You bought Komoot a few years back, maybe even the “World Pack” for $30. And now, every time you ride, you realize the app is excellent for planning a route — but frankly limited during the actual ride: no proper live segments, no clean Bluetooth sensor display, no walkie-talkie for group rides.
Good news: there’s a free alternative that does what Komoot does well (planning, voice navigation, offline maps) and does better on the live ride (segments with ghost racing, full sensor support, auto climb detection, walkie-talkie).
In this article, we’ll be honest. Komoot is very good at one specific thing — route planning, especially for MTB and gravel — and we won’t pretend otherwise. But for everything else, BikeCompanion does as well or better, without making you pay for regional map packs.
Why Look for a Komoot Alternative?
The most common frustrations:
1. Paid map packs. Komoot charges for maps region by region. The “World Pack” costs $30. A one-time payment, sure, but it’s extra money on top of an app that already feels premium.
2. No live segments. Komoot doesn’t offer live segments with ghost racing against your PR. If you want to race a climb, you need Strava running in parallel.
3. Limited Bluetooth sensor support. Komoot shows some sensor data, but the integration is lightweight compared to a real bike computer app. No proper cadence/power display in real time.
4. No Varia radar. No integration with the Garmin Varia rear radar.
5. No in-ride social features. No walkie-talkie, no live position sharing with family, no voice comms between riders in a group.
6. Planning interface > riding interface. Komoot is clearly built for planning. The in-ride screen doesn’t match a real bike computer app.
BikeCompanion vs Komoot: The Honest Comparison
Route Planning
| Feature | Komoot | BikeCompanion |
|---|---|---|
| Road/gravel/MTB routing | Excellent | Very good |
| OSM recommendations | Yes | Yes |
| Community routes | Yes (massive library) | No |
| Surface-type filtering | Yes | Yes |
| Elevation profile | Yes | Yes |
| Weather on the route | No | Yes (PRO) |
| Auto-generation by distance/elevation | Limited | Yes |
Planning verdict: Komoot wins on depth of the trail/gravel algorithm and its community route library. BikeCompanion wins on integrated weather and auto-generation by objective.
Offline Maps
| Feature | Komoot | BikeCompanion |
|---|---|---|
| Offline maps | Yes (paid packs) | Yes (PRO) |
| World Pack | $30 one-time | Included in PRO |
| Download by area | Yes | Yes |
| Updates | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Buy region by region | All-inclusive subscription |
Maps verdict: Komoot = one-time purchase. BikeCompanion = PRO subscription less than a coffee/month with 7-day free trial. Over 3 years, Komoot World Pack ($30) stays cheaper, but with BikeCompanion you don’t buy anything extra when new regions are added.
During the Ride
| Feature | Komoot | BikeCompanion |
|---|---|---|
| Voice navigation | Yes (basic) | Yes (PRO, full) |
| Auto rerouting | Yes | Yes |
| Turn-by-turn visual | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth cadence sensor | Limited | Yes |
| Bluetooth power meter | Limited | Yes |
| Bluetooth heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Varia radar | No | Yes |
| Live segments | No | Yes (PRO) |
| Ghost racing your PR | No | Yes (unique) |
| Auto climb detection | No | Yes (with live gradient) |
Live-ride verdict: Clear advantage BikeCompanion. This is where Komoot shows its limits — it’s a planning app, not a real bike computer.
Social Features
| Feature | Komoot | BikeCompanion |
|---|---|---|
| Route sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Comments / likes | Yes | No |
| Group walkie-talkie | No | Yes (unique) |
| Live position sharing | No | Yes |
| Strava sync | Yes | Yes |
| Friends’ routes visible | Yes | Limited |
Social verdict: Komoot = community platform. BikeCompanion = live group features (walkie-talkie, live position). Two complementary approaches.
Post-Ride Analysis
| Feature | Komoot | BikeCompanion |
|---|---|---|
| Ride GPS map | Yes | Yes |
| Speed/HR/power graphs | Yes | Yes |
| Auto climb detection | No | Yes (with % gradient) |
| 3D ride video generation | No | Yes (unique) |
| Personal heatmap | No | Yes (PRO) |
| Strava export | Yes | Yes |
| Badges / achievements | Limited | Yes |
Analysis verdict: BikeCompanion goes further on climbs (auto detection + live gradient during the ascent) and offers 3D ride videos for social sharing.
Pricing
| Komoot | BikeCompanion | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes (starter region) | Yes (most features) |
| World Pack maps | $30 (one-time) | Included in PRO |
| Premium | $4.99/mo for “Premium” | Less than a coffee/mo for PRO |
| Free trial | No | 7-day PRO |
Pricing verdict: Komoot Premium ($5/mo) + World Pack ($30) over 2 years ≈ $150. BikeCompanion PRO over 2 years ≈ cost of a restaurant meal. Significant gap over time.
When to Stick with Komoot
Be honest. If any of these apply, Komoot is still an excellent choice:
- You do a lot of MTB/gravel/bikepacking and Komoot’s trail routing algorithm has never let you down
- You heavily use community routes with photos and comments
- You already paid for the World Pack and your main use is planning
- You prefer a one-time purchase over a subscription and you don’t need live features
- You publish content on the Komoot platform (highlights, tour photos)
For everyone else, BikeCompanion will probably fit your usage better.
When to Switch to BikeCompanion
Switch when:
- You’re tired of buying map packs region by region
- You use Strava for segments because Komoot doesn’t have them — BikeCompanion does both
- You have Bluetooth sensors (HR, power, cadence) and want them displayed properly in real time
- You own a Garmin Varia radar and Komoot doesn’t support it
- You ride in groups regularly and the walkie-talkie is appealing
- You want auto climb detection with live gradient during the ascent
- You like sharing rides and want the 3D videos
Migrating from Komoot Without Losing Your Routes
You can keep your Komoot routes easily:
- In Komoot, open a planned route → menu → Export GPX
- In BikeCompanion, import → Import GPX file
- The route is now available with voice navigation and auto rerouting if you go off-path
- Repeat for your favorite routes
For your historical Komoot rides, if you sync them to Strava (default on most accounts), they’ll automatically appear in BikeCompanion via Strava.
You can keep Komoot for community planning and use BikeCompanion to ride — both apps sync to Strava, so your history stays unified.
What Riders Who Switched Say
“Replaces my old Garmin. Simple, effective, has everything I need.” — Paul, 5 stars
“Great app, simple and effective.” — Paul, 5 stars
Overall App Store and Google Play rating: 4.8/5.
What Does It Actually Cost?
Free: basic navigation, full GPS tracking, Bluetooth sensors, Strava sync, post-ride stats, auto climb detection, 3D videos, GPX import. No commitment, no credit card required.
PRO: offline maps (all regions, no pack to buy), full voice navigation, live segments with ghost racing, route weather, personal heatmap. Less than a coffee per month, with a 7-day free trial.
Unlike Komoot: no map pack to buy. Your PRO subscription includes every region worldwide.
FAQ
Does BikeCompanion do everything Komoot does?
For live-ride and sensors, yes — and better. For top-tier trail/gravel planning and the community route library, Komoot still leads. Many users run both: Komoot to discover routes, BikeCompanion to ride them.
Can I import my Komoot routes?
Yes, via GPX export from Komoot and GPX import into BikeCompanion. Every route becomes reusable with voice navigation and auto rerouting.
Are offline maps really free?
Offline maps are a PRO feature (less than a coffee/month, 7-day free trial). But unlike Komoot, no regional pack to buy on top: your subscription includes every region.
Does it work for MTB / gravel?
Yes. The routing algorithm handles road, gravel, and MTB. Auto climb detection with live gradient is especially useful in the mountains.
Can I use both apps?
Of course. Many riders plan in Komoot (for community routes) and ride with BikeCompanion (for live segments, sensors, walkie-talkie).
What languages is BikeCompanion available in?
7 languages: English, French, Dutch, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish.
Is there a community like Komoot’s?
Not yet at Komoot’s level on community routes. BikeCompanion focuses more on live features (walkie-talkie, live position, segments) than a social platform.
Try BikeCompanion
Download the app for free:
- iPhone : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bike-computer-bikecompanion/id1661805112
- Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.creativeo.bike.companion&hl=en
First ride in 30 seconds.
Free 7-day PRO trial. Cancel in one tap.
Summary
Komoot is excellent for planning — especially MTB/gravel/bikepacking — and for exploring community routes. Keep it if that’s your main use.
BikeCompanion is better for riding: live segments with ghost racing, full Bluetooth sensors, Varia radar, walkie-talkie, auto climb detection, 3D videos — and offline maps without buying any pack.
The two are complementary. But if you spend more time riding than planning, BikeCompanion fits your usage better, free for most features, with no regional map packs to re-purchase.
