Answers, in plain English.
Common questions about getting started, pricing, privacy, and what's on the roadmap.
Still stuck? Email contact@byway.world and a human will get back to you.
Getting started
What exactly is Byway?
Byway is the discovery engine for the real world — scenic driving first. You give it a destination — or just a region and a vibe — and it builds a drive-worthy route from verified places, weather-aware, time-of-day aware, tuned to your taste.
Do I need a car?
Byway is optimized for road trips and driving holidays, but routes work for walking and cycling too. On the web, every route opens in Google Maps for the turns; in the iPhone app, Byway's own turn-by-turn drives it. Narration plays whenever you're moving.
When can I try it?
Now — the web app is live in private beta, free, no card, and the iPhone app is live on the App Store. Join the private beta and we'll email your invite when a spot opens. Android lands Q4 2026. Founding members get access for life.
Plans & pricing
What's the difference between tiers?
Everything is free while we're in private beta. At launch: Explorer stays free — AI scenic route generation, weather-aware rerouting, and companion mode with Google Maps. Voyager ($9.99/mo) adds unlimited scenic routes, full offline regions (v1.5), AI narration, and priority on community byways. Duo ($14.99/mo) adds shared planning for two travelers and Expedition ($29.99/mo) covers up to six — both follow after launch. Publishing a free or paid Byway does not require a traveler plan. Submission requires an invitation or approved application; publication requires review of the exact route and active creator access. Creators keep 70% when paid sales open. Paid sales and creator payouts are not open yet.
What is Founding Member?
A one-time $199 payment for lifetime Voyager-tier access plus a founding-member badge on every itinerary you publish. Limited to the first 1,000 members.
Privacy & data
Is my journey data private?
Yes. Every journey is private by default and only shared when you explicitly publish or send it. We never sell data, ever.
Can I export everything?
Yes. One-click export of your full archive — photos, notes, transcripts, metadata — in a portable zip. No lock-in.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. Account deletion removes every trace within 30 days, with one exception for anonymized analytics we've already aggregated.
Apps & devices
Which platforms do you support?
The web app and the iPhone app are live today; Android lands Q4 2026. One account, same journeys, everywhere.
Does Byway work offline?
Partly, today. A drive you have saved keeps working without signal in the iPhone app — its route and map stay on the phone. Full offline regions, with stories and guidance for the roads where signal dies, arrive with v1.5. Planning a new route still needs a connection.
CarPlay and Android Auto?
Not yet. Byway's own turn-by-turn and narration are live in the iPhone app today, and Android arrives Q4 2026. CarPlay and Android Auto ship when Apple and Google clear them, not before — no date we can't keep. On the web, Byway runs beside your Maps app, and every route opens there with one tap.
Creators & marketplace
Who can publish byways?
An invitation or approved application gives you access to submit a Byway for review in Guide Studio. Publishing a free or paid Byway does not require a traveler plan. After the exact version is approved, you choose when to publish; active creator access is required. Paid publication also requires seller readiness and an open sales program. Paid sales and creator payouts are not open yet.
How do creators earn?
Creators set a price or leave a byway free. Creator payouts arrive with v2 in 2027: creators keep 70% (a 70/30 split), Byway takes the rest.
Can I publish narrations?
Not yet — human and local narrators are on the roadmap. Narration is a feature inside a Byway. Today every stop is narrated by Byway's AI voices, from verified facts only.
Coverage & languages
Where does Byway work?
Routing works globally from day one. Narration content launches in the U.S. and EU road-trip corridors first, with more regions added on a rolling basis.
What languages are supported?
English today. More languages follow after launch — no list we can't keep.
Can I pick a different narrator voice?
Yes. Four voices to choose from today — Storyteller, Historian, Naturalist, Local. Human and local narrators come next.
Still stuck? Email contact@byway.world and a human will get back to you.