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Alternatives to TravelMap

May 21, 2020

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As much as I would like more travelers to choose TravelMap for their trips, I believe the platform is not for everybody.


Originally, I built it out of my own needs as a long-distance traveler, moving every day for some weeks and months. I wanted to find something that could show my movements on a map, which was for me such an essential feature of a travel blog. However I wasn't able to find a single blog that focused on a map. Hence the birth of TravelMap.


I also strive to make it so that travelers spend minimal time updating and managing their blog so they have maximum time to immerse themselves in nature, the company of new friends and real-world experiences.


TravelMap is perfect for you if you:


  • Are also a long-distance traveler, moving every day for weeks and months
  • Want an interactive, elaborate map to be the focus of your blog
  • Value straightforward simplicity and ease of use over intricate design
  • Believe in fairness, are willing to pay extras for somebody's hard work and keep the right of your data for yourself. We do have a free option without showing you ads or selling your data.


I understand there are many different types of travelers and other solutions might fit your needs better. So based on my experience and the research my team did, I can recommend a few alternatives to TravelMap.


Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated to these companies, some of them are actually our direct/indirect competitors.


Mapping


You only need to pin a bunch of spots on a map, without linking them to each other; perhaps just to show different places you have been to. You don't have the need to link content to your places. Then hop over to Google My Maps.


Google My Maps is free to use. Even though it does give you the ability to create itineraries from linking places to each other, the number of spots is limited.


Social Media for travelers


Some of you might like your travel blog to have the features of a social network: like, follow, comment. You want to build a travel profile with social media metrics: numbers of likes, followers/views, countries visited, etc and interact with like-minded travelers on the platform. Although TravelMap does have a commenting feature and follower alert (available for Premium Plus), I don't plan to add "Like" buttons nor to show the percentage of the world you've seen (because I believe it doesn't matter).


Your options are Polarsteps or FindPenguins.


Apart from the features mentioned above, they also have a built-in tracker and a good book printing system. However, they don't offer advanced mapping features (different transport modes, route tracing, "Free Spots", etc).


FindPenguins has a premium option but Polarsteps is free to use at the moment.


Text-centric Blog


If you want to write elaborate blog posts and have lots of room for customization, especially if you are a travel blogger and want to monetize your blog, then WordPress is a great alternative.


If you still need a map, you can embed your TravelMap on your Wordpress website using our dedicated plugin.


However, you will need some technical knowledge to install Wordpress and/or pay to have your website hosted.


Other similar platforms are: Blogspot, Squarespace, Wix, Medium (free), etc.


GPS Tracker


Strava can record your routes with great details, such as speed, elevation, etc and allow you to share your performance information with other users. It's great for day trips or a few hours of cycling/hiking.


Other tracking apps are OsmAnd, GPS Logger.


Note: you can import GPS files from these apps on TravelMap to combine all your tracks into one map and attach content to them.


Photo storage


Although TravelMap does host your photos, we are not a storage or backup service.


Your photos are automatically resized before being stored in our system. So you can't get the original files back.


It's better for you to use a dedicated photo storage service, like Dropbox, Google Photos/Drive, etc.


Printing Your Travel Book


After receiving many requests, I added a way to generate books from your blog. It can be very convenient and save you time as it uses the content you already uploaded.


I plan to improve this feature in the future. However, it will never be as advanced as a dedicated book printing platform. So if you want more flexibility to design and stylize your book, I recommend using something like Blurb, Photobox, Snapfish or Flexilivre (our French partner).


Planning a trip


TravelMap can be used to map out your future itinerary. However we don't offer integrated budgeting tools, search engines for accommodation, transportation, activities, etc.


Roadtrippers is a good alternative to plan your road trips.


Planificateur.a-contresens is a platform dedicated for this (French language only)


Scratch Map


Some of you might stumble upon us looking for a scratch map to show records of countries you've been to. TravelMap is not intended to be used in this way.


Search for the term "scratch map" and you will find plenty of services for this.


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I hope this list will be helpful and save you time to find a suitable solution.



Stephen Saucier  • 
GPS import sounds like an awesome feature – I didn’t know you supported this. Nice!

Grant  • 
I am not very tech savy but reading your message above make me feel hope for the world. You are awesome. I will definitely use your service. Hopefully i will figure out how to use your plugin on wordpress. Quick question: can the plugin use the paid version?

Clément  • 
Hi Grant, yes the plugin can use the paid version if you create a TravelMap account and sign in. Send me a message (through the contact page) if you need more help ;)

Mark  • 
The ethics of your approach here are *awesome*, Clement. Rather than try to be everything to everyone all the time (which no person or business can be!), you're helping people find the right solution(s). Along with being more ethical, this is far more effective in building a devoted following. You surely know all this, of course -- but it deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated!