# Empire Express vs Ski YC

Empire Express and Ski YC both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 82% of Ski YC's written reviews are positive against 33% of Empire Express's. Ski YC also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 22 months) and ratings volume (276 vs 41). Empire Express's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Empire Express against 4.7 for Ski YC. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ski YC has 276 ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Empire Express's written reviews are positive against 82% of Ski YC's.

Empire Express ships an update every 22 months, Ski YC every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Empire Express | Ski YC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empire-express/id1322527679/reviews) | **[4.7 (276 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ski-yc/id1441892088/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **276** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **81.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 41 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Downtowner App, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/935767678) | [Resorts Tapped LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/306904495) |

## What reviewers say

### Empire Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empire-express/id1322527679)

This app provides on-demand rides for authorized users and their guests. It is exclusively for Empire Pass owners, ensuring a secure and convenient transportation service. Request a ride easily through the application.

**Highlights:** On-demand ride requests, Guest ride access, Exclusive service for Empire Pass owners, Secure transportation

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ski YC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ski-yc/id1441892088)

Navigate Yellowstone Club with an official guide. View trail status, share your location with friends, and record your runs with detailed stats. Access real-time mountain information, lift status, and a directory of club amenities.

**Highlights:** Interactive trail map with run status, Friend location sharing, Run recording and logging (vertical, distance), Real-time snow conditions and weather, Lift status updates, Club directory and event calendar

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Empire Express free?

Empire Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ski YC free?

Ski YC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Empire Express or Ski YC?

Ski YC is rated higher. Empire Express averages 4.5 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Ski YC averages 4.7 from 276 ratings.

### Do Empire Express or Ski YC have ads?

Neither Empire Express nor Ski YC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Empire Express or Ski YC?

Empire Express ships an update every 22 months, and Ski YC every 3 weeks. Most recently, Empire Express was updated on November 2, 2026 and Ski YC on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*