While Apple Maps and Google Maps have long dominated mobile navigation, their core functionality remains largely transactional—enter a destination, get directions. Plotter reimagines this experience by introducing a dynamic, social mapping platform designed for exploration, personalization, and community engagement.
Plotter empowers iPhone users to move beyond basic GPS navigation and embrace a map-making experience that’s interactive and collaborative. The app makes it easy to create custom maps based on personal preferences—think curated lists of the best coffee shops, historic landmarks, or hidden gems in a new city. These personalized maps can then be shared with friends or discovered by other users, creating a vibrant ecosystem of localized knowledge and crowd-sourced recommendations.
Imagine planning a weekend getaway and instantly accessing user-generated maps highlighting scenic hikes, rooftop bars, or family-friendly attractions. Or, consider how valuable it is to compile your own go-to spots in your hometown—Plotter makes this process intuitive and fun, enabling both seasoned travelers and local explorers to become digital cartographers.
“Plotter was built out of necessity,” says founder and CEO Tom Nolan. “As someone who’s constantly on the move and relying on my iPhone’s map app, I found myself wishing I could do more—like save my favorite spots, organize them meaningfully, and share them easily.”
This vision separates Plotter from earlier social location apps like Stamped, which let users mark favorite venues but lacked robust map-building tools or collaborative sharing capabilities. In contrast, Plotter places custom maps at the core of its user experience, offering rich features like map discovery, category-based filters, and community-powered exploration.