PilotPal vs Flight Sim Deck
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PilotPal
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.
- Offline charts
- Airport Facility Directories
- Airport Diagrams
- Airport Information (Maps, Frequencies, Elevation, Helipads)
- Monthly updated FAA charts
- Nearby and favorite airports
- Airport search
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PilotPal is the easiest way to flight plan. PilotPal brings the FAA airport facility directory and Airport Diagrams to your pocket. Features: • Offline Charts: Easily download airports or entire regions for offline use • Airport Facility Directories • Airport Diagrams • Weather via METAR and TAF • Wind maps • Airport Information including: • Maps • Frequencies • Elevation • Helipads • Updated FAA charts every month so you're always up to date. • Nearby airports: Easily find airports around you • Favorite airports: Save your favorites for quick access • Airport search: Easily find any airport or helipad • Dark mode • iPad support Built by real pilots with a love for aviation Feedback or issues: tinybyteapps@gmail.com Legal: Airport facility directories and airport diagrams are provided by the FAA. Always consult appropriate and available sources to prepare for your flight. Our privacy policy is available at: https://pilotpal-1139.firebaseapp.com/privacypolicy.htm Our terms of service is available at: https://pilotpal-1139.firebaseapp.com/termsofuse.html
Flight Sim Deck
This app acts as a comprehensive electronic flight bag for virtual pilots using X-Plane. It centralizes flight information, instrument displays, checklists, and weather data, transforming your device into a connected cockpit companion.
- Real-time instrument streaming (PFD/MFD)
- SimBrief OFP import
- Interactive checklists
- METAR weather and airport database
- FMS/WebFMC control
- Integrated scratchpad and PDF reader
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Flight Sim Deck is the essential flight companion for virtual pilots on X-Plane. Designed to replace multiple windows and third-party apps, this application transforms your device into a comprehensive and connected Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Whether you are a long-haul airline captain or a general aviation enthusiast, Flight Sim Deck centralizes everything you need for an immersive and organized flight. Key Features: High-Fidelity Instrument Streaming: Display and interact with your aircraft's Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Display (MFD) in real-time via our dedicated plugin. Advanced Themes: Enjoy immersive designs specifically for the G1000 and Embraer E-Jets (X-Crafts compatible), including texture streaming for perfect readability. SimBrief Integration: Instantly import your complete Operational Flight Plan (OFP) by simply entering your SimBrief ID. Access routes, fuel, and payloads. FMS / WebFMC Control: Enter your flight plans and manage the Flight Management Computer (CDU) directly from your tablet's touchscreen (requires WebFMC plugin for some functions). Integrated Checklists: Access a vast library of interactive checklists via SimChecklist, automatically adapted to your aircraft type. Weather & Airports: Automatic METAR retrieval for your departure and arrival airports. Includes an airport database to quickly find diversion airfields. Flight Tools: Scratchpad: Take quick notes (clearances, frequencies) directly in the app. PDF Reader: Consult your navigation charts and flight documents. Voice Announcements: Be audibly alerted to critical events (e.g., autopilot disconnect). Easy Connectivity: The app connects to X-Plane via our free "Flight Sim Deck Bridge" plugin. It supports both automatic and manual (IP/Port) connections for a stress-free setup. Note: This application requires the X-Plane 11 or 12 flight simulator on PC/Mac to operate.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flight Sim Deck at none against PilotPal's 3. Flight Sim Deck also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). PilotPal's advantage is ratings volume (663 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PilotPal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Flight Sim Deck asks for nothing beyond the download.
Flight Sim Deck 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, Flight Sim Deck weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PilotPal | Flight Sim Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (663 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 55.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 663 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tinybyte Apps LLC | jerome BENAUT |
Customer experience
PilotPal
Flight Sim Deck
Bugs and requests
PilotPal
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
6 requests- Airport diagram printing functionality
- Ability to sort favorites tab
- Front and back page information inclusion
- Improved search functionality for VOR locations
- Legend/index documentation
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- Comprehensive chart supplement data (VFR corridors, visual reporting points, VOR test locations)
Flight Sim Deck
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PilotPal
- Airport Diagrams$0.991 Month
- PilotPal Monthly3 Days trial$2.991 Month
- PilotPal Pro3 Days trial$19.991 Year
Flight Sim Deck
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PilotPal free?
Is Flight Sim Deck free?
Which has better reviews, PilotPal or Flight Sim Deck?
Do PilotPal or Flight Sim Deck have ads?
Which is updated more often, PilotPal or Flight Sim Deck?
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