# Next Ascent vs Powder Project

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Powder Project at none against Next Ascent's 36. Powder Project also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.3 vs 3.9). Next Ascent's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 38%). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Next Ascent sells 36 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Powder Project asks for nothing beyond the download.

Powder Project holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Powder Project has 50 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Next Ascent's written reviews are positive against 38% of Powder Project's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Next Ascent ships an update every 2 months, Powder Project every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Next Ascent | Powder Project |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/next-ascent/id893831661/reviews) | **[4.3 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powder-project/id964351472/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **50** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 64 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Next Ascent, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/893831664) | [Adventure Projects Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/452308787) |

## 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 (36)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Next Ascent Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Next Ascent Pro Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Free Traxx Guide | Free | one-time |
| Free Eliot Creek Guide | Free | one-time |
| Larch Mt Bouldering | $3.99 | one-time |
| Climbing & Bouldering Montdale | $5.99 | one-time |
| Allentown Bouldering Guide | $5.99 | one-time |
| Whiskey Springs Bouldering | $5.99 | one-time |
| Chickies Rock Routes Guide | $5.99 | one-time |
| Mid Valley Guidebook | $5.99 | one-time |
| French's Dome Guide | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mountainside Park Bouldering | $6.99 | one-time |
| Forest City Bouldering Guide | $6.99 | one-time |
| Allamuchy Climbing Guidebook | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lost City & Boulder Mt, OR | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ozone Guidebook | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gunks: Near Trapps | $9.99 | one-time |
| Northern NJ Bouldering | $9.99 | one-time |
| Allamuchy Guidebook | $9.99 | one-time |
| The Garden Bouldering Guide | $9.99 | one-time |
| Allentown Bouldering Guidebook | $9.99 | one-time |
| Broughton Bluff Climbing Guide | $9.99 | one-time |
| Route 26 Crags Guidebook | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lost Lake Bouldering Guidebook | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pocono Bouldering Guide | $12.99 | one-time |
| Peter's Kill Climbing Guide | $12.99 | one-time |
| Mocanaqua Climbing Guidebook | $12.99 | one-time |
| Boxcar Rocks | $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 |
| Safe Harbor Climbing Guidebook | $14.99 | one-time |
| Sourland & Somerset | $14.99 | one-time |
| Swan Falls Bouldering Guide | $14.99 | one-time |
| Sugarloaf Climbing Guidebook | $17.99 | one-time |
| Eldorado Canyon Climbing Guide | $17.99 | one-time |


### Powder Project

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powder-project/id964351472)

Discover and navigate the best ski lines with detailed GPS route information, elevation profiles, and interactive features. Explore over 800 miles of backcountry and sidecountry trails, with new lines constantly added. Download trails for offline use and get insights from local experts.

**Highlights:** GPS route information, Elevation profiles, Interactive features, 800+ miles of ski lines, Offline trail downloads, High-resolution photos, Topographical trail maps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Next Ascent free?

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

### Is Powder Project free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Next Ascent or Powder Project?

Powder Project is rated higher. Next Ascent averages 3.9 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Powder Project averages 4.3 from 50 ratings.

### Do Next Ascent or Powder Project have ads?

Next Ascent shows ads; Powder Project does not.

### Which is updated more often, Next Ascent or Powder Project?

Next Ascent ships an update every 2 months, and Powder Project every 5 weeks. Most recently, Next Ascent was updated on September 3, 2026 and Powder Project on September 23, 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.*