Map apps for ski tours: an overview

1. alpenvereinaktiv.com

alpenvereinaktiv comes from the Outdooractive GmbH cosmos, which develops many different apps. We have only included one app in the rating, as these apps do not differ greatly from each other. Alpenvereinaktiv.com stands out due to the very large selection of tours and the ingenious tour editor. However, it is almost essential to spend money in order to use the app properly. The very limited maps in the basic version are not recommended as a basis for deciding on ski tours.

Quality, selection and coverage of the maps

Only the OpenStreetMap maps are shown in the basic version of the alpenvereinaktiv.com app. Apart from that, photos, information and closures, avalanche conditions and webcams can be displayed. However, a slope inclination layer can only be used from the Pro version onwards. The basic version is therefore only suitable for ski tours to a limited extent.

All in all, we give the basic version 1 out of 5 stars.

When you purchase the Pro version, your own Outdooractive maps are provided. These maps are based on OpenStreetMap, are enriched with some extra information and are optimized for outdoor activities. Outdooractive thus outperforms the maps from OpenStreetMap - basemap.at or the maps from Kompass, for example, are still slightly ahead. The lack of coverage of the Western Alps with Outdooractive maps is also a minus point. One positive aspect is the access to different topographical maps that comes with the upgrade to the Pro version. Another special feature is that the trail network on the maps is provided with information on which sports the respective segments are suitable for. We give the Pro version 3.5 out of 5 stars.

If the user opts for the Pro Plus version, she can really make the most of it and display the Alpine Club maps, the compass maps and the cycling maps from the ADFC. On top of that, there is the option of viewing tours as 3D visualizations. The Pro Plus version gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Offline mode

The basic version does not have an offline mode: 0 out of 5 stars.

The Pro version and the Pro Plus version offer unlimited offline map storage: 5 out of 5 stars.

Ease of use

Since the last update, the app has had a very clear and modern user interface. It is therefore intuitive to use: 5 out of 5 stars

Price

The Pro version costs €30 per year. The Pro Plus version costs a hefty €60 per year, making it the most expensive app in our test.

Special features

It should also be mentioned that alpenvereinaktiv.com also offers a desktop version if you want to use a larger screen at home. We also find the Buddy Beacon option interesting, with which you can display the live position of a friendly alpenvereinaktiv user. It is also worth mentioning that the app also offers a social network where you can exchange ideas with like-minded people.

2. apemap

Apemap is the Swiss army knife among the apps compared. The app has an answer to everything, there are many different functions and a very large selection of maps available for purchase. In terms of implementation, however, the app often seems old-fashioned and incomplete. If you want to use apemap to its full potential, you have to unlock the Pro version, buy the maps and pay a large one-off fee. After that, however, you are not tied to a subscription and can use the app indefinitely.

Quality and selection of maps

The special thing about apemap is that the maps are not tied to a pricing model. Instead, they can be purchased separately in basic and full versions. The selection of free and paid maps is very large. The 3D mode should also be emphasized. In the basic version, this only shows shades of gray; in the full version, layers can also be placed on top. The basic version therefore ends with 3 out of 5 stars and the full version with 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Offline mode

No offline mode is available in the basic version: 0 out of 5 stars.

The Pro version offers unlimited offline map storage: 5 out of 5 stars.

User-friendliness

User-friendliness is definitely the weak point of apemap. Icons are clunky, meanings are unintuitive, the color scheme is exhausting. Intensive familiarization is required to use all the functions: 2 out of 5 stars

Price

The apemap full version costs €19.90 once and can then be used indefinitely. However, the app looks as if recent updates were made with the sole aim of making it work and it does not give the impression that many substantial improvements have been made. In addition to the price for the full version, there may also be costs for purchased maps.

3. bergfex/Touren

The app offers all the usual functions in the stable mid-range, but is quite attractively priced. It's a shame that the coverage of the high-quality maps ends outside of Austria.

Quality and selection of maps

The basic version offers a decent map with bergfex ÖK50. The OpenStreetMap version bergfex OSM also impresses with a very successful styling for our taste. If these two options are not enough, you can get more information from the basemap.at topographical map. One major drawback, however, is that coverage outside Austria is only available with aerial photos and bergfex OSM. So if you are traveling multinationally in the Alps, you should at least work in combination with another app. Because of this and the lack of a slope layer, we only give the basic version 1.5 out of 5 stars.

Bergfex attracts users to the full version with the slope layer and aerial images with information overlay. Since even the full version does not provide complete coverage of the Alps, we give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Useful tour directory

On Bergfex/Tour you will find a large number of ski tours, all of which have been editorially reviewed. The clear number of filters and the search via the map work well, but even here it is difficult to find out where a tour actually has its destination without another click. Bergfex/Tour is therefore in the midfield and therefore receives 3 out of 5 stars from us.

User-friendliness

The app is very clear and beautifully designed. However, it crashed once when we were using it. Therefore 4 out of 5 stars.

Price per year

Mountainfex/Tour also relies on a subscription model and charges €9.99 per year.

Special features

Additional useful functions: Inclinometer, emergency numbers, insurance conclusion, social network and a desktop version

4. FATMAP

FATMAP looks the most modern in comparison. With its comprehensive 3D aerial maps, the app definitely has a unique selling point. However, the tour content and quality of the aerial images make it seem as if the platform is still under construction. We look forward to a rosy future!

Quality and selection of maps

In the basic version, FATMAP offers a wealth of useful map products. In addition to the 3D maps for summer and winter, webcams, altitude, steepness, exposure, depressions, distance and avalanche danger are displayed. FATMAP has the edge, especially in the areas of technical map products that go further than just offering a slope gradient layer. Theoretically, the idea of 3D aerial images is also ingenious, but the quality of these is more a matter of luck with FATMAP. Especially in areas such as ridges or steep slopes, where detailed information could be needed in aerial images, the images are usually distorted and make interpretation impossible. With good, comprehensive aerial images there would be more stars, but currently our test result for the basic version ends with 3.5 out of 5 stars. The full version scores with additional topographical maps, snow depth, fresh snow, snow forecast, hiking distance and thus ends up with 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Tour directory

FATMAP offers rather few tours in comparison. They can only be filtered by difficulty level and distance. In terms of design, however, the developers don't let themselves down: the tours are displayed very elegantly and always visible as a line on the map. Overall, this leads to a rating of 2 out of 5 stars.

User-friendliness

FATMAP has a comparably modern interface. For users who are not very tech-savvy, using the 3D map app could be a challenge, but in this case you can easily switch to 2D. Overall, we rate the user-friendliness with 5 out of 5 stars.

Price

The full version of "FATMAP Explore" is available as a subscription for €29.99 per year.

Special features

Additional useful functions: Social network, desktop version

5. Locus Map

For those with an affinity for technology, this app offers almost endless possibilities. For example, see this PowderGuide.com article about the integration of slope maps. In this app, each map can be integrated and configured exactly to your own taste. However, if you just want to have a map and a route on your smartphone quickly and easily, we advise against using Locus Map.

Quality and selection of maps

Maps can be integrated into the Locus Map app in a variety of ways. Maps are available for free and for a fee in the internal Locus Store. There are no surprises, these are the maps that we are familiar with from the other apps. A unique selling point is the option to load your own maps into the app. This function really opens up a lot of scope for advanced users. We only give Locus Map in the basic version 2 out of 5 stars, as it is not possible to flexibly integrate the almost obligatory slope overlay. When purchasing the full version, we give 3.5 out of 5 stars. For custom maps, the rating scale is of course open at the top, but the lack of a 3D engine sets a limit.

Tour directory

There is a tour directory in the Locus Map but without ski tours: 0 out of 5 stars

User-friendliness

Locus Map is more suitable for a technically savvy audience. Due to the wealth of information and functionalities, a certain amount of familiarization is required. The color scheme and choice of icons can also quickly become overloaded. However, once you have familiarized yourself, everything works smoothly and without crashing. 3 out of 5 stars

Price

The company charges €9.90 for the full version of "Locus Map Pro"

6. Reality Maps

Reality Maps is our insider tip for advanced ski tourers. There is no complete coverage of the Alps and the app still seems to be in the development stage. But the 3D maps! If you are lucky enough to be in a covered area, you can access an incomparable database.

Quality and selection of maps

In the app, you can choose between 3D aerial images, 2D aerial images and topographical maps, which are probably based on OpenStreetMap. Some of the 3D data is also pure terrain data without image overlay. This terrain data with or without image overlay is a truly unique feature of Reality Maps. Anyone who likes to travel in advanced terrain can estimate to the centimeter what is still feasible and where there is an increased risk. Unfortunately, the OpenStreetMap map is only mediocre, which is why the app can only be used in combination with other maps. In addition to the maps, you can also display lifts, slopes and webcams. Unfortunately, the slope gradient overlay is currently only available in tour editing mode. We look forward to more, but currently only give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Tour directory

No routes are available in the basic version, with the full version you get access to a total of 160 ski tours from Rother Verlag in the Eastern Alps. The tours cannot be filtered but can be sorted by duration, altitude, route, difficulty and distance. We give the basic version 0 out of 5 stars and the full version 2 out of 5 stars. However, if you are often out and about near Munich, you might still be satisfied, as most of the tours can be found here.

User-friendliness

The color coordination is successful, but we were not convinced by the choice of symbols. Some of them are too similar and the meaning is not immediately clear. With a little practice, however, you can get to grips with them. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Price

There are different subscription packages, for the annual subscription Reality Maps charges €39.99 for the app.

Special features

Additional useful functions: VR panorama mode

7th SwissTopo

SwissTopo is the flagship of the Swiss authorities and a manifesto of Swiss thoroughness. The maps are of excellent quality and can be downloaded free of charge. Unfortunately, the app is limited to Switzerland and the range of functions cannot keep up with the other apps in our comparison.

Quality and selection of maps

The very good national map of Switzerland in the winter version is the core of the app. A lot more information can be displayed on the map, but the default selection is ski routes, slope gradient, wildlife reserves, wildlife rest areas and public transport stops. We give 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Tour directory

There is no ski tour directory for SwissTopo, so you have to limit yourself to the routes shown on the map. 2 out of 5 stars

8. White Risk

The White Risk app is best known as the app for information on snow conditions and avalanche danger in Switzerland. If you spend a little money, you get a decent tour planner with great maps for Switzerland, France and Austria. However, the basic version of the app's map module is not really useful for ski tours. Overall, we think that the White Risk app is a role model thanks to the combination of avalanche and snow data with a tour planner. We have dedicated a detailed review of WhiteRisk (mobile app in combination with desktop version) here.

Quality and selection of maps

After activating the tour planner, the maps for Switzerland (Swiss national maps), France (IGN) and Austria (BEV) provide you with data of the highest standard. Depending on the country, slope inclination and other useful information can be displayed. An OpenStreetMap map is available for all areas outside the countries mentioned. During our research, we noticed that the topographical maps for Germany are also available from a certain zoom level if you select Austria in the map view. The map section also includes snow and avalanche information for Switzerland, which is why we give the full version 3.5 out of 5 stars. For the basic version, only a simple OpenStreetMap map without a slope inclination layer is available: 1 out of 5 stars.

Offline mode

Once the route planner has been activated, the offline mode is available indefinitely. 5 out of 5 stars for the full version, 0 out of 5 stars for the basic version.

User-friendliness

The White Risk app is clearly laid out and impresses with its good design. 5 out of 5 stars.

Price

The full version costs CHF 29 per year.