Comparison

Big Picture Skiing vs Alta Guide

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

Head to head
About

Big Picture Skiing

Access a growing library of video lessons to improve your skiing technique, from carving to bumps. Learn from world-class coaches, create custom playlists, and get insights into ski equipment. Transform your skiing for a fraction of the cost of private lessons.

Highlights
  • Video lessons on carving, bumps, and short turns
  • Learn from world-class coaches
  • Create custom video playlists
  • Ski equipment insights
  • Master steeps and fluid bump skiing
Features
Read full description

Big Picture Skiing is the online platform for skiers who want to genuinely understand how to improve — not just get vague tips. Founded by ski coach Tom Gellie, BPS draws on over a decade of coaching and 10,000+ personal video analyses to break skiing down into clear, practical building blocks. Inside the app you'll find a growing library of video lessons covering everything from fundamentals to advanced carving, bumps, and short turns — plus drills you can take straight to the mountain. Whether you're working on your first parallel turns or chasing your instructor certification, there's a clear path to follow. Content is added regularly, and members get access to a coaching philosophy built for real, lasting improvement — not quick fixes. Ski smarter. Ski with purpose. Download Big Picture Skiing and start your next season stronger. --- ▷ Already a Member? Sign-In to access your subscription. ▷ New? Try it for free! Subscribe in the app to get instant access. Big Picture Skiing offers auto-renewing subscriptions. You'll receive unlimited access to content on all your devices. Payment is charged to your account at confirmation of purchase. Pricing varies by location and is confirmed prior to purchase. Subscription automatically renews each month unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period, or the trial period (when offered). Cancel anytime in Account Settings. For more information see our: -Terms of Service: https://bigpictureskiing.com/pages/terms-of-service -Privacy Policy: https://bigpictureskiing.com/pages/privacy-policy

About

Alta Guide

Navigate Alta Ski Area with interactive maps, detailed run data, and live updates. Track your ski sessions, discover local recommendations, and access essential mountain information for a complete experience.

Highlights
  • Interactive trail map
  • Extended run data
  • Customizable notifications
  • Run tracking with stats
  • Live weather and road updates
  • Mountain information
  • Local recommendations
Read full description

Alta Guide is your all-in-one ski companion for Alta Ski Area, combining interactive maps, run tracking, and essential mountain information in one seamless experience. KEY FEATURES: • Interactive Trail Map: Navigate Alta's terrain with detailed, easy-to-read trail maps • Extended Trail Data: Includes over 100 runs and points of interest not listed on the paper trail map • User customizable notifications for trail/area openings, road status, new snow alerts • Run Tracking: Record your ski sessions with detailed stats and path visualization • Live Updates: Get real-time weather and road condition updates • Mountain Info: Access comprehensive information about lifts, rules, and facilities • Local Recommendations: Curated list of the best bars, restaurants, ski shops, local attractions. Great for tourists. MOUNTAIN ESSENTIALS: • Detailed lift information • On-mountain dining and amenities • Local restaurant recommendations • Nearby ski shop recommendations • Lodging options and information • Safety rules and guidelines • Direct calling to ski patrol in case of emergency PRO FEATURES: • Advanced run tracking and analytics • Guide pins mark interesting locations • Custom pin creation and management • Detailed run statistics and history • Session recording and playback including vertical, average speed, top speed, number of runs, duration • Detailed run information, photos, access and egress tips Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned local, Alta Guide helps you make the most of your time on the mountain. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Big Picture Skiing3 screens
Alta Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Big Picture Skiing at 97% against Alta Guide's 0%. Big Picture Skiing also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and ratings volume (135 vs 6). Alta Guide's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Big Picture Skiing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per month and Alta Guide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Big Picture Skiing holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Big Picture Skiing has 135 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 97% of Big Picture Skiing's written reviews are positive against 0% of Alta Guide's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Big Picture Skiing ships an update monthly, Alta Guide every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Big Picture Skiing versus Alta Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBig Picture SkiingAlta Guide
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (135 ratings) — better4.7 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews96.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings135 — better6
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBig Picture Skiing Pty LtdTony Korologos

Customer experience

Big Picture Skiing

All ratings135 ratings
Positive98.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive96.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.3%

Alta Guide

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Big Picture Skiing

Requested features

1 request
  • Add personal notes to videos

Alta Guide

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Big Picture Skiing

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Membership7 Days trial$49.991 Month
  • Quarterly Membership7 Days trial$129.993 Months
  • Annual Membership7 Days trial$349.991 Year
2 purchases

Alta Guide

Subscriptions1
  • Alta Guide Pro Annual$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Alta Guide Pro Annual$19.99

Questions

Is Big Picture Skiing free?
Big Picture Skiing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Alta Guide free?
Alta Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Big Picture Skiing or Alta Guide?
Big Picture Skiing is rated higher. Big Picture Skiing averages 4.9 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while Alta Guide averages 4.7 from 6 ratings.
Do Big Picture Skiing or Alta Guide have ads?
Neither Big Picture Skiing nor Alta Guide shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Big Picture Skiing or Alta Guide?
Big Picture Skiing ships an update monthly, and Alta Guide every 6 weeks. Most recently, Big Picture Skiing was updated on October 25, 2026 and Alta Guide on October 24, 2026.

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