Fog-of-war reveal
Uncover the map as you move through the world; the rest stays hidden under fog.
Released
FogMap — a private fog-of-war map for iPhone
Reveal the world as you go. Your map, on your device.
FogMap turns the real world into your private fog-of-war map. Move through the world and reveal it tile by tile — with everything kept on your device. No accounts, no ads, no tracking, no subscription.
Overview
A private exploration map that reveals as you move
FogMap is a privacy-first iPhone app that covers a map of the world in fog and reveals it as you physically move. Places you have visited stay uncovered; everywhere you haven't been remains hidden under fog. It's built for simple, personal exploration rather than gamified engagement — no accounts, no ads, no social feeds, no leaderboards, no achievements, and no subscriptions. All exploration data stays on the device; nothing is uploaded to any server.
It was created by a solo independent developer who wanted this exact tool: a clean, private exploration map that focuses on the map itself instead of harvesting your location history into someone else's data.
How it works
Reveal the map, tile by tile
- The world map starts completely covered in fog.
- As you walk, drive, cycle, or travel, FogMap reveals the map tile by tile along the path you actually moved through.
- Revealed tiles stay visible permanently, building a personal record of everywhere you've been over time.
- Tracking runs in the background using the “Always” location permission, and is battery-conscious: it enters a low-power idle mode when you stay in one place.
- Instead of points or achievements, the reward is simply the growing map of your own exploration.
See it in action
Real screens from FogMap
Swipe through the app: reveal the map as you move, switch between map and satellite, add notes, and tune the detail to your liking.
Features
What you can do in FogMap 1.1
Map Notes New in 1.1
Mark places worth remembering at your current location or by long-pressing the map, then browse and search them all.
Reveal Sessions & Archive New in 1.1
Capture a single outing — a hike, a trip, a day out — on a fresh map, then save it to an Archive. Your long-term map keeps filling in underneath.
Adjustable grid detail
Choose a base cell size to make your revealed map finer or broader, and tune how detail adapts as you zoom out.
On-device & private
No account required. All your exploration data stays on your phone and never leaves it.
Pay once, no subscription
Free to use, with an optional one-time purchase that unlocks the full feature set — including map export & import.
- Built entirely in SwiftUI with Apple's newest Liquid Glass design language, and map rendering on native MapKit for fluid panning and zooming.
- Dynamic Type support so text scales to your preferred size, with full light and dark mode.
Privacy
Your exploration history is yours
Privacy isn't a footnote for FogMap — it's the core product decision. FogMap keeps your movement and revealed map on your iPhone and never sends them anywhere.
- No server-side location tracking. Your movement and revealed map never leave your device.
- App Privacy label: “Data Not Collected.” That's the actual App Store privacy nutrition-label status.
- No accounts, no sign-up, no email. Nothing to create, nothing to log in to.
- No ads, no ad identifiers, no third-party analytics or crash SDKs.
- No tracking prompt (ATT) — because nothing is tracked.
- No social features, leaderboards, or achievements nudging you to share your whereabouts.
- Optional map export & import is user-initiated and local — you control your own data.
Comparison
How FogMap is different
Most apps in the exploration-map space rely on ads, subscriptions, mandatory accounts, leaderboards, and cloud sync that uploads your location. FogMap deliberately does the opposite.
| Common in the category | FogMap | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Login required | No account, ever |
| Ads & tracking | Ads and tracking SDKs | None |
| Pricing | Monthly subscription | One-time purchase only |
| Your location data | Uploaded to the cloud | Stays on your device |
| Engagement | Points, badges, gamification | Just your map, no gimmicks |
| Made by | A large data company | A solo indie developer |
Pricing
Pay once, own it
- Free to download and use, with a generous free tier — core fog-of-war reveal and Reveal Sessions are available without the unlock.
- An optional one-time “Full” unlock (a non-consumable in-app purchase — pay once, never a subscription) unlocks the complete feature set.
- The Full unlock adds map export & import, finer control over cell size, and removes free-tier limits such as the number of saved notes.
Requirements
Availability & requirements
- Platform: iPhone (iOS). It installs on iPad in iPhone-compatibility mode, but isn't an iPad-optimized app.
- Minimum iOS version: iOS 26.5 or later.
- Permissions: Location set to “Always” for background map reveal.
- Current version: 1.1.0.
- Availability: Worldwide on the App Store.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is FogMap?
FogMap is a private iPhone app that covers a map in fog and reveals it as you move through the real world. Places you have visited stay uncovered; everywhere you haven't been remains hidden under fog.
Does FogMap track my location on a server?
No. All data stays on your device and nothing is uploaded to any server. Its App Store privacy label is “Data Not Collected.”
Do I need an account?
No account, sign-up, or email is required. You can start exploring straight away.
Is there a subscription?
No. FogMap is free to use with an optional one-time purchase that unlocks the full feature set. Pay once, own it — never a subscription.
Does it work in the background?
Yes. Using the “Always” location permission, FogMap keeps revealing the map in the background, with a battery-conscious idle mode when you're stationary.
What's new in version 1.1?
Version 1.1 adds Map Notes for marking places worth remembering, and Reveal Sessions with an Archive so you can capture a single outing separately from your long-term map.
Which devices are supported?
FogMap runs on iPhone with iOS 26.5 or later.
Can I back up or move my map?
Yes. Map export and import are included in the one-time Full unlock, so you can back up or move your map data yourself.
Get FogMap
Start revealing your world
Download FogMap on the App Store and watch your personal map fill in, tile by tile — privately, on your iPhone.