Comparisons · By Josh Forcier · 7 min read · Updated 2026-09-30
onX Hunt vs HuntStand for Elk Hunters
onX Hunt and HuntStand compared for elk hunters: yearly plan prices, property lines, offline maps, terrain tools, wind features and who each app suits.
For elk hunters, pick onX Hunt if you want terrain filters and draw research beside your property lines: Elite, at $99.99 a year, adds TerrainX slope, aspect and viewshed tools. Pick HuntStand if you want a usable free app and nationwide property lines for $34.99 a year. The same $34.99 buys one state of onX Premium.
This comparison uses each company's plan pages, help pages and App Store listings, checked September 30, 2026. We did not measure GPS accuracy, battery use or offline reliability in the field. Prices change and can differ by store, so confirm the offer at checkout.
What do onX Hunt and HuntStand cost?
onX Hunt Premium costs $34.99 a year for one state. Premium Two State costs $49.99 a year. Elite costs $99.99 a year, or $14.99 a month, and covers all 50 states and Canada. The 7-day free trial includes Elite features. After it ends, onX says land ownership, offline maps and map layers are limited until you subscribe.
HuntStand is free to download and use, with ads. Pro lists at $34.99 a year on huntstand.com and covers the United States and Canada. Ultimate lists at $99.99 a year. The HuntStand App Store description still shows Pro at $29.99 a year, so the price can depend on where you subscribe. HuntStand's plan page shows annual billing only.
The difference shows up once you hunt more than one state. For $34.99, onX Premium gives you property data for one state, and HuntStand Pro gives you property lines across the country. An elk hunter who applies in several western states and wants onX land ownership everywhere needs Elite.
Prices checked September 30, 2026, from each company's plan pages. Taxes, promotions and in-app pricing can differ.
| Feature | onX Hunt | HuntStand |
|---|---|---|
| Without paying | 7-day trial with Elite features, then limited land ownership, offline maps and layers | Free app with ads: markers, drawing, measuring, weather, solunar and HuntZone wind |
| Entry plan | Premium: $34.99/year for one state, or $49.99/year for two states | Pro: $34.99/year on huntstand.com for the U.S. and Canada ($29.99 in the App Store description) |
| Top plan | Elite: $99.99/year or $14.99/month, all 50 states and Canada | Ultimate: $99.99/year |
| Property lines | One or two states on Premium, all states and Canada on Elite | U.S. and most of Canada on Pro, owner names in the U.S. only |
| Offline maps | Unlimited on Premium and Elite | Unlimited on Pro and Ultimate |
| Terrain tools | 3D maps on Premium. TerrainX slope, aspect, elevation band and viewshed on Elite | 3D mapping on Pro. LiDAR terrain maps added in an October 2025 app update, plan not stated |
| Recent imagery | About every two weeks, plus leaf-off imagery, on Elite | Monthly satellite imagery on Pro, lower resolution than aerial |
| Wind | Wind and weather forecasts, waypoints tagged with their best wind | HuntZone scent map for now or up to 72 hours ahead, free |
| Elk extras | Elite: draw odds, application reminders, Huntin' Fool research | Ultimate: 15-day elk activity forecasts and elk rut maps |
Which app has better terrain tools for elk?
onX documents the deeper terrain toolset, but most of it sits in Elite. TerrainX can highlight a slope angle, a slope aspect and an elevation band, and its viewshed shows what you can see from a point on a ridge or along a route. onX's own elk e-scouting article uses those filters to find moderate rut slopes, north faces for late season and glassing knobs. Elite also adds route building, recent imagery about every two weeks, leaf-off imagery and LiDAR maps. Premium includes 3D maps.
HuntStand Pro includes 3D mapping and monthly satellite imagery. HuntStand says the monthly layer is lower resolution than standard aerial imagery and is meant for spotting recent change, such as fresh burns, timber cuts and snow cover. Its App Store release notes added LiDAR terrain maps in October 2025 without naming a plan. The plan pages we checked do not list a slope, aspect or viewshed filter.
HuntStand's most elk-specific tools are in Ultimate: 15-day activity forecasts and rut maps for elk, mule deer, blacktail and whitetail. The Ultimate page also lists western game unit maps. Treat activity forecasts and rut dates as timing guidance, then check them against fresh sign and what you see in the glass.
onX Elite covers the research side of elk planning: draw odds, tag trends, harvest statistics, application deadline reminders and Huntin' Fool research. If you apply for limited tags in several states, that research may matter more to you than any map layer.
Offline maps, property lines and wind
Both apps list unlimited offline maps on their paid plans. onX lets you save an area at low, medium or high resolution. In either app, download the full approach and exit route, switch to airplane mode, and reopen the map from a fresh launch before the trip.
onX Premium shows land ownership for the state you choose, and Elite extends it to every state and Canada. HuntStand Pro shows boundaries across the U.S. and most of Canada, with owner names in the U.S. only. onX says its parcel data updates every one to two years, and more often in active regions, depending on when counties and data providers refresh their records. Treat any line in either app as planning context and confirm access with the land agency or county before you cross it.
Wind is the strongest part of HuntStand's free app. HuntZone maps scent impact from wind speed, direction and time of day, for the current hour or up to 72 hours ahead. onX includes wind and weather forecasts in Premium and lets you tag waypoints with the wind that suits them. In steep country, thermals and terrain bend the wind, so check any forecast against the slope and the time of day before you commit to an approach.
Which should an elk hunter choose?
Choose onX Hunt if you hunt western public land, apply for limited tags, and want terrain filters in the same app as your property lines and offline maps. Elite is the plan that covers all of that. Premium makes sense if you hunt elk in one state and mainly need land ownership and offline navigation.
Choose HuntStand if you want nationwide property lines on a smaller budget, a free wind tool, or group features such as shared hunt areas and stand reservations. It also suits hunters who split the year between whitetail ground and an elk trip, since several of its tools, including stand reservations, food plot mapping and the Ultimate whitetail habitat map, are built for whitetail properties.
HuntStand is a weaker fit if you want documented slope, aspect and viewshed filters or draw research in one app. onX is a weaker fit if you need property lines in several states for $34.99, or want to keep using a capable app without paying.
Where RidgeRead fits
Either app can stay your navigation map. RidgeRead is an elk terrain-analysis app. It ranks terrain candidates such as benches and saddles and explains the slope, aspect, cover and access behind each one, with LiDAR, wind scenarios and saved plans. Free includes three analyses per month. Pro is $4.99 a month, with $29.99 a year where offered.
A ranked point is not a current elk location, and layer coverage varies by area. Many hunters use one app for boundaries and navigation and a second tool to decide which pins deserve the hike.
Test both on one basin before you pay
The onX trial includes Elite, and HuntStand's free app covers markers, measuring and HuntZone. Load the same elk basin in each. Mark the trailhead, a likely bedding bench and a glassing point, then compare what each app shows about ownership, terrain and wind along that route.
During the onX trial, download the area, go offline and reopen the app. Pan the whole route and confirm your marks and layers load. HuntStand offline maps need Pro, so run the same check after subscribing and before the trip. If you gave payment details for the onX trial and decide against it, onX says to cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends.
Sources and scope
Published by RidgeRead. This is a documentation-based comparison checked September 30, 2026, not an independent field test or a measured GPS-accuracy ranking. Competitor features and prices come from the linked official sources; promotions, taxes, platform and plan availability can differ. Confirm the current offer before subscribing.
- onX membership features and current plans
- onX published membership prices
- onX TerrainX elk scouting workflow
- onX Hunt pricing and plan feature chart
- HuntStand subscription plans and prices
- HuntStand Pro features
- HuntStand free, Pro and Ultimate features
- HuntStand Ultimate elk forecasts and rut maps
- HuntStand App Store listing, in-app prices and release notes