Comparison

rakkup vs Boulder Trainer

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

Head to head
About

rakkup

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
Read full description

rakkup allows you to access an entire bookshelf of climbing and backcountry skiing guidebooks on your iPhone, even beyond the reach of cell phone coverage. Once downloaded, guidebooks work offline with no Internet connection! It is also the first and only mobile climbing app that navigates you through the trail system to your climb, turn by turn. Produced in partnership with Outdoor Research, rakkup reinvents the guidebook for the smartphone era. We've partnered with Beacon Guidebooks, Wolverine Publishing ,and other publishers to bring you rich guidebooks complete with color photos and topo drawings. Free sample climbs and ski descents are included. Browse climbs and descents on a map or in the list format of your choice, filter and search in seconds, then navigate using your phone's GPS with a single tap. In climbing guidebooks, the app continuously calculates the easiest route through the trail system from your current location. Simply follow the arrow and moving map. Note: When actively navigating to a climb, rakkup uses GPS in background. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

Boulder Trainer

Create personalized training routines for climbing and bouldering. Features voice instructions, training reminders, and the ability to save and share your workout plans. Supports over 70 preset fingerboards and allows custom exercise creation for efficient progress.

Highlights
  • Custom workout creation
  • Voice instructions for timing
  • Save and share training plans
  • Training reminders
  • Over 70 preset fingerboards
  • Manage multiple plans
Features
Read full description

Boulder Trainer is the training app for your hangboard: 90 boards are built in, you build your own plans in minutes, and a voice tells you when to hang and when to rest - on iPhone or straight from your Apple Watch. Get started right away: 90 common training boards are included with high-resolution artwork. Pick your board, download a ready-made plan or build your own. No account needed, everything works offline. Training + Custom training plans with sets, hang times and rest times + Download ready-made plans and shared community plans - free + Voice cues and signal tones so you never have to look at the screen + Exercise library with photos: hangboard, floor, gym (with weight), prehab + Training reminder every 2, 3, 5 or 7 days Apple Watch + Browse plans on your wrist and start the session from there + Haptic feedback on every change + Recorded as a workout in Apple Health incl. heart rate and activity rings Keep the habit + Habits (daily or with a counter), up to 3 reminders per day + Streaks with celebration moments when you keep the run alive + 31 achievements in four categories + Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, Control Center toggle, check off right in the widget Your board is missing? Just photograph it: cut it out, align it, number the holes - done. Or write me: support@boulder-trainer.com Your data + iCloud sync across your devices, no sign-up + Works fully offline + iPhone and iPad These 90 boards are built in: + Metolius: Project, Wood Grips Compact, Wood Grips II Compact, Wood Grips II Deluxe, Wood Grips Training, Contact, Simulator 3D, Rock Rings, Foundry, Campus Blocks, Campus Rungs, Lite Rail, Prime Rib + Beastmaker: 1000, 2000 + So iLL: Blister, Wood Blister, Reaper, Iron Palm, Mini Palm, SlopeyMon, Boost, Remedy, Hangers, All Chalk No Action + Antworks: Power Ant Mini, Strong Ant 1, Strong Ant 2, Strong Ant 2 (old version), Strong Ant 3, Strong Ant 4 Solo + Moon Climbing: Fingerboard, Phat Boy + Tension: Flash Board, Grindstone, Grindstone Pro, Grindstone Mk2 + Crusher Holds: Matrix, Faceon, Megarail, Mission Portable + Kraxl: Classic, Portable, Rock, Xtrem + ERZI: small, medium, large, campus + MAX CLIMBING: MAX CLIMBING, Spinch Solo Easy, Spinch Solo Hard, Spinchboard Easy, Spinchboard Hard + EPUSA / Entre Prises: Kineboard, Hang Time, Training Board + Trango: Rock Prodigy, Rock Prodigy Forge + Eva López: Progression, Transgression + Problemsolver: Hanzo, Trainingsboard + DRCC: V3 Hangboard, V5-12 Hangboard + Vola: Hangboard, Pinch / Sloper + ALPIDEX: PRO 2.0, Large + Nicros: Ultimate, Warrior + Dein Klettershop: EVOLUTION, BB Sport Pro + Single boards: Bergfreunde Flash, Core Fingerboard, OCUN Fingerboard, Ascender X8, Wataaah Transformer Starr, Sic Grips Pocket Rock, Crimpmonster, Captain Fingerfood, Griptonite smartrock, PUC II Domini, Decathlon Ballsy, Kraxel To Go, Danger BuddyBoard, Revolution Grillito, Clevo, Frictitious Megalith, OK Board Crag Developer statement: When I bought my first fingerboard there was no reasonable guide for training on it. That is why I built Boulder Trainer. Please keep in mind: there is no company behind this app, just a small private project. Like Boulder Trainer on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BoulderTrainer Boulder Trainer Pro (subscription / one-time purchase): Starting workouts, habit check-ins and the achievements page require Boulder Trainer Pro - as a weekly subscription, yearly subscription or lifetime one-time purchase. Creating plans, setting up boards and sharing stay free. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage and cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. If you bought the app in the past, training stays free for you and you get exclusive loyalty pricing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://app-bis-web.de/datenschutz/

Screenshots

rakkup4 screens
Boulder Trainer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Boulder Trainer at 4.6 against rakkup's 2.2. Boulder Trainer also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). rakkup's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Both are free to download. rakkup sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and Boulder Trainer sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Boulder Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boulder Trainer has 859 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of rakkup's written reviews are positive against 70% of Boulder Trainer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

rakkup ships an update every 2 months, Boulder Trainer every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
rakkup versus Boulder Trainer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterrakkupBoulder Trainer
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.2 (25 ratings)4.6 (859 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.9% of reviews70.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25859 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB189 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOutdoor Geeks, LLCJan Luther

Customer experience

rakkup

All ratings25 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral16.0%
Negative64.0%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive53.9%
Neutral5.9%
Negative40.2%

Boulder Trainer

All ratings860 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews215 reviews
Positive70.2%
Neutral7.4%
Negative22.3%

User reviews

rakkup

From 25 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗺️ 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

Room to improve

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

Boulder Trainer

From 859 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Customizable workouts
  • 🚀 Verbal countdown feature
  • 💡 Ability to share/download workouts
  • 👍 Supports many hangboard models
  • 👍 Helpful for improving finger strength

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unstable
  • 🔧 Confusing/unintuitive interface
  • 🔧 Limited preset workout options
  • 🔧 Cannot change countdown voice
  • 🔧 Timer stops when app is in background

Bugs and requests

rakkup

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • 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
Show 8 more
  • Route selection auto-selects wrong area
  • Maps fail to load without internet connectivity
  • Bookshelf is buggy and inaccessible
  • Password field incompatible with password managers
  • Specific routes cause crashes (e.g., Sun Kissed)
  • iOS 15 compatibility issues
  • Frozen screens requiring app reinstall
  • GPS functionality unreliable (20% success rate)

Requested features

12 requests
  • Simplified and more intuitive UI redesign
  • Gear and rack information for routes
  • Pitch length specifications
  • User ratings and comments system
  • Personalization settings (filter preferences)
Show 7 more
  • PDF guidebook downloads
  • YouTube tutorial videos for app navigation
  • Climbing log with progress tracking
  • Route notes and personal annotations
  • Better offline map handling
  • Access codes for physical guidebook purchases
  • Improved map clustering for nearby crags

Boulder Trainer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Cannot change hangboard selection
  • Preset workouts don't match selected hangboard
  • Registration/account creation issues
  • Frequent crashes and connectivity problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to log/track workout history
  • Integration with fitness apps (Apple Health, Strava)
  • Ability to upload custom hangboard profiles
  • More advanced training plans and recommendations
  • Option to play music in background during workouts

In-app purchases

16 purchases

rakkup

One-time16
  • Elizabeth Furnace$2.99
  • Long Branch and Guide Walls$3.99
  • Reed's Creek$4.99
Show 13 more
  • Exit 38 Rock Climbs$9.99
  • Staunton State Park Climbing$9.99
  • Silverton$9.99
  • Bridger Ridge$9.99
  • Powerlinez$11.99
  • Teton Pass Descents$14.99
  • Snoqualmie Pass$14.99
  • Index Town Walls$15.99
  • Red Rocks Climbs by SuperTopo$19.99
  • Mt. Erie$19.99
  • Potrero Chico$19.99
  • Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra$19.99
  • Vermont Tough Schist$19.99
6 purchases

Boulder Trainer

Subscriptions4
  • Boulder Pro — Weekly$1.997 Days
  • Boulder Pro Loyalty — Week$1.997 Days
  • Boulder Pro Loyalty — Year$11.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Boulder Trainer Pro — Yearly3 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time2
  • Boulder Pro Loyalty Lifetime$24.99
  • Boulder Pro — Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is rakkup free?
rakkup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Boulder Trainer free?
Boulder Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, rakkup or Boulder Trainer?
Boulder Trainer is rated higher. rakkup averages 2.2 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Boulder Trainer averages 4.6 from 859 ratings.
Do rakkup or Boulder Trainer have ads?
Neither rakkup nor Boulder Trainer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, rakkup or Boulder Trainer?
rakkup ships an update every 2 months, and Boulder Trainer every 3 days. Most recently, rakkup was updated on October 26, 2026 and Boulder Trainer on October 26, 2026.

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