# TravelPin

> TravelPin is a free iOS app that turns Instagram travel reels into pins on an interactive 3D globe. AI detects locations from reel descriptions and hashtags, then geocodes them to exact coordinates. Available in 5 languages with offline-first storage and optional cloud sync. Over 10 structured features for travel planning.

## Key Facts

- App name: TravelPin
- Tagline: Turn reels into a travel map
- Price: Free — no subscriptions, no in-app purchases, no ads
- Platform: iOS 16.0+
- Bundle ID: com.stvtechnologies.travelpin
- Developer: STV Technologies
- Languages: English, Dutch (Nederlands), German (Deutsch), Spanish (Español), French (Français)
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/travelpin-video-travel-map/id6761027659
- Website: https://travelpin.app

## How TravelPin Works

### Step 1: Share from Instagram
Find a travel reel on Instagram. Tap the share button and select TravelPin. The app captures the reel URL and returns you to Instagram in under one second. You can also paste a URL directly in the Library tab.

### Step 2: Automatic Location Detection
TravelPin fetches the reel's metadata (title, description, hashtags, thumbnail) and uses multiple methods to detect the travel location:
1. Text analysis — parses descriptions and hashtags for location names
2. AI analysis — for signed-in users, an AI model extracts location keywords and generates a travel summary
3. Multi-provider geocoding — converts detected location names to coordinates using Photon (primary) and Nominatim (fallback)

### Step 3: Pin on the Globe
The reel appears as a pin on a personal 3D globe map built with MapLibre GL JS. Pins are clustered when zoomed out and show thumbnail images when zoomed in. Tap a pin to see reel details, location info, and AI analysis.

### Step 4: Organize and Explore
Browse saved reels in the library view with full-text search, country/continent filters, and sorting by date, location, or country. Plan trips by exploring clusters of pins in regions you want to visit.

## Features

### AI-Powered Travel Analysis
Every saved reel gets free AI analysis when you have a free account:
- Extracts location keywords from reel descriptions and hashtags
- Generates travel-relevant summaries with highlights and tips
- Auto-detects and pins locations not found through text analysis alone
- Results are cached per reel URL so analysis runs only once globally
- Users can provide thumbs up/down feedback on analysis quality
- Powered by OpenRouter with free model tier

### Interactive 3D Globe Map
- MapLibre GL JS globe with smooth rotation and zoom
- Clustered markers that expand on tap to reveal individual pins
- Thumbnail images displayed on pins at higher zoom levels
- Sublocation pins with connector lines for reels covering multiple locations
- Dark mode and light mode support with system preference detection
- Camera position persistence between sessions

### Smart Location Detection
- Multi-provider cascading geocoding: Photon (fast, no rate limits) then Nominatim (comprehensive fallback)
- Extracts locations from Instagram descriptions, hashtags, and Open Graph metadata
- Handles multi-location reels with sublocation pins connected by visual lines
- Local geocoding of AI-extracted keywords on the device

### Cloud Sync
- Real-time cross-device synchronization via Supabase Realtime
- Bi-directional merge with conflict resolution (server timestamp wins)
- Exponential backoff retry for transient network failures
- Local storage is always primary — fully functional offline
- Automatic sync on app foreground and network reconnection

### Library Management
- Full-text search across reel titles and descriptions
- Filter by country or continent
- Sort by newest first, location name, or country
- Swipe-to-delete with haptic feedback
- Reel count display with active filter indicators

### Privacy and Authentication
- No account required — all core features work without sign-up
- Apple Sign-In and Google Sign-In for cloud sync and AI features
- Anonymous sessions automatically upgrade when linking a provider
- Row-level security on all cloud data — only the owner can access their reels
- No tracking, no ads, no data selling

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is TravelPin?
TravelPin is a free iOS app that turns Instagram travel reels into pins on an interactive 3D globe. Share a reel to TravelPin and AI automatically detects the location, so you can build a visual travel wishlist without any manual effort.

### How does TravelPin detect locations from reels?
TravelPin analyzes reel descriptions, hashtags, and metadata using AI to extract location keywords. These keywords are geocoded using Photon and Nominatim to find exact coordinates, which get pinned on your personal travel map.

### Is TravelPin free to use?
Yes, TravelPin is completely free with no subscriptions, no in-app purchases, and no ads. You can save reels and see them on the map without creating an account. A free account unlocks AI-powered analysis for every reel and cloud sync across devices.

### Do I need an account to use TravelPin?
No account is required to save reels and view them on the map. Creating a free account (Apple Sign-In or Google Sign-In) enables cloud sync across devices and unlocks AI-powered analysis for every saved reel.

### What platforms does TravelPin support?
TravelPin is currently available on iOS (requires iOS 16.0 or later). The app is built with React Native and Expo.

### What languages does TravelPin support?
TravelPin is available in English, Dutch, German, Spanish, and French. The app automatically detects your device language and switches accordingly.

### How does the AI analysis work?
When a signed-in user saves a reel, TravelPin sends the reel description and metadata to an AI model via OpenRouter (free tier). The AI extracts location-relevant keywords and generates a brief travel summary. Results are cached globally per reel URL so the same reel is only analyzed once, regardless of how many users save it.

### Is my data private?
TravelPin is anonymous-first. You can use the app without creating an account, and your data stays entirely on your device. If you sign in, your data syncs to cloud storage with row-level security ensuring only you can access your reels. TravelPin does not sell data, show ads, or track users.

### How is TravelPin different from saving reels on Instagram?
Instagram's saved folder doesn't show you where reels were filmed or organize them by location. TravelPin automatically detects the travel destination from each reel and places it on an interactive 3D globe, turning your saved content into a visual travel map you can explore and use for trip planning.

### Can I use TravelPin for trip planning?
Yes. Save travel reels as you discover them on Instagram. TravelPin organizes them by location on a globe map. When planning a trip to a region, zoom into that area to see all your saved destinations clustered together. Filter by country or continent in the library for quick access.

## Technical Details

- Built with React Native and Expo for iOS
- MapLibre GL JS for the 3D globe rendering
- Supabase for authentication, database, cloud sync, and edge functions
- OpenRouter API for AI analysis with free model tier
- Photon and Nominatim for geocoding
- TypeScript throughout (mobile app and website)
- Offline-first architecture with AsyncStorage

## About

TravelPin is developed by STV Technologies.

- Website: https://travelpin.app
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/travelpin-video-travel-map/id6761027659
- Privacy Policy: https://travelpin.app/legal/privacypolicy
- Terms of Service: https://travelpin.app/legal/termsofservice