# Next Ascent vs Gunks

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Gunks at 94% against Next Ascent's 50%. Gunks also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Next Ascent sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Gunks asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gunks holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gunks has 81 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Next Ascent's written reviews are positive against 94% of Gunks's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Next Ascent | Gunks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/next-ascent/id893831661/reviews) | **[4.8 (81 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gunks/id1086455442/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **81** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **94.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 64 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Next Ascent, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/893831664) | [Dirtbag Developers, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/917436488) |

## What reviewers say

### Next Ascent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/next-ascent/id893831661)

Discover climbing destinations worldwide with detailed maps, GPS navigation, and high-definition topos. Access comprehensive route descriptions, area history, and first ascent information for crags and bouldering spots. Download complete guidebooks for popular climbing areas.

**Highlights:** Real-time maps and GPS navigation, High-definition topos and pictures, Detailed route descriptions, Crag and bouldering area information, Downloadable guidebooks, Route and area history, First ascent information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Next Ascent Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Next Ascent Pro Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| FE Walter Guidebook | $9.99 | one-time |
| The Garden Bouldering Guide | $9.99 | one-time |
| Mocanaqua Climbing Guidebook | $12.99 | one-time |
| Mocanaqua Bouldering Guidebook | $12.99 | one-time |
| Carver Bouldering Guidebook | $12.99 | one-time |
| Smith Rock Climbing Guide | $14.99 | one-time |
| Swan Falls Bouldering Guide | $14.99 | one-time |
| Sugarloaf Climbing Guidebook | $17.99 | one-time |


### Gunks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gunks/id1086455442)

Access digital guidebooks for rock climbing and bouldering with detailed route information, photos, and GPS navigation. Track your climbs with a tick list and cloud backup. Essential for climbers of all levels.

**Highlights:** Digital guidebooks, Searchable and filterable climb lists, High-resolution zoomable photos and topos, GPS navigation to climbs, Tick List & To-Do List, Cloud backup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Detailed topos and photos
- 📱 Better than paper guidebooks
- ⭐ Ad-free experience
- 🤝 Excellent customer service
- 💰 Affordable guides

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Poor app navigation
- ❓ Difficulty re-downloading routes
- 🤔 Some users struggle with tech
- ❌ Inconsistent grading in some areas

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Access codes not working
- 🐛 Tech support unresponsive

**Requested features**

- Feature to see/rate quality/grade of each climb
- Normalize grades across regions/crags
- Add more climbing areas


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Next Ascent free?

Next Ascent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Gunks free?

Gunks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Next Ascent or Gunks?

Gunks is rated higher. Next Ascent averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Gunks averages 4.8 from 81 ratings.

### Do Next Ascent or Gunks have ads?

Next Ascent shows ads; Gunks does not.

### Which is updated more often, Next Ascent or Gunks?

Next Ascent ships an update every 2 months, and Gunks every 2 months. Most recently, Next Ascent was updated on November 1, 2026 and Gunks on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*