The short answer
Start with what matters to your hunt
- LuckyFindFor free route tracking, find details and account sync on iPhone or Android. Photos and advanced map options require Premium.
- AurealFor an Apple-device workflow, including an optional Pro Apple Watch companion.
- GO TERRAINFor compatible XP detector connections and optional paid group features.
- Tect O TrakFor Android recording, with additional modes available to subscribers.
These are use-case suggestions based on the sources below, not results from a controlled field test. Check the current offer on your device before purchasing.
Compare base features and paid extras
On a narrow screen, swipe the table sideways or focus it and use the arrow keys. “Base” means the listed non-upgraded feature set, not a guarantee of the download price.
| App / phones | Base features | Paid extras to check |
|---|---|---|
| LuckyFindiPhone + Android | Free route recording, find details, standard map and account sync | Premium: find photos, satellite/hybrid maps and previous-route/find overlays |
| AurealiPhone / iPad; Apple Watch companion | Free GPS hunts, find logging and coverage heatmaps | Pro: cloud backup, Apple Watch and custom overlays |
| GO TERRAINiPhone + Android | Free Standard solo activities, finds and compatible XP connections | Premium: group mode and cloud saving |
| Tect O TrakAndroid | Classic route and find recording; check store terms | Subscriber modes, community hub and remote backup/restore |
Prices, regional availability and feature limits can change. The cards below link to publisher information so you can check the feature you need instead of relying on a price copied months ago.
What each app offers
The app we build
LuckyFind: a cross-platform hunt journal
Core route tracking and find logging are free. LuckyFind Premium unlocks find photos, satellite and hybrid maps, and overlays of previous routes and finds.
Account sync for routes and find details does not require Premium.
Use it to record a GPS route, add finds with a category, depth and notes, then return to saved hunts. It uses manual find entry, not a detector connection. There is no current group-hunt sharing, Apple Watch companion or downloadable offline-map package.
Before you rely on it: make your guest account recoverable and check pending saves after reconnecting. Local recording is not the same as a completed cloud backup.
Read LuckyFind Help or the detailed product reference. These are upcoming-release previews; some controls and recovery behavior are not in the current store versions.
See a practice-hunt example →Apple-device tools
Aureal
Aureal's support documentation lists free GPS hunts, find logging and heatmaps, with cloud backup, the Apple Watch companion and historic overlays in Pro. Its store listing includes iPhone and iPad; Android is described as a roadmap item in its support documentation.
Consider it if: watch controls or importing your own map overlays matter to you. Verify the required plan and device compatibility; this comparison does not establish better GPS accuracy or easier operation than another app.
Sources: Aureal support ↗, plan details ↗ and Aureal on the App Store ↗.
Detector-connected option
GO TERRAIN by XP
XP lists a free Standard offering for solo activities and finds, including connections to DEUS II, DEUS and ORX detectors. Its Premium offering adds group mode and cloud saving. You can also use the app without an XP detector.
XP's update notes describe zone management and local-data export/import in Standard, with heatmaps and other tools in Premium. Check the relevant plan instead of treating every feature as free.
Consider it if: you want the supported detector connection or group workflow. Confirm your model and plan before a hunt.
Sources: XP's GO TERRAIN features and plans ↗ and XP's version update notes ↗.
Android recording modes
Tect O Trak
The developer's Google Play listing describes classic GPS recording, saved/resumable searches, photo/text find records and KML export. Subscribers also get Bearing and Fog of War modes, a community hub and remote backup/restore.
Consider it if: those recording modes fit your Android workflow. Check which modes and backup features are included in your chosen plan. Coverage graphics are not proof that every centimetre of ground was physically searched.
Ask these questions before choosing
- Does it support my phone and the feature I need? A watch companion, group mode and detector connection are separate capabilities. Do not assume they come with every GPS app.
- What actually works offline? Recording GPS points, displaying cached imagery and saving a cloud copy are different jobs. Test the conditions in which you will hunt.
- Can I recover my account and records? Check sign-in, pending uploads and export contents. A file export may omit images or the full track and may not support re-import.
- Can I comfortably use it in the field? Try the find form, pause controls and screen-locked tracking on your own device. We have not measured competitors' battery life, GPS accuracy or accessibility head-to-head.
A phone GPS trail helps you keep a record. It does not determine legal access, grant permission or measure complete detector-coil coverage. Use a physical detector and confirm access to the land separately.
From comparison to your first record
Try a short LuckyFind hunt
- Before leaving: install the app, make the account recoverable and check location settings. Start with the before-you-go checklist.
- During a short practice hunt: start a route and log a find where you are standing. Check its saved category, depth unit and notes. Use Pause for a break.
- Finish and check: open Done, confirm Save Hunt, then find the hunt in Routes and inspect any pending backup status. The finish/continue guide explains the difference.
Core tracking and find details are free; adding photos and using satellite/hybrid maps or previous-hunt overlays requires Premium. Start with a short route somewhere you have permission to detect.
Common questions
- What is the best metal detecting app?
- Choose by your phone, the record you want to keep and the features you will actually use. LuckyFind focuses on a cross-platform hunt journal, Aureal offers Apple-platform tools, GO TERRAIN supports compatible XP detector connections, and Tect O Trak offers Android recording modes. This publisher-source comparison is not a controlled field-performance ranking.
- Is there a free metal detecting app for tracking finds?
- Yes. Core route tracking and find logging are free. LuckyFind Premium unlocks find photos, satellite and hybrid maps, and overlays of previous routes and finds. Account sync for routes and find details does not require Premium.
- Which metal detecting apps work on Android?
- LuckyFind, GO TERRAIN and Tect O Trak have Android versions in the sources reviewed. Aureal lists Apple devices; its support page describes Android as a roadmap item, not an available version. Check the store on your device for compatibility and regional availability.
- Do these apps detect buried metal or connect to my detector?
- These four apps are companions to a physical metal detector, not replacements for it. LuckyFind uses phone GPS and manual find entry; it does not receive detector readings. GO TERRAIN lists connections to compatible XP models. An app's map does not establish land access or guarantee complete search coverage.
- Will a metal detecting app work without mobile service?
- Separate GPS recording, downloaded or cached maps, and cloud backup. Those are different capabilities. LuckyFind is designed to retain hunt recording during temporary loss of service, but fresh map imagery generally needs a connection and pending saves are not cloud confirmation. Set up the app while connected and test a short practice route before relying on it in the field.
- Can I export my LuckyFind hunts?
- Yes, but the formats differ: iOS exports GPX tracks and find waypoints; Android exports a CSV route/find list without the full GPS track. Neither includes photo files, even with Premium, and neither is a complete restorable account backup.
For setup, see iPhone and Android location instructions. For file contents, see the exact GPX/CSV export reference.
Sources and review method
We make LuckyFind, so this is a developer-published comparison. On , we reviewed the competitor publisher pages and store listings linked in each card and checked LuckyFind against its local app code and product documentation.
We compare documented platform support, base features, paid boundaries and recovery/export considerations. We did not install and field-test all four apps for this update. The order is not a scored ranking, and we do not claim independent battery, accuracy or ease-of-use results.
We have kept the feature descriptions bounded where plans or documentation differ. Store prices can vary by region and change after this review; check the current offer before buying. A listed future feature is not counted as currently available.
Found an error? Send the team a correction with the app version and a source. Please do not send private hunting coordinates or passwords.