# rakkup vs Vertical

The clearest difference is ads: rakkup at none against Vertical's shown. rakkup also leads on review sentiment (54% vs 23%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Vertical's advantage is rating (2.7 vs 2.2) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. rakkup sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Vertical sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Vertical holds the better App Store score, 2.7 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 47 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 54% of rakkup's written reviews are positive against 23% of Vertical's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

rakkup ships an update every 2 months, Vertical every 8 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | rakkup | Vertical |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rakkup/id519148082/reviews) | **[2.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vertical-life-climbing/id710386774/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25 | **47** |
| Positive reviews | **53.9% of reviews** | 23.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 86 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Outdoor Geeks, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/519148085) | [Vertical-Life srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/694612751) |

## What reviewers say

### rakkup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rakkup/id519148082)

Access a vast library of climbing and backcountry skiing guidebooks on your mobile device, even without an internet connection. Navigate trails to your destination with turn-by-turn directions and detailed maps. Explore climbs and descents with rich visuals and discover new routes.

**Highlights:** Offline guidebook access, Turn-by-turn trail navigation, GPS-enabled route finding, Map and list browsing, Search and filter capabilities, Color photos and topo drawings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Elizabeth Furnace | $2.99 | one-time |
| Long Branch and Guide Walls | $3.99 | one-time |
| Reed's Creek | $4.99 | one-time |
| Exit 38 Rock Climbs | $9.99 | one-time |
| Staunton State Park Climbing | $9.99 | one-time |
| Powerlinez | $11.99 | one-time |
| Teton Pass Descents | $14.99 | one-time |
| Red Rocks Climbs by SuperTopo | $19.99 | one-time |
| Potrero Chico | $19.99 | one-time |
| Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ GPS navigation to crags and trails
- 📸 High-quality photos with route overlays
- 🔍 Powerful filtering and search capabilities
- 📱 Offline functionality without internet
- ✍️ Curated content from professional authors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing
- 🧭 Unintuitive and confusing navigation UI
- 🔋 Requires background location services
- 📉 Inconsistent guidebook quality by author
- ❌ Missing major climbing areas and routes

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on login
- App freezes when opening routes
- Crashes every 30 seconds to few minutes
- Splash screen appears repeatedly despite cached data
- Collapse/expand toggles stop working

**Requested features**

- Simplified and more intuitive UI redesign
- Gear and rack information for routes
- Pitch length specifications
- User ratings and comments system
- Personalization settings (filter preferences)


### Vertical

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vertical-life-climbing/id710386774)

This app serves as a comprehensive guide for both outdoor and indoor climbing. Log your ascents, discover new routes and crags worldwide, and access gym topos. It also offers personalized training plans and community features to connect with other climbers.

**Highlights:** Outdoor and indoor climbing route discovery, Digital climbing guidebooks, Logbook for climbs and memories, Personalized training plans, Gym and global climbing challenges, Community features and friend connections

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (1 Month) | $8.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is rakkup free?

rakkup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Vertical free?

Vertical is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, rakkup or Vertical?

Vertical is rated higher. rakkup averages 2.2 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Vertical averages 2.7 from 47 ratings.

### Do rakkup or Vertical have ads?

Vertical shows ads; rakkup does not.

### Which is updated more often, rakkup or Vertical?

rakkup ships an update every 2 months, and Vertical every 8 days. Most recently, rakkup was updated on November 6, 2026 and Vertical on November 6, 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.*