Frequently asked questions
Packs and unlocks
Do purchased packs expire?
No. What you have bought in a pack stays yours, with no expiry date.
Can I return unused maps from a pack?
Yes. Within 14 days you can withdraw from any map you have not yet downloaded.
When does my right of withdrawal end?
For each map separately, and only when you download that map for the first time. Before that, you confirm this explicitly in the export dialog.
Does a higher tier also cover a lower one?
Yes. A map you have unlocked at a higher tier includes the lower ones: Print also includes Vector and Image. A private unlock, however, never covers commercial use.
Does a larger map cost more?
No. You pay for the function (image, vector or print PDF) and the use (private or commercial), not for the size. You can export an unlocked map in any size, as often as you like.
I need the print PDF after all. What now?
You can upgrade the map to a higher tier in the export dialog. You see the price there before you buy.
Is there a credit balance in euros?
No. You buy packs with several maps of one tier. Your account shows how many of them are left.
What counts as “one map”?
An unlock covers one map and its revisions. If it turns into a substantially different map, a new unlock is required. Corrections and design changes to the same trip or region are covered, as often as you like. For a different trip or region you need a new unlock.
Invoice and VAT
Who issues my invoice?
Polar is our reseller (Merchant of Record): you buy from Polar, Polar issues your invoice and pays the VAT. The invoice arrives by e-mail. You can also find it in the Polar customer portal, which you reach in the map studio under “Account & purchases”.
Do prices include VAT?
Yes. All prices are shown including VAT. Businesses with a valid VAT ID in the EU pay without VAT under the reverse charge procedure.
I am buying as a business with a VAT ID. Do I get an invoice without VAT?
Yes, if your VAT ID is valid in the EU. Polar then bills without VAT under the reverse charge procedure. To do so, tick “Purchase as a business” in the checkout and enter your VAT ID.
Account
Do I need a separate account for each .express product?
No. You sign in everywhere with the same .express login.
Do I have to sign in before I build a map?
No. You build your map first; you only need an account to save or buy. Until then, your draft stays in your browser.
What happens to an account I never use?
We automatically delete a personal space in which, 90 days after it was created, no map has ever been saved and nothing has been bought. Accounts with maps or purchases are not affected.
How do I delete my account?
Write to hello@maps.express. After your request, you can take the deletion back for 14 days; after that, we delete for good. Deletion applies to your .express account and therefore to all .express products. Paid maps from packs that you have not used yet lapse without a refund.
What happens to my purchases if I delete my account?
Your purchases remain as bookkeeping records because we have to keep them for tax reasons. We do, however, delete the link to you as a person: unlocks and consents no longer carry any personal reference afterwards. Your invoices remain in the Polar customer portal.
Download and print
What do I get for free?
A PNG at screen size with the “maps.express” notice, for private use.
Which print files are there?
With the “Commercial Print” tier you get PNG, SVG and a print PDF in CMYK with bleed. “Commercial Vector” includes SVG and PNG. The file is created on our server; this can take a moment.
Can I download a file again later?
Yes. You can export any unlocked map again from your account.
The colours look different in my PDF program.
Check the colours in the output preview of Adobe Acrobat. Apple Preview does not display CMYK files reliably.
Data sources and privacy
Where does the map data come from?
Depending on the map, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL licence, which is why the map carries a notice) and Natural Earth (public domain), among others. Every map carries its source attribution.
What are the export ID and the fingerprint for?
With the export ID you can find a specific file again, and we can trace when it was created if questions arise. The fingerprint describes only the map, not you. It contains no personal data.
What data does Polar receive?
From us, Polar receives only a pseudonymous identifier of your account. In the checkout, Polar as the reseller collects your e-mail address, your name and your billing address, plus the payment details and, for businesses, the company details. Polar is a US company; the transfer is safeguarded by EU standard contractual clauses, also for Switzerland.
Payment
How can I pay?
By card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and some local methods such as EPS or iDEAL/Wero. Purchase on invoice, SEPA direct debit, PayPal and TWINT are not available. Businesses that have to pay by invoice can write to us; this requires a contract.
Can I pay in Swiss francs?
Not at the moment. You pay in euros and your bank converts the amount. Swiss VAT is included in the price; Polar pays it as the reseller.
Polar refunded my purchase without me asking.
That can happen. Polar may refund on its own within 60 days to avoid disputes with the bank. The purchase is then treated as reversed: unused maps from the pack lapse, maps already unlocked remain. Get in touch with us if this was a mistake.
The terms and conditions are binding.