Comparison

Cloudbase Utah vs Vertex Maps

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

Head to head
About

Cloudbase Utah

Provides detailed weather forecasts, real-time readings, and live tracking specifically for paragliding pilots in Utah. Offers insights into wind conditions, thermal strength, and soaring potential, alongside live camera feeds and pilot tracking.

Highlights
  • Current weather station readings
  • Hourly and daily forecasts
  • Winds aloft and thermal strength
  • Live pilot tracking
  • Live weather cameras
  • Paragliding resource links
Features
Read full description

Weather forecast, readings, and live tracking for Utah paragliding pilots. Features include: - Current readings for stations across Utah - Site daily weather and hourly forecasts including winds aloft, thermal strength, and top of lift forecasts by hour - "Big picture" weather including TFRs, weather alerts, soaring forecast, weather forecast discussion, Skew-T, winds aloft forecast - Map of weather station readings (select for history and forecast) - Map of live pilot tracking (select track node to get additional flight track details) - Live weather cameras - Links to paragliding resources

About

Vertex Maps

This app provides detailed backcountry maps and weather forecasts for outdoor activities like paragliding and skiing. It offers features for planning routes, tracking activities, and accessing real-time weather data, with advanced tools available through a subscription.

Highlights
  • Mountain weather and terrain maps
  • Flight log and activity tracking
  • Offline map downloads
  • Route building and editing
  • Augmented reality terrain view
  • Detailed hourly forecasts
  • Weather Briefing tool
Currently charting
Read full description

Best paragliding weather and maps on iPhone. Vertex puts mountain weather, terrain, routes, a flight log and activity tracking on one map for paragliding, backcountry skiing, and trail days. EXPLORE WITH VERTEX FREE • Explore online satellite, terrain, elevation and winter basemaps. • Check trails, public lands, motor-vehicle routes, backcountry huts, slope angles, avalanche forecasts, airspace and TFRs, and wildfire information. • See temperature, surface wind, gusts, precipitation and cloud forecasts in 3 hour steps across the full available range, where the selected model has coverage. • Check current weather, snow, air-quality and stream-gauge readings and the latest observed radar and lightning. • Record ground activities and import GPX, FIT, TCX, IGC, KML, KMZ and ZIP files. • Review elevation profiles, activity statistics, heart-rate data, photos and XC scores. Measure distances, draw routes manually, and save places and webpages. • Gather your sites, stations and NWS forecast discussions in one Weather Brief. • Sync personal activities, markers and lines across devices with your free account. PLAN FURTHER WITH VERTEX PRO One monthly or annual subscription covers Pro tools across paragliding, ski and trail modes: • Download maps and supported terrain layers for use without service. • Build and edit routes that automatically follow trails. • Use Photo Basemap to align your photos with terrain and turn them into map overlays. • Point your camera at the mountains with Terrain AR to see ridgelines, slopes and peak names over the live view. • Get detailed 1 hour forecasts where available, soaring and snow forecasts, smoke forecasts, winds aloft, the thermal diagram and airgrams. • Play radar history, nowcasts and forecasts, and browse dated satellite imagery. • Review station history where supported. Your existing downloaded maps, saved photo overlays and personal routes remain viewable when Pro ends. Current observations and forecast coverage depend on the source; not every station has history. Offline downloads contain supported map layers, not all live weather or airspace updates. Pro subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled. Prices and any eligible free trial are shown before purchase. Manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Vertex requires a free account using a one-time code sent to your email. Weather, terrain, avalanche, trail, and airspace information may be incomplete, delayed, or inaccurate. Vertex is a planning tool, not a substitute for official forecasts, NOTAMs, avalanche bulletins, local knowledge, or your own judgment. Terms: https://vertexmaps.com/terms Privacy: https://vertexmaps.com/privacy

Screenshots

Cloudbase Utah4 screens
Vertex Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cloudbase Utah at none against Vertex Maps's 2. Vertex Maps's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and chart position (#195 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Vertex Maps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Cloudbase Utah asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cloudbase Utah against 5.0 for Vertex Maps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cloudbase Utah ships an update weekly, Vertex Maps every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Cloudbase Utah versus Vertex Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCloudbase UtahVertex Maps
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings33
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
Best chart rank—#195 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB110 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMichael Del , BrownVertex Maps LLC

Customer experience

Cloudbase Utah

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Vertex Maps

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Cloudbase Utah

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Vertex Maps

Subscriptions2
  • Vertex Pro Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Vertex Pro Annual1 Month trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Cloudbase Utah free?
Cloudbase Utah is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Vertex Maps free?
Vertex Maps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cloudbase Utah or Vertex Maps?
Cloudbase Utah and Vertex Maps are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Cloudbase Utah or Vertex Maps have ads?
Neither Cloudbase Utah nor Vertex Maps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cloudbase Utah or Vertex Maps?
Cloudbase Utah ships an update weekly, and Vertex Maps every 3 days. Most recently, Cloudbase Utah was updated on October 30, 2026 and Vertex Maps on October 31, 2026.

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