Image Credit: Erik Mclean from Unsplash.
Taking in the sights is one of the main reasons to travel, and it can make the trip a lot more memorable. But, finding the best places to go and see can often be a little complicated, especially when you want somewhere with a historical twist.
That’s where LocoPast comes in. A location-based history app, it’s gotten a lot of attention for its worldwide coverage, and how comprehensive it is with each of the locations and events it covers.
As interesting as it can seem, however, countless travelers could think it’s just another travel app. Let’s get into a LocoPast review to see if it’s worth downloading and signing up for.
What is LocoPast?
LocoPast is a location-based history app available on iOS and Android that maps historical events directly onto real-world locations. Instead of reading through history chronologically, users can explore it based on geography.
Open the app, allow location access, and nearby historical locations and stories immediately appear on the world map. Alternatively, you can also search anywhere in the world before traveling to find significant events tied to that location.
What it Offers
LocoPast keeps things surprisingly simple while still packing in plenty of useful features. Some of the standout options here include:
- Over 3.5 million locations worldwide
- Interactive global history app
- GPS-powered local discovery
- Worldwide search functionality
- Direct links to articles for deeper reading
- Save favorite locations
Users can also filter through locations based on their preferences, making the experience feel a lot more personal.
Who’s it For?
One of LocoPast’s biggest strengths is its seemingly broad appeal. The obvious audience is history buffs, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only people who can get a lot of use out of the app.
It can also be a surprisingly useful option for:
- Travelers who want more than traditional tourist attractions.
- Students studying history or geography.
- Photographers looking for interesting locations.
- Teachers who want real-world historical examples.
This can all seem great, but it’s worth getting more into a LocoPast review to see whether or not it’s actually worth using.
LocoPast Review: Is it Actually Worth Using?
In short, the app’s worth using for more than a few people. LocoPast offers something genuinely different from most travel or education apps.
Instead of replacing guidebooks or museums, it complements them by offering geographic context. Seeing historical events mapped exactly where they happened creates a much stronger connection than simply reading about them.
The interface also isn’t too complicated to figure out. Instead of overwhelming users with multiple menus and settings, everything revolves around the map itself. Open the app, zoom in, and start reading.
This simplicity makes it surprisingly addictive. You could find yourself opening the app just because you’re walking somewhere unfamiliar and wondering what might’ve happened nearby.
Pros:
- Huge Worldwide Database – With over 3.5 million mapped historical events, there’s quite a bit of content to take advantage of.
- Excellent Value – A one-time purchase is quite rare. But, paying once without needing to worry about subscriptions or locked features is refreshing.
- Lack of Ads – Many travel apps interrupt exploration with banner ads or pops, but LocoPast keeps the experience clean.
- Easy to Use – The app is a lot easier to use than its competitors and isn’t clogged up by countless unneeded features.
- Great Category Filters – Being able to narrow results by specific historical interests makes exploring more interesting and easier.
- Useful Before Traveling – Looking up destinations before traveling can help you build a personalised sightseeing plan ahead of time.
Cons:
- Dependent on Source Material – Since many entries link back to source material, some locations could lack as much detail as others.
- Density Variety – Major cities have significantly more mapped entries than more rural locations.
- Needs Constant Internet Access – While the app itself is lightweight, the need for constant internet connection mightn’t make it usable in some locations.
Registration & Ease of Use
One area that’s easy to appreciate here is how quickly you can start using LocoPast. After downloading the app, there’s very little setup involved. It’s just a matter of allowing location permissions and you’re immediately presented with nearby locations.
Navigation feels intuitive, and the interactive map behaves exact as users would expect, like being able to:
- Pinch to zoom
- Drag around the map
- Tap markers
- Filter categories
- Search worldwide
Even people who aren’t particularly tech-savvy shouldn’t have a problem using the app. The clean interface also helps you keep your focus where it belongs; on discovering history instead of navigating through menus.
Location Detail & Accuracy
Accuracy is one of the most important parts of any travel or history app. LocoPast performs well here by geocoding events to the place they actually happened and providing links to the original source material for users who want to read more.
Of course, history itself is often debated, particular for lesser-known sites or ancient history. By pointing users to the original reference material, though, the app encourages further exploration instead of presenting itself as the final authority.
This is a sensible approach. The sheer density of mapped content also means users can build a much richer understanding of an area by exploring several nearby stories instead of relying on a single landmark.
Value for Money
This is, arguably, where LocoPast shines the most. For just £4.99 (or $4.99), users get lifetime access without ongoing subscriptions or premium features or upgrades.
Considering many travel apps now charge monthly fees, this pricing feels quite reasonable. Whether you travel a lot or just want to keep learning more about your local area, it’s easy to enjoy the small upfront cost.
The lack of ads also makes the experience feel noticeably more polished than free alternatives.
Wrapping it Up
Travelers with an interest in history could find the app quite useful. While there are a few drawbacks, these don’t seem to be too large, and the benefits and usefulness could more than compensate for these. Depending on your situation, it could be one of the better travel apps to go for.
