Avalanche Forecasts vs Avycast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Avalanche Forecasts
Access real-time avalanche danger levels across North America with this app. View color-coded danger levels on a map for your chosen timeframe and explore detailed forecasts from over 20 forecasting centers. Stay informed about conditions wherever your adventures take you.
- Real-time avalanche danger levels
- Map view with color-coded danger levels
- Selectable timeframes (Today, Tomorrow, 2 Days Out)
- Detailed forecasts from over 20 centers
- Support for NWAC, CAIC, UAC, and more
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Get real-time updates on avalanche danger levels with Avalanche Forecasts. Our app makes it easy to see current danger levels at-a-glance for every forecast center in North America. Simply select your desired timeframe (Today/Tomorrow/2 Days Out) and view color-coded danger levels on the map. Click on any region to view the detailed avalanche forecast from the source forecasting center. With support for forecasts from over 20 centers, including NWAC (Northwest US), CAIC (Colorado), UAC (Utah), SAC (Central Sierras), ESAC (Eastern Sierras), MSAC (Mount Shasta), BAC (Bridgeport, CA), BTAC (Jackson Hole), GNFAC (Bozeman), WCMAC (Missoula), FAC (Kalispell/Whitefish), SNFAC (Sun Valley), IPAC (Idaho Panhandle), PAC (McCall), MWAC (Mount Washington), KPAC (Flagstaff), TAC (Taos), WAC (NE Oregon), CNFAIC (Chugach), JAC (Juneau), AAC (Anchorage), HAIC (Haines), VAC (Valdez), Cordova, HPAC (Hatcher Pass), Avalanche Canada, Parks Canada, WhistlerBlackcomb, VIAC (Vancouver Island), and Avalanche Quebec (Chic Chocs) forecasting centers, you can stay informed no matter where you are. For feature suggestions, bug reports, or other feedback, please contact us at project-development@sierraavalanchecenter.org.
Avycast
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Avycast brings together the official avalanche bulletins of around 30 warning services in 21 countries across four continents, presented in a single, consistent interface and translated into 12 languages. Built for backcountry skiers, splitboarders, alpinists, ski tourers, and mountain guides who plan trips across borders — from the Alps to the Southern Alps, from Hokkaido to the Rockies. KEY FEATURES • Daily bulletins from official warning services — EAWS member services, SAIS (Scotland), Avalanche Canada, US avalanche centers, JAN (Japan Avalanche Network), Niseko Avalanche Institute, NZAA (New Zealand), Avalanchas.com.ar (Argentina), and Gudauri (Georgia) • 12 languages — English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech, Romanian, Russian, Georgian • Danger rating by elevation band — Alpine, Treeline, Below Treeline • Active avalanche problems with size, frequency, and stability details • The full forecast text from the issuing service — highlights, avalanche activity, and snowpack analysis • Slope Risk Evaluator — combines the current danger rating with terrain exposure class (ATES) to suggest whether a planned tour is "Normal Caution", "Extra Caution", or "Not Recommended", based on published avalanche research (NAPADS, CMAH) • Favorites — save the regions you travel in for one-tap access • Original bulletin viewer — read the source bulletin in its native format at any time • Location-based — automatically finds the nearest region with an active bulletin • Faithful to the source — we never rewrite or "improve" danger ratings, and the translation follows the forecaster's own words instead of summarizing them COVERAGE (21 COUNTRIES) Europe — Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany (Bavaria), Slovenia, Spain (including the Catalan Pyrenees), Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Great Britain (Scottish Highlands) Caucasus — Georgia (Gudauri) Asia — Japan (JAN regions and Niseko) North America — Canada, United States South America — Argentina (Bariloche, El Chaltén, San Martín de los Andes) Oceania — New Zealand (13 NZAA regions) More regions are added regularly. Every region also has a free forecast page on the web at avycast.app — one page per region, no account needed. DATA SOURCES All bulletins are fetched directly from the issuing avalanche warning service. Translations are generated automatically for your convenience — for critical decisions, always consult the original source bulletin (accessible via the "View original" button on every screen). IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE This app provides decision support based on published avalanche research. It is NOT a substitute for professional judgment, formal avalanche education, or local expertise. Always: — Read the original bulletin — Travel with trained partners — Carry a transceiver, shovel, and probe — Know how to use them Avalanche terrain is inherently hazardous. No app, bulletin, or tool can make it safe — only you can make informed decisions. SUBSCRIPTION Free: the full bulletin for your region, with one region change per day. Premium: unlimited region switching and favorites — monthly or annual, with the annual plan costing less than twelve monthly ones and its first 7 days free. Auto-renewing, cancel anytime in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Prices are localized per region and shown in the App Store before you subscribe. ——— Terms of Use (EULA): https://avycast.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://avycast.app/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Avalanche Forecasts at none against Avycast's 2. Avycast's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Avycast sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Avalanche Forecasts asks for nothing beyond the download.
Avalanche Forecasts ships an update every 8 months, Avycast weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Avalanche Forecasts | Avycast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (403 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 403 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sierra Avalanche Center | Mikhail Konkov |
Bugs and requests
Avalanche Forecasts
Reported bugs
12 issues- App crashes at startup
- Color coding displays as gray for entire regions
- Offline cache not functioning for NWAC zones
- Mt Hood zone not populating data
- Clicking on regions shows all state forecasts instead of specific region
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- 404 errors when clicking on certain zones
- Event map photos not displaying or appearing extremely small
- Requires phone to be turned sideways to view properly
- Clicking zone options produces no response
- Detailed info screens cannot be scrolled
- App formatting suddenly messes up and jumps around
- App hangs and becomes unresponsive
Requested features
10 requests- iPad Pro screen size optimization
- Trip planning tools
- Slope evaluation features
- Checklists for backcountry planning
- Inclinometer tool
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- Restore weather stations and report pins from old version
- Smaller scale region selection
- Support for additional avalanche centers (e.g., CBAC for Crested Butte)
- Event map photo viewing improvements
- Landscape mode support
Avycast
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Avalanche Forecasts
No in-app purchases
Avycast
- Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
- Premium Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
Questions
Is Avalanche Forecasts free?
Is Avycast free?
Do Avalanche Forecasts or Avycast have ads?
Which is updated more often, Avalanche Forecasts or Avycast?
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