TripStow vs Polarsteps
Polarsteps follows your route by GPS while you travel and turns the trip into a journal and, if you like, a printed Travel Book. TripStow builds trips from your booking emails before you go and turns every one into a lifetime travel log: a scratch-off map, flight stats and a Hangar of every plane you have flown on.
This page compares the two factually, from TripStow's own product and from Polarsteps' website, help centre and UK App Store listing as they read on 3 October 2026. Polarsteps is a trademark of its owner; TripStow is not affiliated with it.
Last updated 3 October 2026
How do TripStow and Polarsteps compare?
| Feature | TripStow | Polarsteps |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, or Pro at £3.99 a month or £29.99 a year (30-day trial) | Free, or Polarsteps Plus at €29.99 a year on its website (£24.99 a year on the UK App Store)[2][4] |
| Platforms | Web app that installs on iPhone and Android home screens; no App Store or Google Play app yet | iPhone, Android and web[1][4] |
| How your map fills in | From the booking emails you forward, or imported flight logs; past trips can be added by hand | By GPS on your phone while you travel, even offline[1] |
| Build trips from booking emails | Yes (free) | Not listed[1] |
| Countries visited map | Yes, a scratch-off map coloured by air, sea or overland (free) | Yes[1] |
| Flight stats and flight log | Distance, hours, airports, airlines, aircraft and tail numbers (free) | Travel stats; not a flight log[2] |
| Live flight alerts | Delays, gate changes and baggage belt (Pro) | Not listed[1] |
| Printed photo book of a trip | No | Yes, Travel Books (20% off with the yearly Plus plan)[2] |
| Share with friends and family | Travel partners see trips you share (free) | Travel Buddies follow your trip (5 free, 10 with Plus)[2][3] |
“Not listed” means Polarsteps's pages did not mention it on 3 October 2026; it does not mean Polarsteps cannot do it. Prices are as published by each company.
Which should you choose?
Choose Polarsteps if you want your route tracked automatically while you travel, a journal with photos along the way, and a printed book at the end.
Choose TripStow if you want your trips organised from your bookings before you leave, and a lifetime record that counts every trip, with flight stats, the planes you flew on and a scratch-off map.
They sit well together: Polarsteps for the journey, TripStow for the bookings and the lifetime totals.
Questions people ask
- What is the difference between TripStow and Polarsteps?
- Polarsteps records a trip by GPS as it happens and makes a journal and printed books. TripStow builds trips from your booking emails and keeps a lifetime travel log with flight stats and a scratch-off map.
- Does Polarsteps track flights?
- Polarsteps tracks your route by GPS and keeps travel stats, but its pages do not describe a flight log. TripStow logs every flight with distance, airports, airlines, aircraft and tail numbers.
- Is TripStow cheaper than Polarsteps?
- TripStow Pro is £29.99 a year; Polarsteps Plus is £24.99 a year on the UK App Store. Both have free plans.
Sources
- Polarsteps (https://www.polarsteps.com), checked 3 October 2026.
- Polarsteps Plus (https://www.polarsteps.com/plus), checked 3 October 2026.
- Polarsteps help: is Polarsteps free? (https://support.polarsteps.com/hc/en-us/articles/29003435822866-Is-Polarsteps-free), checked 3 October 2026.
- Polarsteps on the UK App Store (https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/polarsteps/id947925763), checked 3 October 2026.
TripStow facts are from the product itself. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@tripstow.com and we will correct it.
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