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Cartahaven vs CalTopo

CalTopo is a powerful planning tool, used by search and rescue teams and backcountry travellers, that also makes GeoPDFs. Cartahavenis the other end of that: it opens GeoPDF maps, yours or a publisher’s, free and offline on any device, and gives you GPS on them. Here is how the two compare.

CalTopo facts are from CalTopo’s own pages, checked November 1, 2026; numbers in brackets link to the source. Prices change: check CalTopo’s site for the latest. Something wrong? Email support@cartahaven.com and we’ll fix it.

Cartahaven vs CalTopo
FeatureCartahavenCalTopo
Open your own GeoPDF mapsCartahavenFree, on the phone or the computer, as many as your device holds; they work offline straight away.CalTopoPro ($50/year) or higher: “map sheets” from PDF, JPG or TIFF up to about 40 MB; georeferenced PDFs align by themselves[2][3]. On the phone each sheet is downloaded on its own[4].
Place a scan or plain image on the mapCartahavenFree, in the app: tap three or more matching spots on your map and a world map.CalTopoPro: match two points; manual alignment “is only available on the web”[2].
PriceCartahavenMaps app, GPS and offline use free. Optional Cartahaven Plus: $9.99 a year or $2.49 a month, per account: one subscription works on every device you sign in on.CalTopoFree; Mobile $20/year (offline layers); Pro $50/year; Desktop $100/year[1].
Offline use on the phoneCartahavenFree: the maps you open or get from the store, plus a background map around each.CalTopoNeeds a paid plan: “if you wish to use the mobile app offline… you will need a paid subscription.”[5]
Satellite imagery offlineCartahavenPlus: USGS aerial imagery (US) around each map. Viewing it online is free.CalTopoGlobal imagery downloads with Mobile, Pro, Desktop or Team plans, worldwide[6].
Public land, hunting units, slopeCartahavenFree, offline: who manages the land (USGS PAD-US), game management units for 35 states and county lines elsewhere, legal shooting light, slope shading.CalTopoPublic lands, motor vehicle use (MVUM) and slope-angle overlays; parcels with Pro[7]. A built-in hunting unit layer: not found.
WeatherCartahavenFree: National Weather Service forecast and alerts (US), sun and moon times. Plus: live weather radar (US), rain and snow amounts for each day, and an hour-by-hour forecast for the next 48 hours.CalTopoNWS forecast overlays[7]; point forecast, sun and moon data for all users[8]. Radar: not found.
Print with your tracks on itCartahavenFree: a PDF of your map sheet with tracks and placemarks drawn on; it stays a GeoPDF.CalTopoPrints are GeoPDFs; free up to 8.5×11 in at 200 dpi, paid plans up to 48×96 in[9]. Not from the app[6].
Map store for publishersCartahavenYes: publishers sell their maps and keep 80% of each sale (the fee is at least $0.50 a sale). The store also has free USGS and Forest Service maps.CalTopoNot found in CalTopo’s documentation.
Live positionsCartahavenFree while you have signal: start a group, share a code.CalTopoTracks recorded to a shared map upload in near real time[13]; the Shared Locations overlay is for team accounts[14].
Team plansCartahavenCartahaven Teams: Team $199/year (10 seats) or $19/month; Organization $999/year (50 seats); Agency from $2,499/year. Extra seats $20/year. Teams.CalTopoCommercial Teams from $500/year for up to 10 users, then $50 a user; First Response Teams from $2,000/year[15].
Import tracks and placemarksCartahavenFree: GPX, KML, KMZ, GeoJSON, CSV, shapefiles.CalTopoGPX, KML and GeoJSON[10].
Field toolsCartahavenFree: GPS averaging for precise placemarks, placemarks from geotagged photos, north up / course up / free rotation.CalTopoPhoto waypoints need Pro[11]; heading-up rotation[12]. GPS averaging: not found.
DevicesCartahavenAny phone, tablet or computer from the browser; it installs to the home screen and works offline. The Android app is built and coming to Google Play, and an iPhone app is on the way: neither is in the app stores yet.CalTopoWeb, iPhone and Android[17]; an offline desktop app with the Desktop plan[16].

Where CalTopo is ahead

  • Planning and printing: large-format and multi-page GeoPDF prints with grids[9], terrain tools, and a full planner in the browser.
  • Offline satellite imagery worldwide from the $20 Mobile plan[6]; Cartahaven’s offline imagery is US only and part of Plus.
  • Search and rescue tools, and team tracking from Garmin inReach, APRS and other devices[14].
  • Commercial Teams cost about the same as Cartahaven Team ($500 against $199 for ten)[15], and include CalTopo’s full planning tools.
  • Native apps in the App Store and Google Play today. Cartahaven’s app store apps are on the way.

Using both

Plan and print in CalTopo, then open the GeoPDF it makes in Cartahaven on your phone, free and offline. Tracks move between them as GPX, KML or GeoJSON.

Open the map appFind mapsOther comparisons

Sources

All checked November 1, 2026.

  1. CalTopo: plans and prices
  2. CalTopo training: creating a map sheet
  3. CalTopo training: map sheets
  4. CalTopo training: map sheets in the mobile app
  5. CalTopo training: offline use on mobile
  6. CalTopo training: FAQ
  7. CalTopo training: overlay descriptions
  8. CalTopo training: measure and point tools
  9. CalTopo training: printing PDFs
  10. CalTopo training: import and export
  11. CalTopo training: photo waypoints
  12. CalTopo training: mobile navigation
  13. CalTopo training: live tracking
  14. CalTopo training: team tracking
  15. CalTopo: Teams plans
  16. CalTopo training: desktop app
  17. CalTopo in the App Store

CalTopo and SARTopo are trademarks of their owner. Cartahaven is not affiliated with CalTopo.