FAQ

Is Maastokartat free?

Yes. Basic use of the app is free of charge and requires no account or registration. Free use has no time limit, and there are no ads in the app.

Some of the maps and extra features are part of the paid Plus subscription.

What is the difference between the free version and Plus?

The free version includes the app's core features and several maps, such as the topographic map and aerial imagery from the National Land Survey of Finland, the nautical chart of Finland and worldwide satellite imagery.

A Plus subscription adds higher-detail and three-dimensional maps, property boundaries and berry maps, together with tools for planning and recording routes, using maps offline, cloud synchronisation and location sharing.

See the full comparison of free and Plus features

How much does Maastokartat Plus cost?

Plus costs €19.90 per year or €9.90 for three months. The annual subscription renews automatically until it is cancelled. The three-month subscription is a one-time purchase and does not renew automatically.

The subscription is purchased inside the app through Google Play.

Can I subscribe to property boundaries separately?

Yes. Property boundaries are part of the Plus subscription, but they are also available as a separate subscription without the other Plus features. You will find the option in the app's subscription view.

Does Maastokartat work without a network connection?

Downloading maps normally requires a network connection. With a Plus subscription, the maps of Finland and other individual countries, along with the overlays, can be downloaded to the device in advance, after which they can be used entirely without a network connection and in flight mode.

The worldwide maps cannot currently be pre-downloaded for offline use.

Does the app work on a tablet?

Yes. Maastokartat is designed to work well on tablets too, and the user interface makes use of the tablet's larger screen.

The same Plus subscription can be used on several of your own devices, and cloud synchronisation keeps your saved places and tracks up to date on all of them. Under the terms of service, one subscription covers the app on up to four devices linked to your account.

Does Maastokartat work on iPhone or iPad?

Maastokartat is currently available for Android devices only. There is no iOS version for the time being, but one may come later.

The App Store has an app with the same name, but it is made by a different developer and has no connection to this Maastokartat app. User accounts, purchases and saved data are not shared between the two apps, so they cannot be transferred from one to the other.

What is the difference between a maastokartta and a peruskartta?

Peruskartta is the name used for the National Land Survey of Finland's detailed topographic map. Maastokartta is a broader name for the map series, whose content and level of detail change with the scale. At the most detailed levels the map matches the familiar peruskartta in content and map symbols.

The topographic map in the Maastokartat app is based on the National Land Survey's current maastokartta data.

What are the 3D maps?

Aerial 3D and Satellite 3D are three-dimensional maps included in the Plus subscription. Built on an elevation model, they show the terrain's shapes and differences in elevation in three dimensions. The map can be tilted and viewed from different directions, making hills, slopes and valleys stand out clearly.

Where do the maps come from?

The topographic maps, aerial imagery, elevation model and property boundaries of Finland are based on open data from the National Land Survey of Finland. The app also draws on data from other authorities and open data sources, such as Traficom and OpenStreetMap.

Other countries' topographic maps are based on data from those countries' national mapping agencies.

See all the maps and data sources

What do the different map symbols mean?

The symbols used on the National Land Survey of Finland's topographic maps are explained on the National Land Survey's website.

Map symbol legend

My subscription is active, but it doesn't appear in the app.

If you use a Maastokartat account, first check that you are signed in to the correct account. The Plus subscription also works on other devices where you sign in to the same Maastokartat account.

If you do not use a Maastokartat account, or the Plus subscription does not yet appear on your account, the app checks purchases from Google Play. In that case, make sure the Play Store is using the same Google account the subscription was purchased with. If the device has several Google accounts and the app was installed through a different account, the app may need to be reinstalled with the correct Google account.

Before uninstalling the app, create a backup of your places and tracks so you can restore them after reinstalling.

I am trying to buy a Plus subscription, but I can't complete the payment.

For issues related to purchasing, see the Google Play Help.

If the Google Play instructions do not solve the problem, contact support: maastokartat@mapsitech.fi.

How can I purchase a subscription without a credit card?

The subscription can be paid for with your phone bill, for example, or with other payment methods supported by Google Play. Paying by phone bill is possible on DNA, Elisa and Telia subscriptions, if the subscription and device support carrier billing.

The subscription can also be paid for with Google Play balance. You can add balance by redeeming a Google Play gift card, sold in many shops, such as R-kioski. PayPal is also a supported payment method.

See the payment methods accepted on Google Play

How do I cancel a Plus subscription?

The recurring annual subscription can be cancelled in the app's subscription view or in the Google Play Store. In the Play Store, tap your profile picture, select Payments and subscriptions → Subscriptions, choose Maastokartat and cancel the subscription.

After cancelling, the Plus features remain available until the end of the paid subscription period. The three-month one-time subscription does not renew automatically, so it does not need to be cancelled.

What happens to places and tracks saved to my account if my Plus subscription ends?

The places and tracks already synced to your account remain safely stored. You can stay signed in and continue using the app.

However, new places and tracks will not be synced to your account without an active Plus subscription. If you sign in later on another device, the data saved to your account is downloaded to the device normally.

How can I transfer my saved places and tracks to a new phone?

With a Plus subscription, the easiest way is to use cloud synchronisation. Sign in to the same Maastokartat account on both devices and enable sync, and your places and tracks are transferred automatically.

Alternatively, you can create a backup to Google Drive on the old phone and restore it on the new one. Places and tracks can also be transferred as GPX files.

How can I measure distances?

The distance between two points on the map can be measured by touching the map with two fingers for a moment. A measuring line appears on the map, showing the distance between the points.

When you set a place as your destination, the app also shows the distance from your current location to the destination.

A distance along a route through several points can be measured with the route planning tool included with Plus. The same tool can outline areas and measure their perimeter and surface area.

Property boundaries are not visible, even though my subscription is active.

Property boundaries are an overlay that has to be switched on separately. Open the map menu from the top right corner of the map view and check that property boundaries are set to visible.

Property identifiers are a separate choice, so you can show either the boundaries alone or the boundaries together with the identifiers.

Why does the app show my location incorrectly?

Location accuracy depends on the quality of the GPS signal. Indoors the accuracy is usually poor, or no location is available at all. Buildings and other obstacles can also weaken the GPS signal.

If you have just started the app or gone outside, it can take the phone a moment to find enough GPS satellites.

The map loads slowly or not at all.

Downloading maps requires a working network connection. First check that mobile data is turned on and that the phone has a working connection to the network. If the map works on Wi-Fi but not away from it, the cause may be that mobile data is switched off.

On a weak network connection, downloading maps can be slow. With a Plus subscription, the supported maps can be downloaded to the device in advance, after which they can be used without a network connection.

The compass shows the wrong heading or is difficult to calibrate.

If the compass accuracy is poor, the app shows an exclamation mark in the middle of the compass. Calibrate the compass by rotating the device until the exclamation mark disappears.

The compass can be disturbed by nearby magnetic fields, electric devices and power lines. A phone case containing a magnet can also interfere with the compass.

A recorded track shows long straight jumps.

Check in the phone's settings that battery use for the Maastokartat app is not restricted. Overly strict battery-saving settings can prevent the location from updating reliably while the screen is locked or the app is running in the background.