# Hiking Project vs Ikon Pass

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hiking Project at 53% against Ikon Pass's 14%. Hiking Project also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Ikon Pass's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ikon Pass holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ikon Pass has 28K ratings behind it against 2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Hiking Project's written reviews are positive against 14% of Ikon Pass's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hiking Project ships an update every 5 weeks, Ikon Pass every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hiking Project | Ikon Pass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiking-project/id964351449/reviews) | **[4.7 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikon-pass/id1482191120/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2K | **28K** |
| Positive reviews | **53.4% of reviews** | 13.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#146** |
| Size | 85 MB | 336 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adventure Projects Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/452308787) | [Alterra Mountain Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1471202324) |

## What reviewers say

### Hiking Project

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiking-project/id964351449)

Discover and navigate over 74,000 miles of trails with detailed GPS route information, elevation profiles, and high-resolution maps. Find featured hikes near you or in a searched area, with insights from local experts. Download trails for offline use, ensuring you can explore even without cell reception.

**Highlights:** GPS route information, Elevation profiles, Interactive trail maps, Offline trail downloads, High-resolution photos, Local expert insights

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for planning hiking trips
- 🗺️ Useful offline maps and trail info
- 👍 Helpful for finding new trails
- 🗺️ Accurate trail details and elevation data
- 🌳 Useful for exploring nature and the outdoors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Limited trail coverage in some areas
- 🗺️ Offline maps not always reliable
- 🔍 Difficult to search and find trails
- 🔍 Missing key features like recording hikes

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to record hikes
- Offline maps frequently fail to load
- Elevation data sometimes inaccurate
- Syncing issues between app and website

**Requested features**

- Add ability to record and track hikes
- Improve search and filtering options
- Expand trail coverage to more regions
- Add weather forecasts and other useful info
- Improve offline map reliability and functionality


### Ikon Pass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikon-pass/id1482191120)

**Currently charting:** #146 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

This app helps you maximize your mountain experience at over 70 destinations. It offers interactive maps for amenities, in-app payments, and real-time updates on parking and events. Connect with friends, track your stats, and manage your pass details all in one place.

**Highlights:** Interactive amenity maps, In-app food and drink payment, Real-time parking availability, Pass management and tracking, Friend group messaging and location sharing, Mountain activity tracking, Event browsing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Tracking features
- 👍 Buddy tracking and group functionality
- 🌄 Mountain information and maps
- 💰 Discounts and pass benefits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tracking issues and inaccuracies
- 🔌 Connectivity problems and app crashes
- 🤯 Confusing login and reservation processes
- 🔍 Lack of offline functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen not loading
- Tracking data being lost or reset
- Inability to view or manage reservations
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Integrate pass barcode for discounts
- Automatic tracking without manual start/stop
- Offline maps and resort information
- Customizable metric units
- Leaderboards and speed tracking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hiking Project free?

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

### Is Ikon Pass free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hiking Project or Ikon Pass?

Ikon Pass is rated higher. Hiking Project averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Ikon Pass averages 4.7 from 28K ratings.

### Do Hiking Project or Ikon Pass have ads?

Neither Hiking Project nor Ikon Pass shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hiking Project or Ikon Pass?

Hiking Project ships an update every 5 weeks, and Ikon Pass every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hiking Project was updated on October 26, 2026 and Ikon Pass on October 29, 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.*