# PilotPal vs CX

The clearest difference is price: PilotPal at Free against CX's $19.99. PilotPal also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (663 vs 11). CX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#58 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

PilotPal is free to download; CX costs $19.99 up front. PilotPal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. CX asks for nothing beyond the download.

PilotPal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PilotPal has 663 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of PilotPal's written reviews are positive against 36% of CX's.

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, CX every 8 months. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PilotPal | CX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (663 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotpal-flight-planner-efb/id1060952159/reviews)** | [3.7 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cx-3-flight-computer/id1645428895/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **663** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **55.0% of reviews** | 35.7% 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 |
| Best chart rank | — | **#58** |
| Size | 19 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tinybyte Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592418784) | [ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/334278379) |

## 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


### CX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cx-3-flight-computer/id1645428895)

**Currently charting:** #58 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This aviation tool simplifies flight planning for pilots. It offers accurate calculations for time, speed, distance, fuel, and more, along with unit conversions and a built-in calculator. Designed for ease of use, it guides users through flight planning and execution with a natural menu flow.

**Highlights:** Flight planning calculations, Time, speed, distance functions, Fuel and altitude calculations, Unit conversions (12 categories), Weight and balance calculations, Holding pattern details, Built-in calculator, clock, timer

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PilotPal free?

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

### Is CX free?

CX costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PilotPal or CX?

PilotPal is rated higher. PilotPal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 663 ratings, while CX averages 3.7 from 11 ratings.

### Do PilotPal or CX have ads?

Neither PilotPal nor CX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PilotPal or CX?

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