Comparison

Theodolite vs Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map

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

Head to head
About

Theodolite

This app combines a compass, inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, and map with augmented reality features. Capture photos and videos with overlaid geographical data, and navigate using detailed offline maps. Share locations and collaborate with others for various outdoor and professional uses.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality viewfinder
  • Compass and inclinometer
  • GPS and map navigation
  • Data-overlay photo/video camera
  • Offline map support
  • Rangefinder and nav calculator
  • Coordinate system support
Currently charting
Read full description

Theodolite is a multi-function viewfinder that combines a compass, two-axis inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, map, nav calculator, and geo-overlay photo/movie camera into one indispensable app. Theodolite was one of the very first augmented reality (AR) apps when it was released in 2009, and it’s been downloaded and used by millions of customers since then. Uses are endless, and the app is great for land measurements, outdoor sports, sightseeing, navigation, and finding your way around. Theodolite is a pro grade app and is used extensively by surveyors, geologists, architects, engineers, competitive sportsmen, first responders, military personnel, and search and rescue workers around the world. Theodolite lets you take data-overlay photos and movies with 2X-8X zoom. Overlay geographical data, angle markings, date/time, author/company info, and project notes directly on photos and movies for later reference. The same data is written into the metadata record of images, making image files self-contained data records. Third-party apps can tap into Theodolite's advanced camera functions with a camera sharing feature. View current position on the built-in map with optional offline Outdoors maps that include topo contours, roads, trails, landmarks, campgrounds, ski lifts, and more. Live map markers continually update distance/heading relative to the current location and also show wayfinding info in the main viewfinder. Draw polygons on the map to mark things like property boundaries and trails, and import/export polygon data via KML. Share map markers and nav calculator points with other users of Theodolite via text messages or e-mail. This powerful capability opens up a wide range of collaborative uses including team land surveying, accident investigations, spotting wild fires, triangulation of landmarks, and advanced tactical observation and targeting. With an optional in-app purchase to enable team tracking, you can share location with up to 20 people on Theodolite's map. Theodolite includes features for serious users like a reference angle mode, nav calculator, map marker import/export, manual and automatic data logging with CSV and KML export, clipboard integration, %grade display, mil compass readout, optical rangefinders (including a mil-based reticle, sniper-style stadiametric graphs, and a variable 4X-24X scope), and night filters to improve use in dark conditions. Theodolite can provide location in military grid reference system (MGRS) coordinates, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, British/Irish National Grids, US National Grid, Maidenhead locator system, Map Grid of Australia, and six latitude/longitude formats. Optional US State Plane coordinates include SPCS27 and SPCS83 zones covering all US States. The optional Datum Pack adds over 230 geodetic datums to the app to improve position computation from GPS data, covering regions and countries on all continents around the world. AR Layers include navigational aids like the sun, moon, planets, and Polaris (North star), and the optional US Mountain Summits layer that shows over 70,000 US mountain summits in the viewfinder. Theodolite has been shown in Apple Keynotes, featured on the App Store, and has been a #1 selling Navigation app in App Stores around the world. Since its introduction in 2009, Theodolite has defined augmented reality navigation. The app continually introduces new technologies, pushing the limits of iOS app development and taking advantage of new hardware capabilities. Find out why Apple named Theodolite one of the most amazing apps available and showed it being used to explore the Great Wall of China. Where will you take it on your next adventure? Note: Theodolite is an iPhone app -- see “Theodolite HD” for use on an iPad. And be sure to check out the all-new "Theodolite for Watch" and put Theodolite on your wrist!

About

Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map

Navigate Utah's Central Wasatch mountains with this app. It displays over 1,000 backcountry locations on a high-resolution topo map, shows your GPS location, and features a destination arrow on an integrated compass. Access detailed information and photos for hundreds of locations.

Highlights
  • 1,000+ backcountry locations index
  • High-resolution topo map
  • GPS location display
  • Integrated compass with destination arrow
  • Detailed location information (difficulty, climb, parking)
  • Send current location via email
Features
Currently charting
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The Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map is the iOS version of the popular paper map and website (visit WBSkiing.com). As with the other platforms, the iOS map includes an index to more than 1,000 backcountry locations in Utah's Central Wasatch mountains (i.e., the two Cottonwood Canyons and some surrounding areas). Visit https://wbskiing.com/coverage to see the terrain covered by this map. This is the must-have app for Utah hikers and backcountry travelers. You do not need cell service to use the map and its navigation features. Completely redesigned for modern iOS, the app now features a faster, cleaner interface that's easier to use on both iPhone and iPad. Using your device's GPS, the map displays your current location on a high-resolution topo map with contour lines and slope shading built from high-resolution LIDAR data, dramatically increasing the detail of the terrain and improving the accuracy of the 30-degree slope shading. With a single tap, you can access information on more than 200 of the backcountry locations on the Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Guide website including photographs, skiing difficulty, skinning distance, vertical climb, parking considerations, and more. (This information can be accessed without the app by visiting https://wbsguide.com. It's a free website I publish.) IMPORTANT: When navigating, the "destination arrow" points directly to the destination without regard to hazards such as avalanche paths, cliffs, and rock fall. It is your responsibility to travel in the backcountry safely.

Screenshots

Theodolite4 screens
Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map at none against Theodolite's 8. Theodolite's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 63%) and price ($8.99 vs $12.99). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence 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

Theodolite costs $8.99 and Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map $12.99 up front. Theodolite sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Theodolite against 4.7 for Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 906 and 510 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Theodolite's written reviews are positive against 63% of Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Theodolite versus Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTheodoliteWasatch Backcountry Skiing Map
Price$8.99 — better$12.99
Rating4.7 (906 ratings)4.7 (510 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.8% of reviews — better63.3% of reviews
Number of ratings906 — better510
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#8 — better#14
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB80 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCraig HunterIterum, LLC

Customer experience

Theodolite

All ratings902 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.9%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews476 reviews
Positive87.8%
Neutral4.8%
Negative7.4%

Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map

All ratings502 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative6.0%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive63.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative30.0%

Bugs and requests

Theodolite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crashes when opening (requires restart)
  • iPad version doesn't fill entire display properly

Requested features

11 requests
  • Expand coverage to northern Wasatch, Ogden area, and Utah County
  • Higher resolution contour detail data
  • Offline access to route guide and descriptions
  • Clickable map labels linked to route information
  • Visible skin track and descent line overlays
Show 6 more
  • Route difficulty and exposure ratings
  • Browsable route database instead of search-only
  • Auto-orient map to direction of travel
  • Full screen support for iPad and newer devices
  • Terrain overlay layers
  • Integration of route sketches and approach details

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Theodolite

One-time8
  • 1,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$0.99
  • Team Tracking$1.99
  • World Datum Pack$2.99
Show 5 more
  • US Mountain Summits AR Layer$2.99
  • 5,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$4.99
  • 10,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$8.99
  • 20,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$17.99
  • US State Plane Coordinates$24.99
None

Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Theodolite free?
Theodolite costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map free?
Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Theodolite or Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map?
Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map is rated higher. Theodolite averages 4.7 out of 5 from 906 ratings, while Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map averages 4.7 from 510 ratings.
Do Theodolite or Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map have ads?
Neither Theodolite nor Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Theodolite or Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map?
Theodolite ships an update every 4 months, and Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map every 4 months. Most recently, Theodolite was updated on November 1, 2026 and Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map on November 1, 2026.
Which is more popular, Theodolite or Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map?
Theodolite currently peaks at #8 in the App Store charts, and Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map at #14. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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