Question 1

What is MapTales?

Accepted Answer

MapTales is a web application for creating and sharing interactive travel maps. You can add locations with photos, descriptions, and dates, then watch animated routes between your destinations. It supports 7 transport types (car, plane, walk, bicycle, boat, bus, train) and 3 map styles (dark, light, satellite).

Question 2

Is MapTales free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes! MapTales offers a free tier that allows you to create up to 2 maps with 6 locations each. Paid plans start at €4.99/month (Explorer) with more maps, locations, and premium features like private maps and collaboration.

Question 3

Can I share my travel maps with others?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! You can make your maps public for everyone to see, keep them private, or share them via a unique link. You can also generate QR codes for easy sharing and embed maps on external websites via iframe.

Question 4

What transport types are supported?

Accepted Answer

MapTales supports seven transport types: car (with real road routing), plane (with curved flight paths), walking, bicycle, boat, bus, and train. Each type shows realistic animated routes on the map.

Question 5

Can I collaborate on maps with others?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can invite collaborators to your maps as viewers, editors, or admins. Collaborators can add locations, upload photos, and edit in real-time with presence indicators.

Question 6

Does MapTales have a public API?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MapTales provides a REST API for programmatic access to map data. API keys can be generated in your account settings. Documentation is available at maptales.eu/api-docs.

Question 7

Can I import GPS data into MapTales?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MapTales supports GPX file import from GPS devices and fitness trackers. You can also auto-create maps from geotagged photos — the app extracts GPS coordinates from photo EXIF data.

Question 8

How can I export my travel map?

Accepted Answer

Maps can be exported as PDF travel journals (with photos, descriptions, and map screenshots) or as animated video summaries. Both export options create shareable files of your journey.

Question 9

What is the MapTales scratch map?

Accepted Answer

The scratch map (Travel Map) is a personal world map where you mark countries you've visited. It tracks statistics like countries visited, continents covered, and percentage of the world explored, plus unlocks travel achievements.