BackcountrySOS vs START On
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BackcountrySOS
This app helps you quickly send your location and status to emergency services if an accident occurs. It's designed for low power usage, high visibility in various lighting conditions, and requires no setup. It functions even with minimal cell signal, making it reliable in remote areas.
- Quick SOS messaging
- Low power GPS usage
- High contrast display
- No account setup required
- Works with minimal cell signal
- Private data storage
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Even with the best preparation, skills and behavior, sometimes accidents happen. If they do, BackcountrySOS is a simple-to-use smartphone app that allows you to quickly get your status and location information to emergency personnel. • Low power. It will only use your phone's GPS for the brief period where it fetches your location. • High contrast. The app is easy to read in bright sunlight, and won't kill your vision at night. • No setup. You don't need to setup an account or login. If it's on your phone, the app is ready to use when you need it. • Data efficient. The app works as long as you have enough signal to squeeze out a text message. It will work in places where you can't get data access or make a voice call. • Private. Information about you is stored only on your device, not on a central server. You control what information is sent when sending an SOS message. The app works wherever text-to-911 service is available. Almost 1,500 counties support text-to-911 with more added each month. Additionally, a growing list of first-responders specifically monitor for BackcountrySOS communication. If you'd like your search-and-rescue region added to the app, please contact us. Free access to the BackcountrySOS app is made possible by the generous support of the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation as part of their BackcountyZero project. If you find the app helpful and wish to support its continued development, please consider making a donation.
START On
Request on-demand rides within a specific service area with ease. This complimentary service connects you from point A to point B quickly and conveniently through a mobile application.
- On-demand ride requests
- Point-to-point transportation
- Complimentary service
- Easy app booking
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START On-Demand is a free, on-demand ride service that gets you from point A to point B with the tap of a button! Download the app to request on-demand rides within the Jackson service area.
Screenshots
Verdict
BackcountrySOS and START On both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 72% of START On's written reviews are positive against 43% of BackcountrySOS's. START On also leads on ratings volume (106 vs 19). BackcountrySOS's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 22 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
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 — 4.6 for BackcountrySOS against 4.6 for START On. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: START On has 106 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of BackcountrySOS's written reviews are positive against 72% of START On's.
BackcountrySOS ships an update every 5 months, START On every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BackcountrySOS | START On |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (19 ratings) | 4.6 (106 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 72.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 19 | 106 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months — better | Every 22 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 134 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation Inc | Via Transportation, Inc. |
Customer experience
BackcountrySOS
START On
In-app purchases
BackcountrySOS
No in-app purchases
START On
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BackcountrySOS free?
Is START On free?
Which has better reviews, BackcountrySOS or START On?
Do BackcountrySOS or START On have ads?
Which is updated more often, BackcountrySOS or START On?
Other comparisons
