# PilotPal vs Runway Wind

The clearest difference is price: PilotPal at Free against Runway Wind's $0.99. PilotPal also leads on ratings volume (663 vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). Runway Wind's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

PilotPal is free to download; Runway Wind costs $0.99 up front. PilotPal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Runway Wind asks for nothing beyond the download.

Runway Wind holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PilotPal has 663 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, Runway Wind every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PilotPal | Runway Wind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (663 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotpal-flight-planner-efb/id1060952159/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runway-wind/id1549637693/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **663** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 55.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 19 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tinybyte Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592418784) | [Small Aviation Tools](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887792413) |

## What reviewers say

### PilotPal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotpal-flight-planner-efb/id1060952159)

This app provides FAA aviation airport charts and facility directories for easy flight planning. Access airport diagrams, frequencies, elevation, and helipad information offline. Stay updated with monthly chart revisions and quickly find nearby or favorite airports.

**Highlights:** Offline charts, Airport Facility Directories, Airport Diagrams, Airport Information (Maps, Frequencies, Elevation, Helipads), Monthly updated FAA charts, Nearby and favorite airports, Airport search

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airport Diagrams | $0.99 | per month |
| PilotPal Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| PilotPal Pro | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean and simple user interface
- 🚀 Quick access to airport information
- 📱 Effective airport directory functionality
- ⭐ Excellent customer support
- 🎯 Minimalist design with focused mission

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall-locked features behind subscription
- 🔒 Subscription access issues and bugs
- 📊 Incomplete airport chart coverage
- ❌ Missing chart supplement sections
- 🚫 Difficult to unsubscribe

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription verification loop - shows already subscribed but denies access
- Airport diagrams not displaying despite active subscription
- App stopped working after February update
- General app functionality failures
- Missing settings/preferences menu

**Requested features**

- Airport diagram printing functionality
- Ability to sort favorites tab
- Front and back page information inclusion
- Improved search functionality for VOR locations
- Legend/index documentation


### Runway Wind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runway-wind/id1549637693)

Calculate headwind, tailwind, and crosswind components for takeoff and landing. This tool helps pilots visualize wind direction and speed relative to a runway, with reference icons for clarity.

**Highlights:** Headwind, tailwind, crosswind calculation, Runway and wind alignment, Wind speed slider, Lock runway rotation, Wind sock and chart symbol reference

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PilotPal free?

PilotPal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Runway Wind free?

Runway Wind costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PilotPal or Runway Wind?

Runway Wind is rated higher. PilotPal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 663 ratings, while Runway Wind averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PilotPal or Runway Wind have ads?

Neither PilotPal nor Runway Wind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PilotPal or Runway Wind?

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, and Runway Wind every 8 months. Most recently, PilotPal was updated on September 22, 2026 and Runway Wind on September 27, 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.*