Comparison

Backcountry Ski vs SummitCircle

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

Head to head
About

Backcountry Ski

Access critical avalanche forecasts, field observations, and real-time mountain weather data on a single map. Plan backcountry ski tours with tools like travel time calculators, route sharing, and slope maps highlighting avalanche terrain.

Highlights
  • Avalanche forecasts and observations
  • Real-time mountain weather data
  • Hourly NOAA weather forecasts
  • Trip planning tools
  • Topographic slope maps
  • GPS tracking
  • Offline topo maps
Features
Read full description

Backcountry weather, avalanche data and trip planning resources all concisely displayed on one map. Easily review all the essentials before heading out on a tour: • Avalanche forecasts and field observations from avalanche centers across the country including Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Utah Avalanche Center, Teton Avalanche Center, Mount Washington Avalanche Center and more. • Real-time temperature, wind and snowfall data from 2,000+ mountain weather stations. Weather networks include SNOTEL, MADIS, CoCoRaHS, CWOP and many others. • Preview conditions in remote terrain with live overlays of today's snowfall, depth and coverage along with recent satellite views. • Weather forecast and observation summaries built specifically for backcountry ski zones. • Hourly NOAA weather forecasts for mountain summits and passes. • Filter observations and weather stations by zone (Berthoud, Loveland, etc) or create your own custom zones to monitor your go-to areas. Introducing Backcountry Condition Checks for the 2026/27 season: AI assisted weather queries for specific mountain locations and elevations. Ask "What will the high temperature be at 12,000 feet in Summit County tomorrow?", "Will it get below freezing tonight at Berthoud Pass?", "How windy will it be at the summit of Mount Washington tomorrow?". Get answers sourced directly from the National Weather Service and local weather stations. Comprehensive trip planning tools for backcountry skiers and snowboarders: • Munter calculator estimates ski tour travel times based on distance and vertical climb. • Create instant trip plans from your GPX tracks. Share route information, weather, avalanche forecasts and safety checklists with your partners. • Topographic slope maps highlight high-risk avalanche terrain. • GPS tracking to record and share your tours. • Submit and share observations from your tours (tap the plus button in the upper right corner). Create trip reports with photos and route beta. Built for the backcountry: • Offline topo maps work without cell service. • Home screen widgets for quick weather and avalanche updates. • All your backcountry resources displayed on one user-friendly map. What Backcountry Skiers Are Saying: "It's amazing to have all these tools packed neatly into one app... Finally!!!" "All the weather/snow-nerd data - it's all here." "A wealth of resources for backcountry skiers...this is my go to app." "Having NOAA point forecasts, avalanche outlook, and SNOTEL data all in one app is just the best. This is THE essential winter recreation app IMHO." =============== Offline topo maps, hourly weather forecasts, weather station data, zone filtering and munter calculator require pro subscription or $19.99 one time lifetime purchase.

About

SummitCircle

Plan backcountry ski tours with 3D maps, weather forecasts, and avalanche conditions. Track your routes, connect with other skiers, and access local forums for trip reports and gear. Available for Colorado, Utah, and Washington, with more states coming soon.

Highlights
  • 3D terrain maps with slope shading
  • Spot weather corrected for elevation
  • Daily avalanche conditions
  • Plan and track ski tours
  • Offline access to saved tours
  • Local forums and zone chats
  • Gear marketplace
Features
Read full description

SummitCircle is the backcountry ski touring app built for the skin track — plan smarter lines, track every tour, read the terrain before you go, and connect with the skiers in your zone. Currently live for Colorado, Utah, and Washington with more states on the way. READ THE TERRAIN • 3D terrain maps with slope-angle and aspect shading — spot the steep, wind-loaded, and sun-affected slopes at a glance • Contour, hillshade, and recent-snow layers • Spot weather corrected for elevation: new snow, wind, freezing level, and temperature trends at the exact point you're headed • Daily avalanche conditions PLAN & TRACK YOUR TOURS • Draw and save tour routes over 3D terrain • Track your tour live — distance, vertical, pace, and time • Season stats and a personal terrain print of everywhere you've skied • Offline access to your saved tours when you lose service FIND YOUR PEOPLE • Base Camp: local forums for trip reports, gear, conditions, and beta • Zone Chats for real-time conditions talk in your area • Partner Board to find touring partners who match your objectives and experience • Gear Marketplace to buy and sell backcountry equipment BUILT FOR THE COMMUNITY • Certifications and experience on every profile • Trip reports with photos • A Founding Member program for the riders helping build SummitCircle from the ground up SummitCircle is a planning and community tool — not a substitute for avalanche education, training, proper equipment, and sound judgment. Always check your local avalanche forecast, carry rescue gear, and never travel alone. Backcountry travel carries the risk of serious injury or death. Questions or feedback? hello@getsummitcircle.com

Screenshots

Backcountry Ski4 screens
SummitCircle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SummitCircle at 100% against Backcountry Ski's 63%. SummitCircle also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Backcountry Ski's advantage is ratings volume (261 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence 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. Backcountry Ski sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. SummitCircle asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SummitCircle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backcountry Ski has 261 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Backcountry Ski's written reviews are positive against 100% of SummitCircle's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backcountry Ski ships an update weekly, SummitCircle every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Backcountry Ski versus SummitCircle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackcountry SkiSummitCircle
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (261 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings261 — better1
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB88 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSki the Backcountry Ltd.Dakota Randall

Customer experience

Backcountry Ski

All ratings261 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral1.9%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive63.2%
Neutral5.3%
Negative31.6%

SummitCircle

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Backcountry Ski

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Bug where avy report wouldn't load
  • App never sends password reset email
  • No current forecasts
  • Maps won't download
  • App freezes when starting a route
Show 1 more
  • App crashes when open

Requested features

6 requests
  • See local snowtel sites on map view
  • Fix elevation data accuracy
  • Improve slope angle overlay precision and legend
  • Make map download intuitive
  • Allow trial subscription cancellation within app/App Store
Show 1 more
  • Fix dead-end developer contacts

SummitCircle

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Backcountry Ski

Subscriptions1
  • Backcountry Beta Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro Subscription$19.99
None

SummitCircle

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Backcountry Ski free?
Backcountry Ski is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SummitCircle free?
SummitCircle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Backcountry Ski or SummitCircle?
SummitCircle is rated higher. Backcountry Ski averages 4.6 out of 5 from 261 ratings, while SummitCircle averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Backcountry Ski or SummitCircle have ads?
Neither Backcountry Ski nor SummitCircle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Backcountry Ski or SummitCircle?
Backcountry Ski ships an update weekly, and SummitCircle every 5 days. Most recently, Backcountry Ski was updated on October 24, 2026 and SummitCircle on October 3, 2026.

Other comparisons