# PilotPal vs Smart DGR

The clearest difference is update cadence: Smart DGR at every 3 weeks against PilotPal's every 3 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 Smart DGR sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, Smart DGR every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PilotPal | Smart DGR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (663 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotpal-flight-planner-efb/id1060952159/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **663** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tinybyte Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592418784) | [AvioDev Solutions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800257240) |

## 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


### Smart DGR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-dgr/id6796352530)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart DGR Pro Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Smart DGR Pro Yearly | $74.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PilotPal free?

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

### Is Smart DGR free?

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

### Do PilotPal or Smart DGR have ads?

Neither PilotPal nor Smart DGR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PilotPal or Smart DGR?

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, and Smart DGR every 3 weeks. Most recently, PilotPal was updated on September 22, 2026 and Smart DGR on October 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*