Bundu vs AllTrails: which hiking app is better in South Africa?
By the Bundu team · Last updated
Short answer: For hiking in South Africa, Bundu is the better choice: it is free and lists local trails with entry fees, dog rules, directions, groups and GPS recording. AllTrails is better for worldwide coverage and offers offline maps on its paid plans.
AllTrails is the best-known hiking app in the world. Bundu is a newer, free app built specifically for hiking, trail running and mountain biking in South Africa. Here is how they compare for someone hiking here, feature by feature.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Bundu | AllTrails |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free version; AllTrails+ about US$36/year, Peak about US$80/year (US prices) |
| Focus | South Africa, plus popular US trails | Worldwide |
| Entry fees in rand | Yes, per trail | Not usually listed |
| Private farm and reserve trails | Yes, a big part of the list | Varies |
| Dog-friendly filter | Yes | Yes |
| Directions to the trailhead | Yes | Yes |
| GPS recording | Yes: hikes, runs and rides | Yes |
| Offline maps | Not yet | Paid tiers |
| Wrong-turn alerts | No | Paid tiers |
| Hiking groups and organised hike events | Yes | No organised events |
| Reviews from other hikers | Photos from the community | Extensive reviews |
Where Bundu is better
Local trail information
A lot of South African hiking happens on private farms, conservancies and small nature reserves: places like Hennops, Rustig, Sable Ranch or Muningi Gorge around Gauteng. Bundu lists 159 South African trails with the details you need before you drive out: entry fees, facilities, every route and its distance, and how hard it is. AllTrails often has the route line but not the practical information.
Dogs
Both apps let you filter for dog-friendly trails. Bundu currently marks 31 South African trails as dog-friendly, and trail descriptions note local rules where they apply, such as the SANParks dog-walking permit for Table Mountain. See our guide to dog-friendly hikes.
Hiking with other people
Bundu has hiking groups and organised hike events, so you can find a group, join a guided hike or organise one yourself. AllTrails has a social feed, but no organised hike events.
Price
Bundu is free, with no subscription. AllTrails puts its most useful navigation features behind a paid plan.
Where AllTrails is better
- Worldwide coverage: if you hike in Europe, Asia or all over North America, AllTrails covers far more trails.
- Offline maps and wrong-turn alerts on the paid plans, useful on remote routes with no signal.
- Reviews: years of written reviews and recent condition reports on popular trails.
Which should you use?
If you hike mainly in South Africa, Bundu is the better choice: it is free and built around the information South African hikers need. If you travel widely or need offline navigation in remote mountains, AllTrails+ is a good addition. Plenty of hikers use Bundu to find and record local hikes and keep an offline map app for multi-day routes.
Bundu is our own app, so we have tried to be specific about what each app does rather than just say ours is better. Prices are as published at the time of writing and change by country.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bundu better than AllTrails?
For South Africa, yes. Bundu is free and has local detail AllTrails often lacks: entry fees, private farm and reserve trails, dog rules, and hiking groups. AllTrails is better if you hike worldwide or need offline maps, which require its paid plan.
Is Bundu free?
Yes. Bundu is free on iPhone and Android, with no subscription.
Does Bundu have offline maps?
Not yet. Bundu gives you trail details, directions and GPS recording. For remote routes without signal, use an offline map app such as AllTrails+ or Gaia GPS as well.
How much does AllTrails cost?
AllTrails has a free version. In the US, AllTrails+ costs about US$36 a year and the Peak plan about US$80 a year; prices differ in other countries.
What is a good free alternative to AllTrails in South Africa?
Bundu is a free alternative to AllTrails built for South Africa, with local trails, entry fees, dog rules, directions, GPS recording and hiking groups.
Find your next trail with Bundu
- Hiking, running and MTB trails across South Africa and the US
- Entry fees, difficulty and dog rules for every trail
- Directions to the trailhead
- Record hikes, runs and rides with GPS
- Join hiking groups and organised hikes
- Free on iPhone and Android