Comparison

Texas State Parks Guide vs Visit Big Bend!

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Texas State Parks Guide

Discover and plan your next adventure at any of the 89 Texas State Parks. Filter parks by activities, accommodations, amenities, or trail types. Access detailed park information, photos, videos, and event schedules.

Highlights
  • Park search and filtering
  • Activity and accommodation filters
  • Park information and media
  • Favorite parks list
  • In-app dialing for reservations
  • Driving directions and park maps
  • Downloadable trail maps
Features
Read full description

Find your perfect state park getaway with the Official Guide to Texas State Parks created by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This guide contains information you need to plan your next trip to one of 89 Texas State Parks around the state. Search for your perfect park. Filter by: − Activities such as swimming, fishing, or canoe/kayak rentals − Overnight accommodations like cabins, lodges, group facilities, screened shelters, RV hookups, primitive/backpacking sites, or tent camping sites − Amenities including boat ramps, playgrounds, trailer dump stations , equestrian facilities or showers − Trail types – hiking, biking, equestrian or nature/interpretive − Or, use the in-app map to locate parks near you* Discover more about the parks that interest you: − Create a list of your favorite parks − Find in-depth information on each park, including: things to do, contact information, fees, operating hours, etc. − Look at photos and videos Then, make your getaway to a Texas State Park! It’s easy with: − In-app dialing to the state park reservation call center and to each individual park − Driving directions from your current location* − Detailed facility maps for each park − Trails maps available to download and save to use later* − Information on park programs and events happening during your visit − Up-to-date alerts such as burn bans and other park advisories* *These features require Internet connection

About

Visit Big Bend!

Discover attractions, accommodations, dining, and shopping in Big Bend and Brewster County. Plan your perfect day based on your interests, timeframe, and location, and share your custom itinerary with friends.

Highlights
  • Personalized day experiences
  • Real-time event feed
  • Upcoming event listings
  • Customizable itinerary planning
  • Social sharing of plans
Features
Read full description

The Visit Big Bend! app will help you discover all the places you can explore, stay, dine, shop and meet in Big Bend! • Experience the perfect day based on your interests, timeframe, and location • Browse the feed of what's happening now • View upcoming events near you • Add events and places to your own customized plan • Share events, places, and your custom plan with friends

Screenshots

Texas State Parks Guide4 screens
Visit Big Bend!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Visit Big Bend! at 4.8 against Texas State Parks Guide's 2.4. Visit Big Bend! also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 9 months). Texas State Parks Guide's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Visit Big Bend! holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 599 and 324 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 24% and 25% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Texas State Parks Guide ships an update every 9 months, Visit Big Bend! every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Texas State Parks Guide versus Visit Big Bend!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTexas State Parks GuideVisit Big Bend!
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.4 (599 ratings)4.8 (324 ratings) — better
Positive reviews24.2% of reviews25.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings599 — better324
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size114 MB79 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTexas Parks & WildlifeBrewster County Tourism Council & Visit Big Bend

Customer experience

Texas State Parks Guide

All ratings593 ratings
Positive26.3%
Neutral10.6%
Negative63.1%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive24.2%
Neutral14.2%
Negative61.7%

Visit Big Bend!

All ratings311 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral3.5%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Texas State Parks Guide

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Maps and guides fail to download
  • Search function not working properly
  • Inconsistent park information

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to view and manage reservations
  • Option to save park pass information
  • Interactive park maps with trail info
  • Personalized park recommendations

Visit Big Bend!

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Texas State Parks Guide

No in-app purchases

None

Visit Big Bend!

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Texas State Parks Guide free?
Texas State Parks Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Visit Big Bend! free?
Visit Big Bend! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Texas State Parks Guide or Visit Big Bend!?
Visit Big Bend! is rated higher. Texas State Parks Guide averages 2.4 out of 5 from 599 ratings, while Visit Big Bend! averages 4.8 from 324 ratings.
Do Texas State Parks Guide or Visit Big Bend! have ads?
Neither Texas State Parks Guide nor Visit Big Bend! shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Texas State Parks Guide or Visit Big Bend!?
Texas State Parks Guide ships an update every 9 months, and Visit Big Bend! every 4 months. Most recently, Texas State Parks Guide was updated on November 2, 2026 and Visit Big Bend! on November 2, 2026.

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