Avenza alternatives?

[robgendreau]

I used Avenza's PDF Maps app, but apparently now I cannot import my maps any longer without a subscription. Kinda blows for what is just a PDF viewer with GPS coordinates. Any good alternatives that can use georeferenced PDFs? any way to get the Avenza maps I bought out of that app?

 

[mrising]

From what I understand about Avenza Maps, is that you can still import your own maps, but only up to 3. If you want more than 3 of your own maps, meaning those not from the in-app map store, then you do need to get a subscription. But having said that, I also think you are a little off base because Avenza Maps is awesome software that does a lot more than just show georeferenced PDFs. And if your only gripe is that you might have to spend a few dollars to use it the way you want then really, what is the big deal? You obviously like it and find it useful so the issue seems to be one of cost versus functionality and usefulness. As well, the way I feel about software is that if there is a product I like and use, I want it to stay around and flourish and if these guys can't make any money from it I am sure they will just stop making and supporting it. As for other apps that do the same thing, I am not aware of any except for one or two that are more commercially oriented and cost many times more than Avenza. I do not think there is a way to offload the maps you purchased. They are the copyrighted property of the various publishers so most likely there are controls in place to prevent exporting and sharing.
My feeling, Rob, is that you should just bite the bullet and pay the 30 bucks. You will get what you need and you will also help support the folks who made this great app.
...Just me 2 cents.
- Jim

 

[trae]

Pathaway (http://pathaway.com/) supports importing your own maps. It's not cheap though.

 

[robgendreau]

And if your only gripe is that you might have to spend a few dollars to use it the way you want then really, what is the big deal? You obviously like it and find it useful so the issue seems to be one of cost versus functionality and usefulness.
- Jim

Avenza isn't some little app developer; they are really big business in the cartography world. Look at their MapPublisher; it's $1400 alone for a plugin to Adobe Illustrator. My beef with them is they were free, although I assume they got a cut of the maps that were sold through their store, kinda like Apple's App Store. Their corporate office trumpets the fact they had downloads from the store in the millions, and they encourage the businesses that make maps with their products to use the store. Fine; didn't mind paying for some good maps.

But now they've decided to charge me, in effect, to use my own maps. Meh. Like charging me for a frontend to their profit center store. If it gave me better value than just that, I'd say fine. Although Garmin and others charge just for the maps, not the app to use them (Basecamp eg).

Meanwhile, the PDF maps I bought from their store still work, at least in their own app. I shoulda bought them separately so I could use them with other apps. My bad. I did find TerraGo; more useful in it's layout and interface than PDF Maps. PDF Maps doesn't give you much info, or allow much customization. I use (and pay for) GaiaGPS, but it's raster maps. WAY better application and service.

So I'll keep searching for alternatives, but thanks though.

 

[mrising]

I have no idea how big Avenza is but regardless they have the right to generate revenue for their work. Perhaps the thing you are missing is that they are not charging at all for the continued use of maps you get from their map store. Those maps are not limited to 3 or at all. As far as I understand, even if all you get from the map store are free ones then you can go to town entirely for free. The only time the limit comes in to play is if you start loading maps from external sources. And with hundreds of thousands of maps available you ought to be able to find what you need in their catalogue. So they are not charging you or anyone else "for a frontend to their profit center store". As long as you get maps from the map store (even free ones) their app is 100% free.
They claim that the loading of external maps is more of a commercial or enterprise thing for which one requires a higher priced Pro subscription but they also say that the 3 map limit was a sort of compromise for avid non-commercial users who might load their own maps once in a while and that the $29 unlocked version is a cheap pathway for those users to go beyond the 3 map limit. I read somewhere that they take the position also that while their in-app map store maps are all curated and vetted for use within the app (ie. guaranteed to work) maps coming from wherever else may not always work due to the variety of production methods, co-ordinate inaccuracies and other factors and thus very often require support. So really, at $29 what you'd be paying for is not the right to use your own maps on your phone but rather the software that allows you to do so and the ongoing development and support that makes it possible. I have a few maps I got from other sources and I used to just load 3 of them at a time and swap out as necessary to avoid the 3 map limit and $29 fee but I eventually got tired of that and bit the bullet. Since then I have thoroughly enjoyed the app even more and have had occasion to engage their support folks who I have found to be very responsive and top-notch. They actually answer the phone even! I have seen the app mature over the last 2 or 3 years with new features and stuff and I have come to realize that it is only possible because they do have an ongoing revenue stream. I would be really sad if they stopped supporting and producing it.
I also checked out Terrago and found it far inferior and very clunky to use. And as I recall it required pre-processing of the maps whereas with Avenza I can load a PDF or geotiff directly.
Anyway, Rob, I see your point but I cannot agree with it 100%.

Avenza isn't some little app developer; they are really big business in the cartography world. Look at their MapPublisher; it's $1400 alone for a plugin to Adobe Illustrator. My beef with them is they were free, although I assume they got a cut of the maps that were sold through their store, kinda like Apple's App Store. Their corporate office trumpets the fact they had downloads from the store in the millions, and they encourage the businesses that make maps with their products to use the store. Fine; didn't mind paying for some good maps.

But now they've decided to charge me, in effect, to use my own maps. Meh. Like charging me for a frontend to their profit center store. If it gave me better value than just that, I'd say fine. Although Garmin and others charge just for the maps, not the app to use them (Basecamp eg).

Meanwhile, the PDF maps I bought from their store still work, at least in their own app. I shoulda bought them separately so I could use them with other apps. My bad. I did find TerraGo; more useful in it's layout and interface than PDF Maps. PDF Maps doesn't give you much info, or allow much customization. I use (and pay for) GaiaGPS, but it's raster maps. WAY better application and service.

So I'll keep searching for alternatives, but thanks though.

 

[shane4x4]

I personally don't mind that they're charging for a feature - it's the subscription that I find annoying. While $29/year isn't a bad deal if it includes more than just unlocking previously free features. If it was a one-time purchase, the $29 would be fine.

 

[mrising]

I agree with shane4x4 except that as long as they keep updating the app and add new features and capabilities then $29 per year is not terrible.

 

[proper4wd]

$29/yr... $2.41 per month.... $1.20 per trip if you use it twice a month....

Freedom isnt free...

 

[mrising]

Thanks proper4wd for putting into financial perspective.

 

[shane4x4]

Those numbers certainly work For me, I use Avenza once per year: to test the Overland Expo GeoTIFF map. So it's not worth it in my case. My other apps though. the $20-$40 one time purchase breaks down to about $.005 per launch since I use them several times per week =)

$29/yr... $2.41 per month.... $1.20 per trip if you use it twice a month....

Freedom isnt free...