# Skyby — Live overhead flight ID

> Live overhead commercial flight tracker with real-time identification and alerts. (iPhone/iPad app by StoryForward.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyby/id6763821459 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [StoryForward](https://appshunter.io/developer/509563620)
- Category: Travel, Navigation
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 7 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 10 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-07-13
- Data updated: 2026-08-22
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyby/id6763821459/reviews.md

## What is Skyby?

Know exactly what's flying over you.

Look up, and whatever is overhead appears on screen. Airliners, private jets, helicopters, and more, identified instantly. No searching, no typing, no menus.

Whether you're a planespotter camped at the end of a runway or a casual fan glancing up from home, Skyby reads the sky in real time and shows the aircraft directly above: the airline or operator, the aircraft type, the altitude, and, for scheduled flights, where it came from and where it's headed. An inbound indicator shows when a flight is coming into range.

Two ways to use it:

Set it and forget it. Prop Skyby on a desk, shelf, or windowsill and leave it running: a quiet radar for your patch of sky. Set an alert for the aircraft you care about, and Skyby chimes the moment one flies over.
Pull it out and look up. On a walk or in the backyard, open Skyby and see what's flying over right now.

From airliners to helicopters:

Skyby identifies it all. The passenger and cargo jets, the private planes and business jets, the helicopters overhead. And yes, if a blimp drifts over, Skyby catches that too. Prefer to keep it to the airlines? Flip on Commercial Only in settings.

Set your spot, or take it with you:

Use your current location
Drop a pin anywhere in the coverage area to watch the planes over home while you're away
Or set the pin to live, and Skyby follows you as you move

WHAT YOU GET

Instant overhead ID for the aircraft above you
Adjustable search area, up to 3 nm free (wider with Pro)
Alerts that chime when a plane you care about flies over (A380 and 747 built in, free)
An inbound indicator when a flight is coming into range
Real routes and aircraft types for scheduled flights
A logbook that saves your catches automatically
Available across the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand today, with more on the way

Skyby Pro adds aircraft photos matched to the tail number (when available), custom alerts (any airline, aircraft type, flight number, or tail), your full logbook with search and bookmarks, detailed stats, and an even wider search radius.

Skyby runs on iPhone and iPad, and it shines on iPad propped up on a desk or shelf.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

## Key features

- Instant overhead flight identification
- Real-time airline, origin, and destination
- Aircraft type and altitude display
- Inbound flight indicator
- Customizable alerts for specific aircraft
- Automatic logbook of flights

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skyby Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Skyby Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skyby Founder Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (6 of 6)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyby/id6763821459/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Really fun app for aero nerds like myself

*2026-08-02*

Easy to use. Free version will show you all planes flying right overhead which is super awesome

### 5/5 — So Neat!

*2026-08-01*

This app is awesome for anyone who’s interested in knowing what planes fly around them! You can set a pin, I like to choose an airport obviously, and you can see what flights are taking off or coming in! Truly a fun thing to have in the background or to impress your friends ;)

### 5/5 — Love!!

*2026-07-31*

I bought the paid version and love it. Super cool!!

### 1/5 — Can’t get the app to work

*2026-07-29*

So confused all this app is, is a map of where I am. Nothing else. Can’t get anything to work.

**Developer response:** Hi Jen, thanks for trying out the app, and I'm sorry you're having problems!

This is on me, Skyby only shows a flight when a plane is genuinely overhead, so a quiet sky looks like a broken app, and I didn't make that clear enough. I just pushed an update that spells this out better, so grabbing the latest version should help.

The fastest way to see it working: open the menu in the top right, tap Location, and move your pin to a nearby airport. You should then see things going on. Move it back home anytime and it'll catch whatever flies over you. If it still seems off, email me at support@skyby.app and I'll personally help.

### 4/5 — One problem

*2026-07-28*

not being able to change the radius on the free version is a big no go. This is one of the most important things in the app it’s being kept.

**Developer response:** Hi, thanks for the feedback! Stuff like this helps us make the app better, so in the new update (v1.22) we've widened the free search area to 3 nm. Hope that works better for you!

### 5/5 — New App

*2026-07-28*

It’s a really good app. Tells you information about a flight that’s near you.

## Frequently asked questions about Skyby

### What is Skyby?

Skyby is a live airline tracker that identifies commercial flights flying directly overhead in real-time. It displays the airline, origin, destination, and aircraft type, making it easy to know what's in the sky above you.

### What information does Skyby provide about overhead flights?

Skyby provides the airline name, origin and destination airports, aircraft type, and current altitude for commercial flights directly overhead. It also features an inbound indicator for approaching flights.

### Can I set alerts for specific planes with Skyby?

Yes, Skyby offers custom alerts. You can set notifications to chime when specific airlines, aircraft types, flight numbers, or tail numbers fly over, including built-in alerts for A380 and 747.

### What are the subscription options for Skyby Pro?

Skyby Pro offers two subscription plans: a monthly plan for $2.99 and an annual plan for $19.99. These unlock features like aircraft photos, custom alerts, and a wider search radius.

### What regions does Skyby currently cover?

Skyby is currently available across the United States and Canada. The developer plans to expand coverage to more regions in the future.

### Is Skyby suitable for younger users?

Skyby has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for younger users. The app's focus on identifying commercial flights is generally appropriate for this age group.

### How often is Skyby updated?

Skyby was last updated on July 15, 2026, with version 1.0.1. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support for the application.

### What devices does Skyby support?

Skyby is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. The app is noted to perform particularly well on the larger screen of an iPad.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.23 — 2026-08-21

Fixed a first-run bug where the welcome screen could get stuck on some devices.

Also cleaned up the catch cards so they look a little less cluttered when a flight passes overhead.

### 1.22 — 2026-08-09

You asked for it, you got it! It's now easier to catch what's flying overhead.

• Free accounts can now search up to 3 nm
• Getting your initial location is much faster now
• Fixed a bug that occasionally let planes lose their correct identity as they cross your sky
• The altitude slider is now more precise down low, so low altitudes are easier to set
• Accidental taps near the controls no longer nudge your map pin to the edge of the screen
• Assorted glitch fixes and polish

Thanks for looking up with us!

### 1.21 — 2026-07-31

Skyby 1.21 - Now looking up in Australia, New Zealand, and Greenland

Skyby has crossed the equator. If you are under the approach into Sydney, Auckland, or somewhere far more remote (we're looking at you, Perth), the sky overhead is now yours to read.

Also new:

-The sky is never empty. When nothing is overhead, Skyby now shows you the nearest flight and points you toward it.
-Locked on through landing. When a flight lands while within your radius, Skyby now rides it all the way to touchdown and ends on a clean "Landing...", with smoother fades throughout. Like butter!
-Heads-up for everything. Incoming alerts now fire for helicopters and small aircraft too, not just airliners.
-We fixed a bug where a plane might display the wrong animated icon, including one that kept insisting it was a blimp. It was not.

Happy spotting, wherever you are under.

### 1.2 — 2026-07-26

Skyby now identifies everything that flies!

- All aircraft: Not just airliners. Private planes, business jets, helicopters and even blimps now appear overhead alongside scheduled flights, each with its type and operator.
- New aircraft icons: Piston planes, helicopters, and airships each have their own silhouette on the radar.
- Commercial Only Toggle: Prefer airlines only? Flip on "Commercial Only" in settings to keep Skyby focused on commercial flights.

Thanks for using Skyby. Keep looking up!

### 1.1.1 — 2026-07-22

Behind-the-scenes improvements to help us make Skyby better and faster.

## Apps similar to Skyby

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Fleet: Planes You’ve Flown](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fleet-planes-youve-flown/id6756808430) | 4.9 (440) | Free | Travel |
| [Airspace Live: Flight Radar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airspace-live-flight-radar/id6781411574) | 4.9 (33) | Free | Travel |
| [FlightDeck - Flight Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flightdeck-flight-tracker/id6759628645) | 4.6 (1,093) | Free | Travel |
| [Tricordarr](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tricordarr/id6754777522) | — | Free | Travel |
| [Travel Japan Buddy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/travel-japan-buddy/id6745487463) | — | Free | Travel |
| [OpenADSB](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openadsb/id1178703539) | 4.4 (108) | $10.99 | Travel |

## More apps by StoryForward

- [StoryForward](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storyforward/id509563617)

All apps by StoryForward: https://appshunter.io/developer/509563620

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-22.*