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Free beta now open · iPhone and Android

Walk with quiet confidence

OtterWay plans your walk around traffic fumes and badly lit streets, then lets you choose: greener, safer or quicker. The beta is free, and every Pathfinder extra is unlocked while we build it with you.

  • Free beta, no card needed
  • Safety features
  • Pathfinder extras unlocked
The OtterWay app comparing three walking routes to Three Snowhill: best all round 18 minutes, greenest 19 minutes and a quieter alternative 21 minutes, each with air and safety notes.
How it works

From front door to destination in four taps.Front door to destination in four taps.

Familiar map-app patterns, tuned for walkers. No route is perfect, so OtterWay shows you the trade-off and lets you choose.

  1. OtterWay home screen with a “Where to?” search bar, air quality near you and a tip from Scout.Step 1

    Tell Scout where to

    Tap “Where to?” and pick a place nearby. Scout plans the rest.

    Tap “Where to?” and pick a place nearby.

  2. Three routes to Three Snowhill compared, each with its time, air and safety notes.Step 2

    Pick your trade-off

    Best all round, greener or quicker. Every route shows its air and safety notes.

    Best all round, greener or quicker.

  3. Walking screen with a full-screen map, the next turn, Report and SOS buttons.Step 3

    Walk with a guide

    Full-screen map with your next turn, plus a quick way to report anything that feels off.

    Your next turn, plus a quick way to report anything off.

  4. After-walk screen asking how the walk felt, with leaves for air and shields for safety.Step 4

    Tell us how it felt

    Leaves for air, shields for safety. Every rating helps the next walker.

    Leaves for air, shields for safety.

Under the hood

Every walk makes the next one smarter.

OtterWay doesn’t just read a map. It learns how real walks feel, using machine learning to turn walker feedback, street lighting and air forecasts into better routes.

  1. The after-walk screen asking “How did it feel?”.

    1 · You walk

    Pick a route and go. At the end, tell us how it felt: leaves for air, shields for safety.

  2. A map with a street marked “Avoided after dark” and a “Calmer detour”.

    2 · Our models learn

    Our learning layer looks for patterns across every walk: streets people avoid after dark, detours that feel calmer, routes people come back to.

  3. A route card marked “Route score updated”.

    3 · Routes get smarter

    Scores update for everyone, so the next walker gets a better route. The more people walk, the sharper it gets, wherever you are.

Your location stays with us.

We use location from your walks for one thing: making OtterWay’s routes and safety models better. It’s used internally to train and improve our models, and it only leaves OtterWay, anonymised, if you say yes.

  • Only shared, anonymised, if you say yes
  • Advertisers never see who you are
  • Only collected on walks you start, or if you turn on walk detection
  • Delete your account and your walk history goes with it
Route priorities

Three ways to stroll. You pick the way.

Every walk gets a few options, each with a clear trade-off, so you can decide whether a couple of extra minutes is worth it today.

  • Safest

    Favours busier, better-lit streets and avoids spots other walkers have flagged.

  • Greener air

    Steers you off the busiest roads so you breathe less traffic on the way.

  • Fastest

    The quickest walk, with its air and safety notes shown so nothing is hidden.

Two phones at night: the lock screen showing “OtterWay is guiding your walk”, and the SOS screen with a hold-to-call 999 button that also emails your trusted contact your location.
Safety features

Prioritise safety. Especially at night.

After sunset OtterWay switches to night mode and leans harder on lit, busier streets. And you never have to walk alone.

  • Night mode, automatically

    Turns on after sunset and favours well-lit streets.

  • Someone knows

    Share your walk and arrival time with a trusted contact, with check-ins along the way.

  • Hold-to-call SOS

    A deliberate press and hold, so it never fires by accident.

Route scores are estimates to help you choose, not guarantees. If you’re in danger, call 999.

Free beta · iPhone and Android

Walk more. Unlock Scout. All free.

Join the beta and every walk unlocks something new for Scout. Every Pathfinder extra is free too, while we build OtterWay together.

  1. Join with your email
  2. Get your iPhone or Android link
  3. Walk and unlock

  • Compass

    Your first walk

    Day 1

  • Leaf scarf

    3-day streak

    Streak

  • Pumpkin lantern

    7-day streak in October

    Seasonal

  • Bonfire glow

    10 walks

    Milestone

  • Acorn beanie

    Bonus, bought with points

    Points

Pathfinder extras, free in the beta

  • No ads
  • Monthly pearls
  • Scout app icons
  • Trail Wrapped
Join the beta

Free on iPhone and Android. No card needed, leave any time.

A 3D illustration of Suraj, OtterWay’s founder, in a martial arts uniform standing next to Scout the otter in a green park.
Why I’m making OtterWay

Greener routes. Quieter streets. A safer way home.

I grew up in busy cities and recharge in nature. As a martial arts instructor I teach that most of staying safe is common sense. OtterWay puts that common sense in your pocket, so every walk feels a little calmer.

Suraj Soren

Founder of OtterWay

FAQ

Questions walkers ask.

How do I join the beta?

Tap Join the beta, leave your email and pick iPhone or Android. Confirm your email and we’ll send your invite link straight away: TestFlight on iPhone, Google Play on Android. It’s free, and you can leave any time.

Where does OtterWay work?

Anywhere in the UK. Maps and routes work across the country, and safety scores get sharper wherever more people walk and rate their routes.

Is the beta really free?

Yes. No card needed, and every Pathfinder extra is unlocked while the beta runs. Walking, routes, safety and SOS stay free for everyone, always. Nobody is charged unless they choose a plan after the beta, and anything you unlock stays yours.

What happens to my location?

We only use your precise location while you plan a walk or during a walk you started, and walk detection is off unless you turn it on. It’s used internally to improve OtterWay’s routes and safety models. It’s only shared beyond OtterWay, anonymised, if you agree, and advertisers never see who you are.

How does OtterWay know if a street feels safe?

From walkers. Every route is shaped by feedback from people who’ve walked it, plus which streets are well lit. The more people walk and rate routes, the better it gets for everyone.

Where does the air quality data come from?

Today we use forecast data, like a weather app does. We’re working towards plugging in city monitoring networks as we grow, so the picture gets sharper over time.

Can OtterWay help in an emergency?

OtterWay can share your walk with a trusted contact and has a hold-to-call SOS, but it doesn’t replace emergency services. If you’re in danger, call 999.

Stay in the loop

Come walk with us.

OtterWay is being built in the open. Follow along on the channel that suits you.

  • For businesses & partners

    OtterWay on LinkedIn

    Build updates, pilot news and partnership chats with councils, universities and local businesses.

    Follow on LinkedIn
  • For walkers

    OtterWay on Instagram

    Scout’s walking tips, new features first and the odd outfit reveal. Come say hi.

    Follow on Instagram

Join the free beta.

Get your invite link for iPhone or Android, try every Pathfinder extra free, and help shape the walking app you want. No card, no spam, leave any time.Get your invite link for iPhone or Android. Free, no card needed.