Comparison

Topo Guru vs ARVA

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

Head to head
About

Topo Guru

This app digitizes climbing guidebooks, offering detailed crag information, GPS navigation, and a climbing log. It helps locate climbing spots, provides route details, and includes a grade converter. Most content requires a subscription.

Highlights
  • Digital climbing guidebooks
  • GPS navigation and compass
  • Detailed crag information
  • Climbing route log
  • Climbing grade converter
  • Map and country list browsing
Features
Read full description

Do you remember the familiar feeling when you have been trying in vain to find a block or a multi-pitch start for 20 minutes? This is the thing of the past! Carrying heavy guide books is the thing of past, now you have all of those in your pocket. Navigation is no longer a challenge, Topo Guru helps you to find your destination with its integrated compass and distance functions. Topos At Topo Guru we make sure to have the best quality full coverage crags in our database from our local partners. Our database contains excellent quality photos of boulders and walls, all photos have their own GPS coordinates. Approaching climbing places has never been as trouble-free before! You can browse through available crags either from by map view or from a comprehensive country list. Navigation Finding your climbing rocks from your wish list is also easy with Topo Guru. Our partners and crag-masters save the GPS coordinates for each photo and we can show you detailed information. Use our in-app compass to find your way through blocks and to see the distance from your destination. Topo Guru provides “How to get there” information and helps you find the best parking spots by GPS. Crag Info The crag database contains useful particulars such as: rock and climbing type, season, how to get there, recommended accommodation for climbers, food and rest day activities, etc. Climbing log You can easily save your climbing log after you finished the route and retrieve it any time. Climbing grade converter You never know which scale they use at your next climbing trip. Try our grade converter and switch scales back and forth, any time you want. Subscriptions Besides free features, most of the climbing topos are available only with paid subscription. You can unlock all content (including all topos) with an auto-renewable subscription. Monthly, quarterly and yearly subscriptions are available. The payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. For more information please check our In-App purchase products and the Terms and Conditions. Privacy Policy: https://www.topoguru.com/en/privacy/

About

ARVA

Access avalanche risk bulletins for various European and American regions. Configure your ARVA NEO BT PRO device, perform diagnostics, and engage in training modules for avalanche safety and search procedures. Includes a trip preparation checklist.

Highlights
  • Avalanche risk bulletins
  • NEO BT PRO device configuration
  • Transceiver diagnostics
  • Snow Safety Program training
  • Group Check procedure guide
  • Search training simulations
  • Trip preparation checklist
Features
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**** Avalanche Risk Bulletins **** To help you plan your itinerary, you can find the Avalanche Bulletins for your favorite American, French, Swiss, Austrian and Italian regions. These are updated as soon as they are published. Find the widgets so the Avalanche Bulletins show up on the home page of your smartphone. **** NEO BT PRO **** The ARVA app has been designed as a support tool for our NEO BT PRO, as it allows users to configure their device. The tool has various options, such as fine search distance, Standby mode time or an alarm to tell you your device has been on for too long. You can also choose between digital or analog sound when in digital mode. **** Update and diagnostics**** Carry out maintenance of your transceiver directly in the app via Bluetooth. **** Training**** The ARVA app also has a training function, as it includes our Snow Safety Program. You can use the app to open or revise basic theory on avalanche safety. **** Group Check**** The “Group Check” section helps you understand and, more importantly, master the Group Check procedure. You will find a detailed users’ guide in the app. **** Search training**** Use our “SEARCH” section to practice searching for burials. You can do this while connected, thanks to the NEO BT PRO and fleet management, or more simply using any other device. You can perform search training with single burials or multiple burial situations. This program provides very realistic training. **** Preparing for a trip **** The app has a “Trip” tab which includes a checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything when preparing for your trip. The checklist is comprehensive, from a review of your itinerary to the food you will need. Find other features in our ARVA app.

Screenshots

Topo Guru4 screens
ARVA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ARVA at 5.0 against Topo Guru's 3.0. ARVA also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (57% vs 30%). Topo Guru's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Topo Guru sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. ARVA asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ARVA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Topo Guru's written reviews are positive against 57% of ARVA's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Topo Guru ships an update monthly, ARVA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Topo Guru versus ARVA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTopo GuruARVA
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.0% of reviews57.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.6 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB405 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTopo Guru Beteti TarsasagNIC IMPEX SA

Customer experience

Topo Guru

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative60.0%

ARVA

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Topo Guru

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly subscription$6.991 Month
  • 3 Months subscription$10.993 Months
  • Yearly subscription$17.991 Year
None

ARVA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Topo Guru free?
Topo Guru is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ARVA free?
ARVA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Topo Guru or ARVA?
ARVA is rated higher. Topo Guru averages 3.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ARVA averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Topo Guru or ARVA have ads?
ARVA shows ads; Topo Guru does not.
Which is updated more often, Topo Guru or ARVA?
Topo Guru ships an update monthly, and ARVA every 2 months. Most recently, Topo Guru was updated on October 24, 2026 and ARVA on October 17, 2026.

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