Built for the worst possible signal.
Festivals push cell networks past their limits. We organized every feature by what actually works when 80,000 people are in the same field.
Up and running in under 2 minutes
No complex setup. Just grab your crew and go.
Create Your Profile
Sign in with Apple or Google. Set your display name and photo — your crew will recognize you on the map.
Make a Group
Create a crew for your festival group. Share the invite code — everyone who joins can see each other live.
Cache the Map
Before you leave home, download the festival area map. It saves offline so you still have it when cell dies.
Drop Pins
Save your campsite, car, water station, and meeting spots with custom labels and photos.
Never Lose Anyone
Live compass, real-time map, GPS pin navigation, and the panic button. Your crew is always one tap away.
Two tiers of alerts.
One tap away.
Help should always be reachable, even when you're deep in a crowd with no signal.
Friend Alert
Something feels off but you're okay — send a quiet alert to your crew only. Your group gets your precise location and a notification to check in. Perfect for "I'm lost, where are you?" moments or when you need someone to come find you.
Crew Only · PrivateEmergency Alert
When it's serious, the Emergency Alert broadcasts to ALL nearby VibeGuide users within range — not just your friends. Location updates accelerate and the satellite SOS fallback fires. You won't be alone.
Broadcast · All Nearby UsersOrganized by what actually works at a festival
Cell towers get crushed at big events. We sorted every feature by what you can actually rely on when 80,000 people are in the same field.
Compass to Saved Pins
Drop pins for your campsite, car, water station, and meeting spots before the event. The compass always points to your saved locations using GPS — no signal needed, ever.
GPS Only · Always Works
Saved Spots with Photos
Save named locations with photos so your whole crew can find them. Your campsite pin works fully offline — GPS coordinates stored locally, no cell service required.
Offline · GPS PoweredOffline Venue Maps
Cache the full festival grounds map before you arrive. Stages, exits, medical tents, water stations — all visible on the dark neon map even when towers are down.
Pre-cached · MapboxStage Schedules (Cached)
Browse the full festival lineup and build your personal schedule. Tap the dot next to any set to get an alert. Cached locally — alerts fire even without cell service on the day.
Pro Feature · Cached OfflineSatellite SOS Fallback
When emergency mode activates, VibeGuide triggers a satellite SOS broadcast as a last resort — completely independent of cell towers or internet.
Emergency · Always OnLive Friend Location Sharing
Real-time location updates for your crew on a shared map. When signal is available, you'll see exactly where everyone is. Last-known positions cache for GPS compass fallback when signal drops.
Requires Cell DataGroup Chats & DMs
Crew chats per event and direct messages with friends. Messages queue locally and sync when signal returns — nothing is lost even if you're in a dead zone for hours.
Requires Cell DataPublic Festival Channels
Festival-wide community channels where all VibeGuide users at the event can post. Great for meetups, lost items, and real-time crowd info — when signal cooperates.
Requires Cell DataPush Notifications
Get notified when friends send alerts, when your set time is approaching, or when crew members go offline. Notifications require an active connection to come through in real time.
Requires Cell DataVibe Check Heatmap
See stage energy ratings posted by nearby users. Sync when you have signal — find out if a stage is packed, moshy, or chill before you walk over.
Requires Cell DataLooking for the device-only features (BLE mesh, LED compass, OLED themes)? See the devices page.
Works when the towers don't.
Festivals push cell networks past their limits. VibeGuide was designed from the ground up for the worst possible signal conditions — GPS navigation and cached maps work no matter what.
Built different. By design.
Festival crew-finding hardware compared head-to-head — real specs, real prices, real competitors.
← Swipe to compare →
| Feature |
VibeGuide
Best Pick
|
Totem Compass $99 · totemlabs.com | Crowd Compass $199.99 · crowdcompass.io | Buddycompass €129.99 (~$140) · buddycompass.shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | $24.99–$199 | $99 | $199.99 | €129.99 |
| Device options | 5 tiers | 1 device | 1 device | 1 device |
| GNSS / GPS | ✓ All tiers (Pulse+) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ 1m precision |
| Range | Up to 3 mi + BLE mesh | ~½ mile | 3 mi (LoRa) | ~2 mi |
| LED compass ring | ✓ All tiers | ✓ | ✓ + scroll text | ✓ + clock |
| Mesh networking | BLE + LoRa dual | Unity Mesh (BLE) | LoRa only | Sub-GHz only |
| Messaging | ✓ Beacon+ keyboard | ✕ | ✓ scroll text | ✕ |
| Speakers / audio | ✓ VG + VG Pro | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Laser show | ✓ VG Pro only | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Touch screen | ✓ VG + VG Pro | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Companion app | ✓ Works without HW | ✕ HW-only | ✓ | ✕ HW-only |
| Max friends | Unlimited | 6–8 | Unlimited | 8 |
| Battery life | 24–72h + solar | 6–8h | 24h (AA) | 5 days |
| Solar charging | ✓ VG + VG Pro | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| NFC tap-to-pair | ✓ All tiers | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Community map pins | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Snap-on skins | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Crew packs | Up to 30% off | ✕ | Bulk pricing | 4-pack €199.99 |
| Availability | Kickstarter / pre-order | Shipping now | Backorder May 25, 2026 | Pre-order Summer '26 |
Hardware + app + community — in one platform
Totem ships now at $99 — but caps you at 6-8 friends, has no app fallback, and only goes ½ mile. Crowd Compass costs $199.99 with 3-mile LoRa and a companion app but no audio, no skins, no community pins. Buddycompass has the longest battery (5 days) and is German-made, but it's hardware-only with no companion app. Only VibeGuide combines BLE+LoRa dual mesh, community pin mapping, speakers (VG/VG Pro), laser shows (VG Pro), NFC tap-to-pair, and emergency broadcast — starting at just $24.99.
Be first on the floor.
VibeGuide is launching ahead of summer festival season. Get early access + founding member pricing — including first dibs on the hardware device when it ships.
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