InkpassHow to compare countries visited with a friend
To compare countries visited with a friend, agree on one country list and one set of rules, exchange your lists or map links, then count what you share, what only you have, and what only they have. A link-based tool does the matching for you without an account.
Coming soon to iPhone
What do I need to agree on first?
Agree on the list and the rules before you swap anything. If one of you counts territories and layovers and the other does not, the numbers cannot be compared, and the argument starts. Use the 195 countries of the UN list as a neutral base: 193 members and 2 observers (Wikipedia).
Then settle three things: layovers, territories and the four UK nations. Write them down in the chat. The counting rules page lists the same switches Inkpass offers, which makes a good checklist even if you use paper.
Agree on a cut-off date too. Maps age: a list from last winter misses the summer trip, and two lists made months apart can point to the wrong person as the one who is ahead. Write the date next to each list and the argument never starts.
What are the four ways to compare?
People search for this in several ways, and each method fits a different friendship. The cost is time, accuracy and privacy.
The spreadsheet method suits a friend who enjoys formulas. Build it in four moves:
- Paste the 195 countries into column A.
- Put a 1 in column B for each country you have visited and a 1 in column C for each country your friend has visited.
- In column D enter =B2*C2 and copy it down. The sum of column D is the number of countries you share.
- Your total is the sum of column B and theirs is the sum of column C. Subtract the shared number from each to get the countries only one of you has.
| Method | Effort | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Read each other's lists aloud | Low | Rough, easy to forget countries |
| Shared spreadsheet | Medium | Exact, but someone must build it |
| Screenshots of two maps | Low | Visual, no counted overlap |
| A link that matches the maps | Low | Exact overlap with numbers and a card |
How does the link method work?
In Inkpass you tap Send link in the Crew tab, and your friend opens it in their browser. They tap the countries they have visited and get a card with the overlap: countries in common, countries only they have, countries only you have, and the rarest stamp you share. They do not need an account or the app.
If your friend later installs Inkpass, they can continue in the app and their picks come along. If they already have it, the link opens the app, and you can save them to your Crew. The full flow is on the compare maps page.
- Open the Crew tab and tap Send link.
- Paste it into your chat, or add it as a Stories link sticker.
- Your friend taps their countries on the page.
- Read the overlap numbers together, or save the card.
Where does my data go when I send a link?
Into the link itself. The country list is encoded after the # character, called the URL fragment. The fragment is handled by the browser and is not sent to the server in an HTTP request (MDN: URL fragment). That is why the page can read the map without a server storing it.
Inkpass links hold the countries and an optional name of up to 16 characters. They do not hold years, notes, your Want to go list or your location. A Backup link is different and holds the whole album, so never post one in a chat.
A screenshot of a map is easy, but it shows everything in the frame: a name, a total, sometimes a date or a caption you forgot you typed. It also stays in the chat for good. A link that carries only a list of countries and a short name shows less.
Anyone who sees a link can read what is inside it. Share maps only with people you would show them to.
What questions does the overlap answer?
The first number is the obvious one: how many countries you share. The second and third are more interesting, because they show how each of you has traveled. Ten countries in common with 25 more on your side and 5 more on theirs describes a very different pair than ten in common and 4 apiece.
The gap by continent is the next layer. If your friend leads in Asia by six countries and you lead in Europe by four, you now have a trip plan and a debate. Good comparison tools show that gap per continent instead of a single score, which is how Inkpass words it: a friend is ahead in a continent by a number of countries.
A last useful output is the Want to go list. Inkpass lets you add a country from a friend's map to your own Want to go with one tap, so the comparison turns into a shortlist for the next trip.
Here is an invented pair, Lena and Omar, to show the arithmetic. Lena has been to 28 countries and Omar to 22. They share 14. From those three numbers you can derive everything else.
Lena leads by six in total, but the split by continent changes the story. Omar is ahead in Asia by four countries, and Lena leads Europe by seven. The total hides two different travelers, and the pair now has two obvious trips: Omar shows Lena his Asia list, and Lena returns the favor in Europe.
- Countries only Lena has: 28 minus 14 equals 14.
- Countries only Omar has: 22 minus 14 equals 8.
- Countries either of them has seen: 14 plus 14 plus 8 equals 36.
- Share of that combined list that both have visited: 14 of 36, about 39 percent.
| Lena | Omar | Shared | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 16 | 9 | 8 |
| Asia | 5 | 9 | 3 |
| Americas and rest | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 28 | 22 | 14 |
A total says who leads. The continent split says why.
How do I compare more than two people?
Use a crew. One person creates a crew link with a name, such as a trip group, and each member opens it, adds their stamps and re-sends the longer link to the same chat. The crew card shows the number of countries together, the countries everyone has, and the country only one person has been to.
A crew link holds up to 8 maps. A smaller group makes a better game, since eight maps on one card remain readable.
A crew works as a small game. Ask who has the most continents, who holds the rarest stamp, or which country every member has and nobody ever mentions. Keep the stakes light, since a total depends on money, work and visas as much as on enthusiasm.
What if the numbers do not match what we expected?
Check the rules first. A friend who counts layovers will have a longer list than you expect. Check the date next: a map sent last year does not include this summer. In Inkpass a friend's page shows the date of their map and an Ask for an update button that writes the message for you.
If one of you forgot a trip, fix the map and send a new link. Opening a newer link from the same person updates their entry in your Crew instead of making a duplicate.
Four mismatches cause nearly every disagreement:
- One list includes territories and the other does not.
- The maps were made in different months.
- A layover counts for one person and not for the other.
- The four UK nations are one country on one map and four on the other.
What counts as a fair result?
Compare by continent as well as by total. A friend with 40 countries who has covered five continents travels differently from one with 40 countries in Europe. Inkpass shows who is ahead in which continent and points to the rarest country you share.
Rarest is measured with World Bank data on international tourist arrivals, so it favors remote destinations. Treat it as a conversation starter. For a deeper look at totals, see how many countries have I visited.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare countries visited with a friend?
Agree on a country list and rules, then swap lists or map links. A link-based tool counts the overlap for you and needs no account.
Can a friend compare without installing an app?
Yes, with Inkpass links. They open the link in a browser, tap their countries and see the overlap card.
Is it safe to send my travel map in a link?
An Inkpass friend link holds only countries and an optional name, in the part of the address browsers never send to a server. Send it to people you trust.
How many people can compare maps at once?
An Inkpass crew link holds up to 8 maps. For larger groups, start a second crew.
Which list should we use to compare?
The 195 countries of the UN list, 193 members and 2 observers, make a neutral base. Add territories only if both of you agree.