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Paid app vs. premium


zonie01

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So i'm semi new to geocaching or atleast i haven't done it very often. Well me and my friend were trying to buy premium and instead we bought the paid app. What is the difference between buying the app and becoming premium other than i wouldn't be able to place a new geocache. Do we still have access to all of the caches?

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So i'm semi new to geocaching or atleast i haven't done it very often. Well me and my friend were trying to buy premium and instead we bought the paid app. What is the difference between buying the app and becoming premium other than i wouldn't be able to place a new geocache. Do we still have access to all of the caches?

 

Don't know where you fo your information, but the apps, and membership have nothing to do with placing caches. And I'm not sure why you think buying the premium membership gives you access to less caches. One would think it's more caches (which it is- you can now view premium only caches.)

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So i'm semi new to geocaching or at least i haven't done it very often. Well me and my friend were trying to buy premium and instead we bought the paid app. What is the difference between buying the app and becoming premium other than i wouldn't be able to place a new geocache. Do we still have access to all of the caches?

 

Trial (Free) app shows the three nearest easy (suitable for beginners, ie no DNFs or Needs Maintenance logs) TRADITIONAL non-PMO caches.

 

The Paid app shows all cache types, except PMO caches.

 

Buying Premium Membership on the Trial (Free) app will show ALL traditional caches including PMO caches.

Buying Premium Membership shows aALL cache types, including PMO caches.

 

I'm amazed you got the app, most new cachers complain they tried to get the 'upgraded' app, and ended up with Premium Membership!

 

*PMO Premium Member Only caches.

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As TDM22 pointed out, you can hide caches, even if you don't have the paid app and you're a basic member. Just do it through the website, after obtaining coordinates through your phone using a GPS app that does averaging (i.e. it calculates your location by taking multiple readings over a period of time for higher accuracy).

 

As for the intro / paid app and basic / premium member... Gods, what a mess. Looks like you will see all the caches with the paid app, except for premium member only caches.

 

Question for others : is there a limit to the number of geocaches that can be looked up (description, hint, past logs) per day using the paid app with a basic membership? How about download to use offline?

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Just keep the app and your membership as two completely separate ideas.

 

Membership:

A basic membership gives you access to all non-premium geocaches.

A premium membership lets you see all geocaches.

 

The app:

The free/intro app is precisely that, it only lets you see a limited number of geocaches (which does not include premium geocaches, whether you are a premium member or not*)

The paid app lets you see everything your membership level lets you see.

 

* I believe this to be the case =P

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The free/intro app is precisely that, it only lets you see a limited number of geocaches (which does not include premium geocaches, whether you are a premium member or not*)

 

I just checked the intro app on my phone, I can see premium caches (I am a PM).

 

See? See? This is why we can't have nice things! :lol:

 

In thebruce0's defense, he did say in his tiny disclaimer that it is only his belief :)

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The free/intro app is precisely that, it only lets you see a limited number of geocaches (which does not include premium geocaches, whether you are a premium member or not*)

I just checked the intro app on my phone, I can see premium caches (I am a PM).

See? See? This is why we can't have nice things! :lol:

In thebruce0's defense, he did say in his tiny disclaimer that it is only his belief :)

 

;) Glad that was clarified. So, minor adjustment:

The memberships:

A
free
membership gives you access to all
non-
premium geocaches.

A
premium
membership lets you see
all
geocaches.

 

The apps:
(both show every cache your membership level lets you see, only including premium if you are premium)

The
free/intro
app is precisely that, filtering and limiting the number of geocaches presented to you.

The
paid
app shows you everything allowed by your membership level.

:D

Edited by thebruce0
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;) Glad that was clarified. So, minor adjustment:

The memberships:

A
free
membership gives you access to all
non-
premium geocaches.

A
premium
membership lets you see
all
geocaches.

 

The apps:
(both show every cache your membership level lets you see, only including premium if you are premium)

The
free/intro
app is precisely that, filtering and limiting the number of geocaches presented to you.

The
paid
app shows you everything allowed by your membership level.

:D

 

One other minor adjustment is that free Groundspeak iphone app is limited to traditional caches - although it shows any traditional (without limiting the number) with premium membership. Its live map search is interesting. I don't know about other platforms.

 

It might be noted that the premium membership gives you better functionality with alternative apps that use the Groundspeak API, so that if there one you like better than the Groundspeak app, it will not be limited.

Edited by geodarts
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that free Groundspeak iphone app is limited to traditional caches - although it shows any traditional (without limiting the number) with premium membership.

the free android app even signed in as a PM only shows a few caches, not all. They looked like easy traditionals. No multi or whereigos. I think it also striped a micro near by as well.

 

...

The apps: (both display from every cache your membership level lets you see, only including premium if you are premium)

The free/intro app is precisely that, filtering and limiting the number of geocaches presented to you.

The paid app shows you everything allowed by your membership level.

Changed "both show every" to "both display from every" for clarity - the point being that the repository of available caches to you from which the app decides what to show is based on your membership level.

 

As for traditionals, sizes, difficulties, etc - "filtering and limiting" covers that, whatever the algorithm may be. But the inclusion of premium caches or not depends on your membership level, as noted above.

 

*shrug*

It's not complicated. But finding a clear and concise descriptive explanation apparently is :P

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thebruce0, time to update your description

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=329421&pid=5468128&st=0entry5468128

 

I pulled up the intro app on my phone and was surprised to see that there were ORANGE dots on my map! I saw that I had found one of them and found out it was a multi cache! There was even a little prompt on what to do with multi caches.

 

So Intro App is no longer traditional only.

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thebruce0, time to update your description

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=329421&pid=5468128&st=0entry5468128

 

I pulled up the intro app on my phone and was surprised to see that there were ORANGE dots on my map! I saw that I had found one of them and found out it was a multi cache! There was even a little prompt on what to do with multi caches.

 

So Intro App is no longer traditional only.

 

Well that's devastating news. Multis were previously a way to keep caches safe without resorting to PMO status.

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Ok, after reading all of this I am as confused as ever.

 

So, it sounds like the best bet to see everything is to pay for the $10 app AND to buy the premium membership. Buying the premium membership does not "unlock" hidden caches on the app even if you are logged in, which I had hoped. I think I finally get that they are not one and the same. Essentially, buying the app is "paying for the app technology". Forgive me if I sound like an idiot, I'm just kind of "talking my way through" this since I'm kind of new to caching. Sounds like neither one is worth it without the other. Since I'm kind of a luddite, I don't want to find free apps. The one good one I know about is for android anyway and I'm an iPhone.

 

Has anyone had any good/bad luck with Groundspeak IT help? TIA for any assistance/advice.

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Groundspeak's free app isn't very helpful if you really want to take up geocaching. It's only an introductory app, and really that's as far as it goes.

 

I would suggest that the best combo, if you go with the official app, is to buy the full app, and keep your regular free membership. Buying a premium membership gives you a few features on the website (nothing to do with the app) that are certainly not required to really enjoy what geocaching has to offer.

 

Here are what I believe are the best three geocacher levels, summarized:

1. Beginner: Register for a free account. You have standard access to the catalogue of geocaches. If you have a smartphone, download the free intro app and try out geocaching with a few nearby caches that are considered 'easy'. If you have a handheld GPSr, you won't be limited in the same way that the free app limits your live searching. Anything you can see on the website, you can find and log with a GPS device. The free app just limits what you can in the app.

 

2. General membership: If you're on a smartphone, upgrade to the full app. You now have access to the full range of geocaches in the app, while mobile. You still have the regular membership level, nothing's changed there.

 

3. Advanced membership: Upgrade to premium, and make use of whatever smartphone app you feel is the most versatile for your preferences. As premium, you now also have access to the geocaches flagged as Premium Member Only; they'll now show up in your smartphone app and on the website, and you have access to a number of other useful web features that are reserved for premium members.

 

In short, the just look at the app as its own entirely separate thing. Because there are many geocaching apps out there. Groundspeak chose the free/limited and paid/full model.

 

To enjoy geocaching all you need is a free account on geocaching.com and a device capable of GPS. That's it.

The official free app is merely an introductory app for mobile geocaching on a smartphone. The paid app is the full featured mobile app. Those app levels have nothing to do with your geocaching.com membership level, except that if you pay for a premium membership, they'll now be able to show you PMO caches as well.

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thebruce0, time to update your description

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=329421&pid=5468128&st=0entry5468128

 

I pulled up the intro app on my phone and was surprised to see that there were ORANGE dots on my map! I saw that I had found one of them and found out it was a multi cache! There was even a little prompt on what to do with multi caches.

 

So Intro App is no longer traditional only.

 

Well, all I can tell you is that there is a cache about 15 miles from my house in a relatively small park. There have been a couple traditionals in there over the years (long since archived), and a still existing multi-cache that was placed in 2005. A couple months ago, a newer Geocacher put a traditional in this park, all while pontificating on the cache page they "couldn't believe there wasn't a cache in that park". Translation: intro app user, can't "see" the multi. :blink:

 

I'm not calling crazy pig a liar, but I find it very hard to believe they're showing multis on the the intro app. If he sees this, are you positive it was the intro app you were in?

Edited by Mr.Yuck
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thebruce0, time to update your description

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=329421&pid=5468128&st=0entry5468128

 

I pulled up the intro app on my phone and was surprised to see that there were ORANGE dots on my map! I saw that I had found one of them and found out it was a multi cache! There was even a little prompt on what to do with multi caches.

 

So Intro App is no longer traditional only.

 

Well, all I can tell you is that there is a cache about 15 miles from my house in a relatively small park. There have been a couple traditionals in there over the years (long since archived), and a still existing multi-cache that was placed in 2005. A couple months ago, a newer Geocacher put a traditional in this park, all while pontificating on the cache page they "couldn't believe there wasn't a cache in that park". Translation: intro app user, can't "see" the multi. :blink:

 

I'm not calling crazy pig a liar, but I find it very hard to believe they're showing multis on the the intro app. If he sees this, are you positive it was the intro app you were in?

 

Intro app. Latest update. IF you are also a Premium Member, you can also see Multi's with the app.

(And PMO caches)

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Intro app. Latest update. IF you are also a Premium Member, you can also see Multi's with the app.

(And PMO caches)

 

Is that multi a PMO multi?

Maybe the intro app doesn't show multis, but then allows all PMO caches. See if the intro app will show PMO multis but not show regular multis.

:mmraspberry:

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Intro app. Latest update. IF you are also a Premium Member, you can also see Multi's with the app.

(And PMO caches)

 

Is that multi a PMO multi?

Maybe the intro app doesn't show multis, but then allows all PMO caches. See if the intro app will show PMO multis but not show regular multis.

:mmraspberry:

 

Nope, never has been PMO, probably never will. Placed July 2005. However, what Bear and Ragged says makes sense. I could see TPTB wanting to let premium members see multi's on the intro app. I doubt there are very many premium members using the intro app, but I've been wrong before.

 

I maintain I would find it "hard to believe" if they showed multi's to a basic member intro app user.

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Intro app. Latest update. IF you are also a Premium Member, you can also see Multi's with the app.

(And PMO caches)

Is that multi a PMO multi?

Maybe the intro app doesn't show multis, but then allows all PMO caches. See if the intro app will show PMO multis but not show regular multis.

:mmraspberry:

Nope, never has been PMO, probably never will. Placed July 2005. However, what Bear and Ragged says makes sense. I could see TPTB wanting to let premium members see multi's on the intro app. I doubt there are very many premium members using the intro app, but I've been wrong before.

Oh, I read that as what B&R could see in the latest update, not a request... oops.

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So i'm semi new to geocaching or atleast i haven't done it very often. Well me and my friend were trying to buy premium and instead we bought the paid app. What is the difference between buying the app and becoming premium other than i wouldn't be able to place a new geocache. Do we still have access to all of the caches?

can I just say how happy I am that you came to the website to ask?

 

That's a big step in learning more about the game, and the differences between not only account or app types, but also cache types and other guidelines! I hope you come back! :anicute:

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