# PilotPal vs Handy Pilot

The clearest difference is ads: PilotPal at none against Handy Pilot's shown. PilotPal also leads on ratings volume (663 vs 1). Handy Pilot's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PilotPal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Handy Pilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Handy Pilot 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, Handy Pilot every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PilotPal | Handy Pilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| 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/handy-pilot/id1573532661/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **663** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 55.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tinybyte Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592418784) | [Shin Nariai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573530687) |

## 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


### Handy Pilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-pilot/id1573532661)

This app offers a suite of aviation-specific calculation tools for pilots of all levels. It simplifies complex flight planning and in-flight adjustments with features like unit conversion, wind component calculation, and descent rate planning. Enhance your flight efficiency and safety with these essential tools.

**Highlights:** Unit Converter for flight operations, Time Calculator for flight planning, Turning Radius and STD Rate Turn calculations, Wind Component and Limitation calculators, Descent Rate and Path Angle calculators, ILS and PAPI indication calculations, Holding Entry Pattern and Load Factor calculations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Features | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PilotPal free?

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

### Is Handy Pilot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PilotPal or Handy Pilot?

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

### Do PilotPal or Handy Pilot have ads?

Handy Pilot shows ads; PilotPal does not.

### Which is updated more often, PilotPal or Handy Pilot?

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, and Handy Pilot every 3 days. Most recently, PilotPal was updated on September 22, 2026 and Handy Pilot on October 12, 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.*