FAQ: Updates to Geocaching Premium for new subscribers

We have worked hard for the past 21 years to maintain our original Geocaching Premium pricing, despite significant cost increases. We are updating our pricing so that we can continue to deliver a high level of service to the global geocaching community, while also rewarding current Premium members for their ongoing loyalty and support.

We’ve compiled a list of questions and answers to help provide additional clarity on the upcoming changes.

When does the new pricing take effect?
The updated pricing for Geocaching Premium memberships applies to new subscriptions purchased after June 6, 2023. Existing Premium members are not affected.

What are the prices increasing to?
After June 6, 2023, a new annual Premium membership purchased in the U.S. will be $39.99 USD, and a new monthly Premium membership will be $6.99 USD. For countries on the Euro in the European Union, a new annual membership will be €39.99, and a new monthly membership will be €7.99. Depending on your local currency and taxes, prices may vary.

Basic membership will continue to be free.

I am a current Premium member. Will this change impact me?
As long as you are a Premium member on June 6, 2023 and remain a Premium member, you will not be affected by the price increase.

If your Premium membership lapses, there is a grace period of 30 days, during which you still will be eligible for legacy pricing.

Where can I see which membership plan I have?
If your subscription was purchased through our Geocaching® mobile app, view your membership through either the Apple App store or the Google Play store.

If your subscription was purchased through Geocaching.com, view membership from your Settings in the Account tab.

What is legacy pricing?
​​Legacy pricing is a membership price only offered to members with a Premium subscription in place as of June 6, 2023. Legacy pricing refers to the annual Premium membership prices in place on that date.

To maintain eligibility for legacy pricing, you must renew your subscription no more than 30 days after expiration. If you do not renew within that 30-day period, you will lose legacy pricing eligibility and your price for a subscription will be the current price at that time.

As an example, in the U.S. the legacy annual Premium membership is $29.99 USD and the legacy monthly Premium membership is $5.99 USD, not including taxes. Local legacy pricing varies depending on your local currency and taxes.

Will the price be different depending on my country’s currency?
Yes, new prices will vary depending on your local currency and taxes.

For European Union members, is VAT included in the Premium membership price?
Yes, the prices displayed include the Value Added Tax (VAT) that we pay to the tax authorities of other countries. VAT rates vary by country. However, for simplicity, our VAT inclusive monthly and annual Premium prices in Euros for European Union countries are the same, regardless of individual differences in VAT rates.

What if I have a trial membership code I haven’t redeemed yet or that ends after June 6, 2023?

If you received a trial membership with an expiration date of December 31, 2023, we will honor that membership. For more information about redeeming trial memberships, please see our Help Center.

If you wish to continue as a Premium member after your trial membership expires, you must buy a new Premium membership. You are eligible for legacy pricing if you purchase a new Premium membership for yourself within 30 days of the expiration of your trial membership.

What if I have a gift membership I haven’t redeemed yet?
We will honor free and paid gift membership codes regardless of the timing of the purchase and activation, so long as they have not expired (free gift membership codes generally expire at the end of each year).

If you wish to continue as a Premium member after your gift membership expires, you must buy a new Premium membership. You are eligible for legacy pricing if you have activated your gift membership and are a Premium member on June 6, 2023 or are within 30 days of the expiration of your Premium membership on that date.

How can I change from a monthly membership to annual?
If you purchased the membership through the Geocaching® app, you must first cancel the auto-renewal for the monthly membership through the Apple App store or Google Play. Then you can purchase a new annual Premium membership through the Geocaching® app by selecting the annual membership option.

If you purchased the membership on Geocaching.com, you can follow the directions listed in our Help Center.

When you switch from a monthly to an annual Premium membership, your new membership starts on the expiration date of the previous monthly membership. You retain the legacy pricing if you cancel and purchase an annual membership within 30 days of the previous expiration date.

What happens if I cancel the auto-renew on my Premium membership but want to retain Premium membership at the legacy price?
As long as you purchase a new Premium membership within 30 days of the expiration of your previous membership, you will receive legacy pricing. If there’s a long gap (30 days or more) between the expiration date and when you renew your membership, the legacy price will not be available.

How does this impact the experience on the Geocaching.com website?
All geocaches, except Premium-only caches, will continue to be available on Geocaching.com for all players for free, remaining the same since the website launched in September 2000.

Is legacy pricing guaranteed forever?
No, legacy pricing is not guaranteed forever. While we cannot promise legacy pricing will remain the same, we have no current plans for future price increases.

Please note: Charter member pricing will not increase in the future as part of a promise made when they first subscribed back in 2002.

Geocaching HQ is where the tools for your geocaching adventures are created and maintained. Founded in 2000, we are dedicated to inspiring and enabling adventure, exploration, and community through a unique combination of outdoor recreation and location-based technology.