# Avalanche Forecasts vs CAIC

The clearest difference is rating: Avalanche Forecasts at 4.7 against CAIC's 4.3. Avalanche Forecasts also leads on ratings volume (402 vs 15). CAIC's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Avalanche Forecasts holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Avalanche Forecasts has 402 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Avalanche Forecasts's written reviews are positive against 70% of CAIC's.

Avalanche Forecasts ships an update every 8 months, CAIC every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on July 10, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Avalanche Forecasts | CAIC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (402 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avalanche-forecasts/id501231389/reviews)** | [4.3 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caic/id956986311/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **402** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **75.7% of reviews** | 70.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 38 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sierra Avalanche Center](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651253835) | [FRIENDS OF COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER](https://appshunter.io/developer/956986310) |

## What reviewers say

### Avalanche Forecasts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avalanche-forecasts/id501231389)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy-to-use interface and navigation
- 🗺️ Consolidated map view of multiple avalanche regions
- ⚡ Quick access to critical avalanche forecasts
- 🆓 Free app with valuable safety information
- 📱 Simple and intuitive design for on-the-go access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🐛 Color coding not displaying correctly (especially Washington state)
- 🐛 Offline cache feature not working for certain regions
- 🐛 Regional data not populating even when connected to internet
- 🔄 App not updating forecasts from certain centers (NWAC)

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- iPad Pro screen size optimization
- Trip planning tools
- Slope evaluation features
- Checklists for backcountry planning
- Inclinometer tool


### CAIC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caic/id956986311)

Access up-to-date avalanche forecasts for Colorado's mountains. View summaries, discussions, current problems, and mountain weather. Submit observations directly to the center from your device.

**Highlights:** Up-to-date avalanche forecasts, Forecast summary and discussion, Current avalanche problems, Mountain weather forecast, Submit observations, Colorado-specific forecasts

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Avalanche Forecasts free?

Avalanche Forecasts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CAIC free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Avalanche Forecasts or CAIC?

Avalanche Forecasts is rated higher. Avalanche Forecasts averages 4.7 out of 5 from 402 ratings, while CAIC averages 4.3 from 15 ratings.

### Do Avalanche Forecasts or CAIC have ads?

Neither Avalanche Forecasts nor CAIC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Avalanche Forecasts or CAIC?

Avalanche Forecasts ships an update every 8 months, and CAIC every 6 months. Most recently, Avalanche Forecasts was updated on July 10, 2026 and CAIC on September 16, 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.*