The best hiking apps for Apple Watch, honestly compared
For hiking without your iPhone, you want offline maps and route following on the watch itself. Runara, WorkOutDoors and Komoot all do that without a subscription; Footpath does it with its Elite subscription. AllTrails’ watch app needs the iPhone nearby. Apple Maps can follow routes you draw in Maps offline, but not a GPX file inside a workout.
At a glance
| App | Without iPhone | Offline maps | GPX routes | Turn-by-turn | Price model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runara | Yes | Any region, included | Yes, with off-route alerts | No, track guidance | Free to try, one-time unlock |
| WorkOutDoors | Yes | Yes, OpenStreetMap | GPX, TCX and FIT | Yes | One-time purchase |
| Komoot | Yes | Unlocked regions | Yes | Yes | First region free, more one-time; optional Premium |
| Footpath | Yes, with Elite | Topo, with Elite | Yes | Yes, with Elite | Subscription (Elite) |
| AllTrails | No, iPhone nearby | With Plus or Peak | Import to account | Wrong-turn alerts with Plus/Peak | Free tier plus subscriptions |
| Apple Workout + Maps | Yes, with synced maps | Select regions, in Maps | Not documented | Yes, in the Maps app | Built in |
Runara
Best for: Hikers who want maps, routes and their own data screens with no account
Runara follows imported GPX routes on offline maps you export for any region, an OpenStreetMap trail style with hiking paths and hillshade or Apple Maps, and keeps drawing with the iPhone left at home. Off-route alerts, waypoints and a live elevation profile come along, next to heart rate and climb on screens you design. It shows the track rather than computing turn instructions.
WorkOutDoors
Best for: Maximum control and turn-by-turn on one purchase
WorkOutDoors stores OpenStreetMap maps on the watch for offline use, imports GPX, TCX and FIT routes with turn-by-turn directions, and offers more than 800 data fields. It needs no iPhone during a workout and is a one-time purchase. The app is English only.
Komoot
Best for: Planning tours and navigating them turn by turn
Komoot is a route planner first. Since January 2026 its watch app navigates offline with turn-by-turn directions and no iPhone nearby, records on its own and writes to Apple Health. Your first map region is free; more regions are one-time purchases, and Premium adds extras like weather on route. Routes and recordings live in your Komoot account.
Footpath
Best for: Sketching a route on the map and following it with voice cues
Footpath is a route planner whose Apple Watch navigation works fully offline without the phone, with turn-by-turn audio, off-route alerts and offline topo maps. Those watch features are part of the Footpath Elite subscription. It imports GPX files.
AllTrails
Best for: Finding trails, with the iPhone in your pocket
AllTrails is built around finding trails. Its Apple Watch app is not standalone, so the iPhone has to come along. Offline maps and wrong-turn alerts need an AllTrails Plus or Peak subscription, and you can import GPX files into your account.
Apple Workout + Maps
Best for: Simple hikes on routes you draw in Apple Maps
The Workout app records hikes with heart rate and elevation. Apple Maps lets you draw a custom hiking route on the iPhone, sync it to the watch and follow it offline with turn-by-turn haptics, where offline maps are available; topographic maps cover the US and Japan. Apple documents no way to follow a GPX file, and Maps runs separately from your workout screen.
What is the best hiking app for Apple Watch?
If you plan routes and want turn-by-turn, Komoot or WorkOutDoors. If you bring GPX files and want your own screens, training data and no account, Runara. If routes you draw in Apple Maps are enough, the built-in apps cost nothing.
Which hiking apps work on Apple Watch without the iPhone?
Runara, WorkOutDoors and Komoot navigate offline with the phone left behind, and Footpath does with Elite. Apple Maps works on its own once maps are synced. AllTrails’ watch app needs the iPhone nearby.
Offline maps on Apple Watch without your iPhone →Is there a hiking app for Apple Watch without a subscription?
Yes. Runara is free to try with a one-time unlock, WorkOutDoors is a one-time purchase, and Komoot’s watch navigation needs unlocked map regions rather than Premium. Footpath’s and AllTrails’ offline watch features sit behind subscriptions.
How do I get a GPX hiking route onto my Apple Watch?
Use an app that imports GPX: open the file on your iPhone in that app and it syncs to the watch. Apple documents no GPX import for its own Workout app.
How to put a GPX route on Apple Watch →Will a long hike drain my Apple Watch?
Maps and GPS are the hungriest parts of any hiking app. Apps that render downloaded maps on the watch avoid streaming over the phone connection, which helps. For very long days, carry a charger or pick screens that show the map only when you need it.
Facts were checked in October 2026 against each app’s App Store listing, help pages and announcements, Apple Support, and hands-on reviews. “Not documented” means no official source confirms the capability. Runara is our own app; we have described the alternatives as fairly as we can.
Take the map with you, leave the phone
Offline maps for any region, GPX routes with off-route alerts, and your own screens on Apple Watch. Free to try, one purchase unlocks everything, no account.
