Comparison

OpenSnow vs SunMonitor

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

Head to head
About

OpenSnow

Get the most accurate snow forecasts, detailed snow reports, and severe weather maps. Access 15-day forecasts, local expert insights, and offline 3D maps for snow depth, avalanche risk, and more. Track storms with advanced radar and AI-powered weather systems.

Highlights
  • 15-Day Snow Forecast
  • Local Expert Snow Reports
  • 3D & Offline Weather Maps
  • AI-Powered Weather System
  • Severe Weather Tracking
  • Mountain Webcams
  • Snow Depth & Avalanche Risk Maps
Features
Read full description

OpenSnow is your trusted source for the most accurate snow forecast, snow report, and severe weather maps. "Weather forecasting for the mountains takes extra focus, analysis, and precision, which is exactly what OpenSnow provides. The app is incredible, even for super weather nerds like myself." – Cody Townsend, Pro Skier 15-Day Snow Forecasts Finding the location that has the best conditions can feel overwhelming. With OpenSnow, deciding where to go is easy. View the latest 15-day snow forecast, snow report, conditions history, and mountain webcams for your favorite locations in just a few seconds. Local Daily Snow Experts Instead of spending hours sifting through weather data, get the inside scoop in just a few minutes. Our local experts write a new Daily Snow forecast each day in the winter for regions around the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Have one of our expert local forecasters guide you to the best conditions. 3D Weather + Snow Maps We make it easy to track incoming storms with super-res radar and global precipitation, radar, and snow forecast maps. You can also view 3D maps for snow depth, avalanche risk, slope angle, active fires, air quality, wildfire smoke, public and private land ownership, and more. Download high-resolution satellite maps to view offline. PEAKS + StormNet PEAKS is our mountain weather forecast model that is up to 50% more accurate in complex terrain. StormNet is our severe weather forecast model that produces real-time, high-resolution forecasts for lightning, hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. Combined, PEAKS + StormNet provide a first-of-its-kind, fully operational multi-component weather forecast system. Daily Features • 15-Day Hourly Forecasts • Current + Forecast Radar • Precipitation Forecast Maps • Air Quality Forecasts • Wildfire Smoke Forecast Maps • 50,000+ Weather Stations • 3D + Offline Maps • Land Boundary + Private Ownership Maps • Recent Satellite Maps Snow + Ski Features • 15-Day Snow Forecast • Powder Quality Forecast • Snow Depth Map • Season Snowfall Map • Snow Forecast Alerts • Snow Forecast Maps • Offline Ski Resort Trail Maps • Snow Forecast + Report Widgets • Historical Snow Reports Severe Weather Features (US only) • Super-Res Radar • Lightning Risk • Tornado Risk • Hail Risk • Damaging Winds Risk • Severe Weather Alerts Free Features • My Location 15-Day Forecast • Snow Forecast 15-Day Summary • Historical Weather + Snow Reports • Snow Report Alerts • Avalanche Forecasts • Mountain Webcams • Active Fires Map • Air Quality Map • Slope Angle + Slope Aspect — Free Trial — New accounts automatically receive the full OpenSnow Premium experience, with no credit card or payment information required. If you choose not to purchase OpenSnow after the free trial is over, you will be automatically downgraded to a free account and not charged. — In-App Purchase — OpenSnow Base is an auto-renewable subscription, which will renew yearly at $49.99 USD. Payment will be charged to the user's Apple account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. The account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period and identify the cost of the renewal. If the auto-renewal fails due to a payment issue, you will still be able to access the paid content for 16 days while Apple attempts to collect payment. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://support.opensnow.com/legal/terms | https://support.opensnow.com/legal/privacy Sales through Apple will be governed by Apple’s refund policy. We value all of our customers and encourage you to provide feedback on your experience. Please get in touch with us by sending an email to hello@opensnow.com

About

SunMonitor

This app provides real-time outdoor safety information, including UV index, burn time estimates, and atmospheric alerts. It helps users stay safe by monitoring weather conditions, air quality, and storm risks.

Highlights
  • Outdoor Safety Score (0-100)
  • Personalized UV index and burn time
  • Atmospheric and storm alerts
  • Sun exposure tracking and guard timer
  • Live weather and storm detection
  • Golden hour and nature notifications
Features
Read full description

SunMonitor is your personal outdoor safety companion — built for anyone who spends time outside. Whether you're running, hiking, working outdoors, or just planning your day, SunMonitor gives you the information you need to stay safe in the sun. OUTDOOR SAFETY SCORE SunMonitor's signature feature — a single 0-100 score that answers "is it safe to go outside right now?" Factors in UV index, heat stress, storm risk, air quality, mosquito activity, and more. No guesswork. Just a clear answer. UV INDEX & BURN TIME Real-time UV index with personalized burn time estimates based on your skin type. Know exactly how long you can stay outside before protection is needed. FORESIGHT — ATMOSPHERIC ALERTS SunMonitor watches pressure trends, dew point convergence, and wind shifts in the background and alerts you before conditions change. Get notified of approaching storms before they arrive. SUN EXPOSURE TRACKING Log your sun exposure sessions and track your weekly UV dose. Set a guard timer so you never lose track of how long you've been in the sun. LIVE WEATHER & STORM DETECTION Real-time storm risk meter, rain timeline, lightning proximity alerts, and a live radar view. Know what's coming before you step outside. GOLDEN HOUR & NATURE ALERTS Ambient notifications for golden hour, blue hour, full moon nights, clean air days, and stargazing windows. SunMonitor keeps you connected to the outdoors. sunmonitor.co Disclaimer: SunMonitor provides general outdoor safety information for educational purposes only. UV, burn time, and health recommendations are not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making health or medical decisions.

Screenshots

OpenSnow4 screens
SunMonitor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SunMonitor at none against OpenSnow's 3. SunMonitor also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 11 days) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). OpenSnow's advantage is ratings volume (9.1K vs 2) and chart position (#29 vs unranked). On price, ads 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. OpenSnow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year. SunMonitor asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SunMonitor holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenSnow has 9.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OpenSnow ships an update every 11 days, SunMonitor daily. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
OpenSnow versus SunMonitor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenSnowSunMonitor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (9.1K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings9.1K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#29 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCloudnine Weather, Inc.Zuhayr Pigot

Customer experience

OpenSnow

All ratings9,057 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral1.2%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews848 reviews
Positive80.4%
Neutral3.7%
Negative15.9%

SunMonitor

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

OpenSnow

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional crashes or freezes on certain devices
  • Inconsistencies in the display of weather data and forecasts

Requested features

5 requests
  • Expand coverage to more international ski resorts
  • Improve offline functionality and data availability
  • Introduce more customization options for user preferences
  • Enhance integration with other outdoor activity planning apps
  • Provide more detailed snow and weather data for backcountry use

SunMonitor

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

OpenSnow

Subscriptions3
  • OpenSnow Legacy$49.991 Year
  • OpenSnow Base$49.991 Year
  • OpenSnow Base Legacy$49.991 Year
None

SunMonitor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OpenSnow free?
OpenSnow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SunMonitor free?
SunMonitor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, OpenSnow or SunMonitor?
SunMonitor is rated higher. OpenSnow averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while SunMonitor averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do OpenSnow or SunMonitor have ads?
Neither OpenSnow nor SunMonitor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OpenSnow or SunMonitor?
OpenSnow ships an update every 11 days, and SunMonitor daily. Most recently, OpenSnow was updated on October 12, 2026 and SunMonitor on October 4, 2026.

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