I've Been Alternatives: Top 5 in 2026

The best alternatives to I've Been in 2026 are Staywise, been, Places Been, Mapstr, and Fog of World. Staywise (the visa compliance app for digital nomads) leads for automated day-counting against Schengen 90/180, 183-day tax residency, and visa-free limits in 195+ countries, with passport details stored on-device. been (been.app) is strongest for a free tap-to-fill world map plus optional region tracking. Places Been suits travelers who want city, UNESCO, and airport pins, not only country colors. Mapstr works best as a private map of favorite restaurants, cafes, and neighborhoods. Fog of World is the pick if you want GPS to clear fog as you walk and fly. Staywise is iOS only and is purpose-built for compliance, not scratch-map bragging.

Travelers who search for I've Been alternatives usually want a living record of countries they have visited. Many land on been, the map-first tracker from REBR AS. It is a different product from the older VINCI Apps Been covered in our Been app alternatives guide. A colored map answers "where have I been?" It does not answer "how many days can I still stay?" This list compares five tools with distinct jobs.

Comparison table

Why look for I've Been alternatives?

been (the product most I've Been searches find) is a clean pocket scratch map. You tap a country, it fills in, and a travel passport card tallies countries, continents, and UN members. People look past it when they need more than a score.

• No visa compliance logic. been records marked countries. It does not monitor Schengen 90/180, 183-day tax residency, or overstay deadlines.
• No entry and exit math. A tap on Spain does not tell you how many days you have used in the current rolling window.
• No overstay alerts. There is no 7, 3, and 1 day warning before a stay limit expires.
• No AI assistant for visa questions. You cannot ask stay-limit questions inside the map.
• Premium gates depth. Regions, the 3D globe, unlimited wishlist, and private notes sit behind a one-time purchase, per been.app.

If you only want a memory map, been is a fair pick. If you split a year across countries, you need a tool that counts days against rules.

Alternative #1: Staywise - Best for automated visa compliance

Staywise (the visa compliance app for digital nomads) is built around the job country maps skip: counting days against the rules that actually apply to you. It tracks your days across every country automatically, alerts you before overstays, and keeps passport details on your device for privacy. It covers visa-free stay limits across 195+ countries, Schengen 90/180 rolling-window calculations, and 183-day tax residency tracking for several countries in parallel.

Where been answers "which countries have I marked?", Staywise answers "where can I still legally stay, and for how long?"

Why choose Staywise over been?

• Privacy-first architecture. Passport numbers and photos never leave your device. Only travel dates and countries sync to the cloud. Map apps are built around sharing a public footprint, not locking sensitive identity data on-device.
• Automated compliance alerts. Staywise warns you 7, 3, and 1 day before any stay limit expires, plus residency-maintenance reminders. been tracks visited places, not limits.
• AI assistant for visa questions. Ask "how many days can I stay in Thailand?" in plain English and get an answer with travel-domain guardrails. been has no visa-rules chat.
• Purpose-built for multi-country travelers. Staywise handles Schengen 90/180, 183-day tax residency, and visa-free limits in one place. been is a visualization tool, not a compliance engine.

If you are trying to avoid overstaying in Europe, our guide on the Schengen 90/180 rule explains the calculation, and Staywise runs that math for you.

Key features

• Automatic day tracking across 195+ countries with timezone-aware calculations
• Schengen 90/180 rolling-window calculator built into the app
• 183-day tax residency tracking for multiple countries simultaneously
• AI compliance chat with travel-domain guardrails
• Overstay alerts at 7, 3, and 1 day intervals
• Passport expiry reminders for dual and triple citizenship holders
• Export travel records to PDF or CSV for visa applications
• Privacy-first storage so sensitive data stays on your device

Pricing

Free trial, then annual subscription. See the App Store for current pricing.

When to choose Staywise

• You travel to multiple countries per year and need automated compliance tracking
• You are subject to Schengen 90/180 rules or 183-day tax residency thresholds
• Privacy matters and you do not want passport numbers in cloud storage
• You want an AI assistant for visa questions without researching every country manually
• You hold multiple passports and need to track visa-free limits for each

When not to choose Staywise

• You are on Android. Staywise is currently iOS only. Android is on the roadmap but not available today. been, Places Been, Mapstr, and Fog of World all ship Android apps.
• You want a free forever map. Staywise has a free trial but requires a subscription after. been's core map is free. Mapstr's free tier covers up to 300 saved places.
• You want a scratch map or place journal, not compliance. Staywise does not try to be a 3D globe, UNESCO pin board, or restaurant atlas. Use been, Places Been, Mapstr, or Fog of World for those jobs.
• You travel to only one or two countries per year. At low travel frequency, manual tracking is usually enough and a subscription may not be worth it.

Alternative #2: been - Best for tap-to-fill country and region maps

been is the map-first tracker people usually mean when they search I've Been. Made by REBR AS, it lets you tap a country and watch it fill green, then drill into states and provinces on Premium. A travel passport card shows countries, continents, UN members, and regions. The world map is bundled in the app, so it works offline. Sign in with Apple or Google to sync across iPhone and Android.

Key features

• Tap-to-fill map covering more than 250 countries and territories, including all 193 UN members
• Travel passport stats and shareable branded map cards
• Offline map bundled in the app
• Optional Premium: 1,000+ regions, 3D globe, unlimited wishlist, private notes, ad-free map

Pricing

Core mapping and sharing are free on iOS and Android, per been.app as of August 2026. Premium is a one-time purchase. Check the App Store or Google Play for the current price in your region.

When to choose been

Choose been if you want a light "I've been here" map with a passport card and optional region depth, without journals or compliance math.

When not to choose been

Skip been as a solo tool if you need day-counting, Schengen 90/180, tax residency tracking, or overstay alerts. Pair it with Staywise if you want both a memory map and a legal day count.

Alternative #3: Places Been - Best for city, UNESCO, and airport pins

Places Been is a pin-based travel tracker for iOS and Android from myarx apps. Instead of only coloring countries, you search and tag cities, airports, ports, UNESCO sites, and national parks. The app builds country lists from those pins and can show a flag map. Use it if your pride is a specific city, not only a country color.

Key features

• Offline city database for places with more than 500 inhabitants
• UNESCO, national park, airport, and port tagging
• Statistics for continents, countries, and cities
• Flag map generated from tagged places
• Shareable maps and stats

Pricing

Places Been is free to download on iOS and Android with optional in-app upgrades. As of August 2026, the App Store lists Pro packs and a Traveler Edition. Check the listing for current prices.

When to choose Places Been

Choose Places Been if you want a lifetime pin board of cities and sights, including UNESCO sites and airports, and you are happy to search and tag places yourself.

When not to choose Places Been

Places Been is not a compliance tool. It does not count days against visa-free limits or send overstay alerts. Some extra databases (airports, parks) sit behind paid packs. If you only want country-level coloring, been is simpler.

Alternative #4: Mapstr - Best for saving favorite places and lists

Mapstr is a personal map of restaurants, cafes, shops, and trip finds. It runs on iOS, Android, and the web. You tag places, add notes, follow friends, and import lists from Google Maps or social apps. The official FAQ says the free app is ad-free, does not sell data, and caps the free tier at 300 addresses.

Key features

• Save and tag favorite places worldwide
• Notes, photos, and to-try versus already-tried status
• Follow friends and collaborative maps
• Import from Google Maps lists, articles, Instagram, and TikTok
• Export addresses as CSV or GeoJSON from account settings

Pricing

As of August 2026, Mapstr is free up to 300 saved addresses, per its FAQ. Mapstr Plus removes the cap. The US App Store listed Plus around $59.90 per year. Check the in-app price for your country.

When to choose Mapstr

Choose Mapstr if your "I've been" record is really a list of favorite tables, neighborhoods, and tips you want to reuse on the next visit. It is a place journal, not a country counter.

When not to choose Mapstr

Mapstr does not track visa days, Schengen windows, or tax residency. The free cap of 300 places is generous for casual users and tight for heavy travelers. Adding new places needs a connection. For country-level progress, been or Places Been is a closer match.

Alternative #5: Fog of World - Best for GPS fog-of-war exploration maps

Fog of World (by Ollix) covers the world in fog and clears it as you move. Walk a street or take a flight and the fog lifts along that path. A track editor fixes GPS drift. Data stays on device unless you sync to your own iCloud, Dropbox, or OneDrive. No Fog of World account is required.

Key features

• Real-world fog-of-war map that clears as you travel
• Built-in track editor for GPS gaps and drift
• Multiple databases and snapshot backups
• GPX and KML import
• On-device storage with optional personal-cloud sync

Pricing

Fog of World is a paid app, not a free map with ads. As of August 2026, the US App Store listed it around $30, and Google Play listed it at $29.99. Regional store prices vary. The Android listing advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee. Confirm the current price in your store.

When to choose Fog of World

Choose Fog of World if you care about the path, not only the country. It is the right tool for people who want to see which neighborhoods they have actually walked, and who prefer a one-time purchase over a country-tapping checklist.

When not to choose Fog of World

Fog of World does not apply visa rules or count days toward 183-day tests. Background GPS can drain battery if you leave tracking on. The paid price is higher than a free scratch map. It is an exploration log, not a compliance dashboard.

How to choose the right I've Been alternative

Picking the right tool depends on what you actually need to remember.

1. Start with what you are tracking. Visa compliance needs a purpose-built app. Staywise is designed for that. been, Places Been, Mapstr, and Fog of World log geography, not legal presence.

2. Check platform availability. Staywise is iOS only today. The other four support Android. Mapstr also has a web client.

3. Decide how automatic logging should be. Fog of World uses GPS. Mapstr and Places Been are mostly manual pins. been is tap-to-fill.

4. Evaluate privacy. Fog of World and Staywise keep sensitive data on device by default. Mapstr hosts maps in an account. been can sync via Apple or Google sign-in.

5. Match the memory you want. Country colors: been. Cities and UNESCO: Places Been. Favorite addresses: Mapstr. Paths: Fog of World. Remaining legal days: Staywise. Many nomads run a map app plus Staywise.

For a wider tracker roundup, see how to track days in multiple countries and best visa tracker apps for digital nomads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is I've Been still worth using in 2026?

Yes, if you mean been (been.app), the map-first tracker most I've Been searches find. It remains a strong free way to mark countries, share a passport card, and optionally buy one-time Premium for regions and a 3D globe. It is still worth using as a memory map on iOS and Android. It is not worth using as your only tool if you need Schengen 90/180 math, 183-day tax counts, or overstay alerts, because been does not include that logic.

What is the best free alternative to I've Been?

been itself is free for country mapping. Mapstr's free tier (up to 300 places) is the strongest free alternative if you want saved addresses rather than country colors. Places Been has a free core for pinning cities. Staywise offers a free trial, then an annual subscription, so it is not free in the same way. Fog of World is a paid app. If budget is the only filter and you want a country map, stay on been's free tier.

Does I've Been track visa compliance automatically?

No. been logs countries and optional regions you mark. It does not store timezone-aware entry and exit dates for rolling windows, calculate Schengen 90/180, count days toward 183-day tax residency, or alert you before a visa-free stay expires. A compliance app like Staywise is built for those jobs. You can keep been as a visual map alongside a day tracker.

Can I use I've Been and Staywise together?

Yes. been (or Places Been, Mapstr, Fog of World) records where you have been for memory and sharing. Staywise records how long you have been there against visa and tax rules. They store different data, so running both does not create a conflict. Many long-term travelers keep a map app for fun and Staywise for the legal clock, including Schengen 90/180 and 183-day counts.

Which I've Been alternative is best for digital nomads?

Staywise is the best fit for digital nomads because it is built for multi-country compliance. It counts days across 195+ countries, handles Schengen 90/180 and 183-day tax residency, supports multiple passports, sends 7, 3, and 1 day alerts, and keeps passport details on-device. The map apps on this list are better for memories. Staywise is iOS only today, so Android nomads should use been or Places Been for maps and a manual method for day counts until Android ships.

Related guides

• Been App Alternatives: Top 5 in 2026
• How to track your days in multiple countries
• Best visa tracker apps for digital nomads (2026)
• Visited Alternatives: Top 5 in 2026

Final verdict

Different tools suit different memories. been is the direct tap-to-fill globe. Places Been pins cities and UNESCO sites. Mapstr stores favorite tables. Fog of World clears GPS fog along every walk.

If remaining days matter, none of those apps replace a compliance tracker. Staywise counts your days, applies Schengen 90/180 and 183-day math, alerts you before limits expire, and keeps passport details on your device. Use a map app for the story. Use Staywise for the clock.

Download Staywise on the App Store →

About Staywise

Staywise is the visa compliance app for digital nomads. Built by nomads for nomads, it tracks your days across every country automatically, alerts you before overstays, and keeps passport details on your device for privacy. The in-app AI assistant answers visa questions in plain English. Available on iOS.

Download Staywise on the App Store →

Important: This content is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax regulations, and entry requirements change frequently and vary by individual circumstances. Always verify current requirements with official government sources or a qualified professional before making travel decisions. Staywise tracks your days and surfaces compliance information, but final responsibility for compliance rests with the traveler.