Wikiloc - Trails of the World

What it does

Wikiloc is a comprehensive platform for outdoor enthusiasts to discover, share, and navigate trails. The app serves as a massive, user-generated library of routes for a wide range of activities, primarily focused on hiking and cycling. Users can search for trails in specific locations, view detailed route information, and use their phone's GPS to follow trails in real-time.

Where it shines

Wikiloc excels in its sheer volume of content and the tools it provides for exploring it. The app immediately presents its vast library of over 53 million trails upon sign-up (00:30), offering instant value. The trail detail screen is a highlight, providing a wealth of information at a glance, including distance, elevation gain, and a dynamic elevation profile chart (03:07). However, the standout feature is the immersive 3D map view (04:35), which allows users to preview the terrain and topography of a route before they even leave home, providing a powerful planning tool that builds confidence.

UX highlights

Immediate Content Access: After a quick, mandatory sign-up, the app drops the user directly into the main trail feed, minimizing time-to-value.
Dual Browsing Modes: Users can seamlessly toggle between a traditional list view and an interactive map view (01:28) to discover trails in the way that best suits them.
Robust Filtering: The filtering system (02:08) is powerful, allowing users to narrow down trails not just by activity and distance, but also by more nuanced criteria like the month it was recorded, which helps find current and relevant trail conditions.
Clear Information Hierarchy: Trail pages are well-organized, prioritizing key metrics like distance and elevation while making author information and photos easily accessible.
Offline Functionality: The ability to save trails and maps for offline use is a prominent premium feature, directly addressing a critical need for users in remote areas with no connectivity.
Contextual Permissions: The app smartly waits to ask for permissions like notifications and location until the user actively tries to start navigation (03:36), making the request feel relevant and justified.

Monetization & growth

Wikiloc employs a contextual soft paywall model. Free users can browse and explore, but accessing premium features like 'Search by Passing Area' (00:53) or advanced navigation tools triggers a paywall. The paywall itself, seen at 00:56, uses a feature carousel to educate users on the benefits of upgrading. It presents two subscription options and prominently features a call-to-action for a 14-day free trial, a proven tactic for lowering the barrier to conversion.

Who it’s for

This app is built for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities. Its user base likely ranges from casual weekend hikers looking for a new local path to serious mountain bikers and long-distance trekkers planning their next expedition. The extensive, user-generated content library makes it valuable for both finding popular routes and discovering hidden gems anywhere in the world.

Notes & opportunities

The initial user experience is slightly marred by recurring 'network connection lost' errors (00:31), which could frustrate new users. While saving trails to lists is easy, the feedback is subtle; a more prominent confirmation toast could improve clarity. Finally, the navigation screen could benefit from displaying more live data, such as estimated time remaining or progress along the elevation profile, to provide richer in-activity feedback.