’re grabbing the pin at komoot. This feature is missing on Ourdooractive. Fortunately, route customization works very well without this feature.
You can remove created waypoints by tapping on “Delete” . This feature is also available in the ABC icon menu (top right of the map view). You can also tap a card pin on the card. In the menu that now opens, there is also a delete function.
Outdooractive tour planner on the website
The Outdooractive tour planner on the website offers the same functions as the Outdooractive app. The planned routes are also available on all devices via the Outdooractive account.
Planning long and complex tours is more comfortable on the large computer or laptop screen.
You can access the tour planner on the web via the menu at the top of the screen by clicking on: Tours > Tour planner. Clicking on the arrows on the top right will switch you to full screen mode.
Fast navigation
On the left side of the screen is the “Route” area with the “Where do you want to go?”fields. Here you can enter your starting point and your destination. You can also set the activity profile, i.e. which sport the route calculation should be based on. Available for cyclists: bike tour, mountain bike, mountain bike tansalp, road bike, long-distance bike trail.
Outdooractive calculates your route immediately.
Add intermediate destinations and adjust route: In the area on the left, you can now enter additional destinations on your route. You can also move the targets up and down with the mouse. This will change the order of the calculated route.
The altitude profile legend is also displayed at the bottom of the screen. You are satisfied with your planned route and want to save it? Then click on the green “Next Button” at the bottom left.
Plan navigation on map
Detailed adjustments to your route can best be made directly on the map in the Outdooractive Tour Planner:
- Click on a point on the map to create a map pin. The point will be added to your route.
- Click a card pin on the card and you have the option to delete it
- You can drag and drop a map pin on the map. This is how you can comfortably fine-tune your route
- Click on any point on your planned route to create a map pin and thus a waypoint. You can drag-and-drop this map pin to fine-tune the route. As soon as you release the map pin, Outdooractive recalculates the route. Outdoor route planners like komoot already recalculate the route while you’re still dragging and dropping the pin. Unfortunately, you still have to do without this ingenious function in Outdooractive at the moment, but the route planner is also very convenient to use without this function.
- To save your route, click on the green “Next”>button in the bottom left corner of the Outdooractive trip planner. In the following screen, you will get a summary of your planned route and can add some details.
- With the buttons “Save planning” and “Create tour” you save your designed route.
The route is now available in your Outdooractive profile and can be used for Outdooractive navigation.
Outdooractive map material
Which maps are available and are there offline maps at Outdooractive?
Which map material is used?
Outdooractive already offers worldwide maps even in the free version. These are based on the proven OSM (Open Street Map) maps. For many activities these cards are absolutely sufficient. The maps are reloaded in the free Outdooractive app via the internet.
Outdooractive Offline Maps
Outdooractive charges for Outdooractive offline maps and extended map material. The following maps are available with Outdooractive Pro and Outdooractive Pro Plus:
- Outdooractive: Map enriched with trail networks and terrain details. More detailed than the OSM map
- Topo: Topographic map enriched with geodata.
- Alpine Club Maps: topographic high mountain map for parts of the Alps.
- ADFC-BVA cycling maps: Map with regional and supra-regional cycling network
KOMPASS maps: Map of the KOMPASS publishing house enriched with numerous details such as via ferratas, huts and vegetation forms.
The maps as well as the offline maps are a strong argument for Outdooractive Pro and Pro Plus. The price for the subscription is not quite cheap and whether it is worth it, everyone may decide individually for himself.
Navigation with Outdooractive
Voice prompt during navigation
Outdooractive GPX Import, Export & Transfer
You have found a suitable route for you as a GPX file? Super! You can import the GPX file directly into Outdooractive in the web browser and edit the tour there. The GPX import is also possible in the Outdooractive app for Android and iOS.
You can export all your routes from Outdooractive at any time and transfer them to a bike GPS navigation system from Garmin, Wahoo, Teasi and so on.
Outdooractive GPX Import on the Web
Outdooractive GPX import on PC:
- Start the Outdooractive Tour Planner ( “Tours” > “Tour Planner” )
- In the sidebar links is the link “Import GPX”.
- Alternatively, you can click on the three dots on the bottom right. Now a menu opens. There is a function “Import GPX”.
Outdooractive GPX import in the app
GPX import is also possible in the Outdooractive app for Android and iOS.
On Android: With Outdooractive for Android there are several options for the GPS import. Important: There is no menu in the Outdooractive app itself to start the GPX import. You must therefore open the GPX file on your smartphone and then select Outdooractive in the “Open file with…” dialog:
- Transfer the GPX file to your Android smartphone: by cable, by mail, with a cloud storage like OneDrive or Dropbox or in another way.
- Open the file e.g. with a file explorer like Solid Explorer
- Your Android smartphone now shows the dialog “Open file with…” – choose “Outdooractive”
- Outdooractive now imports the route from the GPX file. You can now, for example, edit or save the route.
On iPhone and iPad: You can also import a GPX file into Outdooractive on the iPhone and iPad. Again, there is no menu in the Outdooractive app for GPX import. You must therefore open the file with another app:
- Send the GPX file to your iPhone or iPad e.g. via email or with a cloud storage like Dropbox or OneDrive. With the iPad, you can also open the file from a USB stick or a connected hard drive. There are also SD card adapters for iOS and iPad OS with which you can open the GPX file.
- File transfer via cloud works very well for me. Therefore, I download the GPX file to my OneDrive.
- Tap the three dots and select “Open in another app”.
- select “copy to “”Outdooractive””.
- Now the Outdooractive GPX import is running. After a few seconds, the Import GPX to Outdooractive screen appears. Here you can save the tour from the GPX file, for example.
The tour will then be in your Outdooractive profile. You can now change the tour with the tour planner and also navigate.
Outdooractive GPX Export on the Web
- Open the detailed view of your desired tour in the web browser
- Click on the GPX button in the upper right corner.
- the download is started
- the GPX download already works with the free Outdooractive basic account
Outdooractive GPX export in the app
The GPX download also works in the Outdooractive app. Very good! The GPX download only works if you are registered with Outdooractive. The free basic account is already sufficient:
- Open the detail page of a tour
- Tap on Export GPX to download the GPX file.
For Android for example, the GPX file of the tour is downloaded to the download folder. You can do what you want with the file and load it for example on your GPS navigation.
iPhone iPad: a dialog opens. You can now choose the location of the file. Either you choose an app here that can open with GPX files.
Conclusion
Outdooractive is user-friendly and easy to use. Hardly any training is necessary. Thanks to logically structured menus and descriptive button names, you can find your way around immediately. Really strong are the tour suggestions: The quality of the tours is excellent. Especially the tours of the editors are designed with a lot of love and elaborately prepared. The Premium and Premium+ subscription offers even more tour suggestions from KOMPASS, Schall Verlag and ADAC hiking guides, among others.
Alternatives to Outdooractive
Outdooractive vs komoot
komoot or Outdooractive: Outdooractive is probably most similar to komoot. Both apps offer tour suggestions, an extensive tour planner and bike navigation integrated into the app. Outdooractive offers excellent tour suggestions. These are generally more relevant and comprehensive than the komoot tour suggestions. komoot has interfaces to almost all modern outdoor and fitness devices and is clearly ahead in this area.
To the detailed komoot test (test & full instructions)
Do you use Outdooractive? Do you have any questions about the app? Feel free to write me your comment.
Reading tip: Looking for more great bike apps? In the article the best bike apps, you will find the currently most exciting ones from areas such as navigation, training, MTB, bike computer, etc.
