Comparison

FoliageBeat vs Fallcast

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

Head to head
About

FoliageBeat

Discover peak fall foliage in Western North Carolina with real-time community reports and curated hotspot information. Plan your scenic drives and hikes to experience the best autumn colors.

Highlights
  • Real-time foliage condition reports
  • 33 curated hotspots with details
  • Interactive map with color-coded stages
  • Peak season alerts for saved locations
  • Submit your own foliage reports
  • Share foliage photos and scores
Features
Read full description

FoliageBeat is powered by real hikers, not a seasonal average or a weather model. Every LeafScore, foliage stage, and photo comes from someone who was on the trail recently — across three regions: Western North Carolina, Shenandoah & the Virginia Blue Ridge, and New England. 49 hand-picked hotspots give you a trustworthy starting point. The community keeps it current all season — and it only takes a minute to add your own report. • Live LeafScore and foliage-stage reports from real hikers, not a forecast • Submit your own report in under a minute — no account needed • Photos from other visitors at each location • Earn badges as you contribute — Leaf Spotter, Peak Seeker, Trail Blazer, and more • 49 curated hotspots across 3 regions, with more added regularly • Save your favorite spots and get notified the moment they reach peak • Map view with color-coded pins, or a sortable list by distance • Trail info, difficulty, parking, admission and best-time details for every hotspot • 100% free — no ads, no subscription, nothing to sign up for Whether you're planning a weekend drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, or the White Mountains, FoliageBeat helps you catch peak color instead of missing it — because someone else already did.

About

Fallcast

Features
Read full description

KNOW WHEN THE LEAVES WILL CHANGE Fallcast predicts fall foliage conditions across the country, helping you find where the colors are changing now, where they're headed next, and when to plan your next leaf-peeping trip. The forecast is rebuilt every day from satellite observations and state foliage reports, so when a season runs early or late, the forecast changes with it. PLAN AHEAD See how foliage conditions are expected to change over the coming weeks. Compare locations and find the places most likely to have good color when you're ready to go. TRIPS Planning a fall trip? Follow foliage conditions at your destination before and during your trip. See what's changing and where to look for the best color along the way. FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Find foliage conditions alongside golden hour to help plan your next autumn photo. IDENTIFY ANY TREE Point your camera at a leaf or a tree and Fallcast names the species. Fallcast has 176 species identified right on your device. Save what you find and build a collection. LEARN THE LEAVES Which trees change first, how different species contribute to the fall landscape, and what each tree looks like as its color turns. Every species page covers its shape, its color, when to look for it, and why it changes colors the way it does. Regional tree and leaf guides help you understand what you're seeing. WIDGETS Keep foliage conditions for your favorite places on your Home Screen, so you can check the season at a glance. Fallcast is free to use — current and recent conditions, how this year compares with normal, the complete field guide, three photo identifications a season, and one saved place. Season Pass is an annual subscription that unlocks the full forecast, color intensity forecasts, trip planning, unlimited identifications and saved places, and alerts when color at a saved place runs early or late. The leaves are changing. Know where to find them. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Fallcast Terms of Use: https://fallcast.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://fallcast.app/privacy

Screenshots

FoliageBeat4 screens
Fallcast4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FoliageBeat at none against Fallcast's 1. FoliageBeat also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). Fallcast's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price 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. Fallcast sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per year. FoliageBeat asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FoliageBeat ships an update every 2 months, Fallcast every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
FoliageBeat versus Fallcast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFoliageBeatFallcast
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB165 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperArup Ratan BiswasAlex Starck

In-app purchases

None

FoliageBeat

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Fallcast

Subscriptions1
  • Season Pass$7.991 Year

Questions

Is FoliageBeat free?
FoliageBeat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fallcast free?
Fallcast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FoliageBeat or Fallcast have ads?
Neither FoliageBeat nor Fallcast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FoliageBeat or Fallcast?
FoliageBeat ships an update every 2 months, and Fallcast every 5 days. Most recently, FoliageBeat was updated on October 15, 2026 and Fallcast on October 10, 2026.

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