onX Backcountry review

onX built Backcountry for people who leave the trailhead parking lot and keep going. The Premium membership, $29.99 a year on the US App Store, includes unlimited offline maps, immersive 3D views, custom route building, trail condition reports and local guidebook-quality Adventures for hiking, mountain biking, ski touring and climbing. Its terrain layers stand out: slope angle, slope aspect and active wildfires, plus avalanche forecasts, the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale and an avalanche simulator with potential release areas. Elite, $99.99 a year, adds private land boundaries and landowner names across the United States, dispersed camping maps, recent satellite imagery and partner gear discounts. The free version keeps satellite, topo and hybrid maps and trip tracking but limits you to one offline map and leaves out trail descriptions. onX SOS, sold separately at $49.99 a year, adds emergency response coordination. The coverage and land data are focused on the United States.

Who it is for

Backcountry hikers and ski tourers who want 3D maps, terrain analysis and unlimited offline maps for a low yearly price.

Price

Free version; Premium $29.99 a year on the US App Store (about $2.50 per month); Elite $99.99 a year; 7-day Elite trial.

Backcountry Premium Yearly $29.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Unlimited offline maps with 3D views on Premium
• Custom route building and local expert-curated guidebooks
• Slope angle, slope aspect and active wildfire layers
• Avalanche forecasts, Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale and an avalanche simulator
• Elite adds private land boundaries, landowner names, dispersed camping and recent imagery

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Premium at $29.99 a year includes unlimited offline maps and route building
• Strength: Strong terrain and avalanche tools for winter and off-trail travel
• Strength: Free version keeps satellite, topo and hybrid maps and trip tracking
• Weakness: Free version saves only one offline map
• Weakness: Private land data needs the $99.99 Elite plan
• Weakness: onX SOS rescue coverage is a separate $49.99 a year subscription

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, one offline map
• Premium: $29.99/yr
• Elite: $99.99/yr
• Free trial: 7 days of Elite
• Add-on: onX SOS $49.99/yr

Where it ranks

onX Backcountry is No. 2 in our Best Hiking Apps verdict.