The scratch map, minus the wall space

The short version

A scratch map is a poster. You scratch off the countries you've visited, and a colour shows underneath.

Gan does the same job on a screen. Tap a country and it lights up. The map is free, and it runs in your browser.

What you keep

The best bit of a scratch map is the satisfying reveal. Tap a country in Gan and it lights up.

You still get to see your world fill in, one country at a time.

What you gain

A digital map can do what paper can't.

• Undo a mistake with a tap
• Zoom into tiny countries
• Add dates, trips and photos
• Compare with friends
• Keep a wishlist and planned trips

What you give up

Be honest about the trade. A phone isn't a poster.

You lose the thing on the wall, and the gift-wrapped moment of opening a tube. Nobody walks past your phone and admires it.

Some of the extras are part of the paid plan. Trips, photos, friends and the wishlist need the £4.99 a year plan. The map itself is free.

Where scratch maps fall short

Small countries are a nightmare to scratch. Luxembourg gets one tiny rub.

You can't un-scratch Portugal when you realise it was Spain. Two maps on two walls can't compare themselves.

Many scratch maps stop at countries, so regions are rarely covered.

Switching over in four steps

Moving a wall map onto Gan takes about ten minutes.

• Open the map in your browser
• Look at your poster and tap the scratched countries
• Check the total against your own count
• Save the map to your account so it survives a new phone

Go on, keep both

There's no rule against having the wall map too. Use it for show.

Use Gan for the actual record. A poster can't keep dates, photos or a wishlist.

Gifts and trips

Planning a big trip? Add it as planned and watch your map change when you get back.

Giving a scratch map to a friend? Add a Gan map for the dates and photos they can't scratch off.

Questions

Is there a digital version of a scratch map?

Yes. Gan is one. Tap a country to colour it in, and your total updates.

Does Gan cost money like a scratch map does?

A scratch map is a one-off purchase. The Gan map is free and lives on your device. Saving it to an account, and everything in your account, is £4.99 a year.

Can I use Gan and a scratch map together?

Yes. Many people keep the poster for the wall and Gan for the record.