Comparison

OpenADSB vs Mini Radar

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

OpenADSB

This app provides a high-performance, native iOS interface for tracking aircraft. It connects to various air traffic data sources like dump1090 and Virtual Radar Server, offering detailed aircraft information and customizable display options for an enhanced user experience over web interfaces.

Highlights
  • Connects to dump1090, tar1090, and Virtual Radar Server
  • Preconfigured with ADS-B Exchange
  • Displays thousands of aircraft with history trails
  • Configurable filtering and highlights
  • Detailed aircraft information
  • Imperial or metric unit display
  • Supports Dark Mode and multitasking
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

If you enjoy tracking aircraft using dump1090, tar1090 or Virtual Radar Server, then you'll enjoy OpenADSB. OpenADSB is a full featured high performance flight tracker display app that connects to a variety of backend air traffic sources. Enjoy OpenADSB's smooth native iOS experience instead of using the web interface. PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING: You purchasing a general purpose air traffic display app that connects to a variety of servers types. New traffic sources can be added under Settings (gear button) - Track Source. As a convenience, OpenADSB comes preconfigured to use ADS-B Exchange. Air traffic from ADS-B Exchange is the sole responsibility of ADSBexchange.com, LLC. Frequent users are encouraged to support ADS-B Exchange through donations (adsbexchange.com/donate). Features: • Connects to dump1090, tar1090 and Virtual Radar Server. • Comes preconfigured using ADS-B Exchange (adsbexchange.com). Note that OpenADSB is not affiliated with ADSBexchange.com, LLC • Smoothly displays thousands of aircraft • Shows aircraft history trails • Various aircraft and history trail color schemes and optional legend • Fully configurable filtering, display only the aircrafts you want to see • Configurable military, VFR and emergency highlights • Long-press on an aircraft to perform a browser search engine search of its callsign and registration • Tap on an aircraft to show more details • Details are fully configurable and includes callsign, registration, ICAO hex code, altitude, speed, vertical speed, heading, aircraft type, squawk code, MLAT, latitude/longitude and more • Display values in imperial or metric units • Bookmark up to 5 favorite locations • Mail track details feature, send an email containing an aircraft's details along with a map snapshot, fully configurable • Optimized data fetching logic minimizes network, battery usage and server load • Highly configurable • Supports Dark Mode • Supports Split View, Slide Over and multitasking on iPad • Keyboard shortcuts for external keyboards Limitations and Disclaimer OpenADSB is a general air traffic visualizer for dump1090, tar1090 and Virtual Radar Server data sources. OpenADSB is not affiliated with ADSBexchange.com, LLC. As a convenience, OpenADSB comes preconfigured using ADSBexchange.com as the default data source. Air traffic data, its accuracy, and its validity, is the sole responsibility of the data provider. OpenADSB is for entertainment use only, and not for operational, flight, navigation, traffic avoidance or any mission critical use.

About

Mini Radar

View live aircraft around you on a radar scope or in augmented reality. Get detailed information on each plane, customize your view, and set alerts for favorite aircraft. Ideal for aviation enthusiasts and curious minds.

Highlights
  • Live radar scope
  • AR Sky View
  • Aircraft details
  • Customizable views
  • Favorites and alerts
  • Apple Watch support
  • Dynamic Island integration
Features
Read full description

Mini Radar shows the aircraft flying around you, live, on a clean radar scope. It's built on adsb.fi — a free, community-run ADS-B network. Volunteers around the world run small receivers and share what they pick up, and that shared feed is what you see. No account, no subscription, no ads. WHAT YOU GET • A live radar centered on you — or anywhere you search • Tap any aircraft for details: type, registration, altitude, speed, heading, squawk, and route (origin to destination) when available • Switch between a classic radar scope and a satellite map backdrop • Pinch, double-tap, or drag to zoom — from a few miles out to 250 NM • Color aircraft by type (commercial, private, helicopter, glider, military…) or by altitude, or switch on distinct per-type icons • North-up or heading-up — one tap on the compass button rotates the scope (radar or satellite) so the direction you're facing is up • A live contacts list and class filters, right on the scope • Sweep or pulse animation — your choice • A nearest-aircraft compass that always points to the closest plane POINT AT THE SKY • AR Sky View — hold up your phone and see the aircraft overhead, labeled in real space; pinch to zoom in ON YOUR WRIST • A standalone Apple Watch radar — zoom with the Digital Crown, tap a plane for details ALWAYS-ON GLANCE • Dynamic Island and Lock Screen tracking for what's overhead — your favorites, or any aircraft nearby, with a live bearing arrow FAVORITES & ALERTS • Star aircraft by tail number, callsign, or hex — they're highlighted whenever they appear nearby • Optional alert when a favorite comes within 10 NM of you (opt-in; uses background location only while it's turned on) SAVED PLACES • Save and name locations to jump between them • Choose what the radar opens to: your live location, the nearest airport, or a saved spot MADE TO READ EASILY • Colorblind-friendly palette • Light, dark, or automatic theme A NOTE ON COVERAGE Because the data comes from volunteer receivers, coverage is best where people are feeding and can have gaps elsewhere. Not every aircraft broadcasts ADS-B, and route lookups aren't available for every flight. Mini Radar is for curiosity and learning — not for navigation or any operational use. Want better coverage where you live? Anyone can become a feeder with a Raspberry Pi, an RTL-SDR dongle, and an antenna. There's a short how-to inside the app. Data by adsb.fi. Route information by adsbdb.

Screenshots

OpenADSB4 screens
Mini Radar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Mini Radar at Free against OpenADSB's $10.99. Mini Radar also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 69%). OpenADSB's advantage is ratings volume (108 vs 8) and chart position (#20 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Mini Radar is free to download; OpenADSB costs $10.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mini Radar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenADSB has 108 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of OpenADSB's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mini Radar's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OpenADSB ships an update every 2 weeks, Mini Radar every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
OpenADSB versus Mini Radar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenADSBMini Radar
Price$10.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (108 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings108 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#20 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSteve KuoJohn Grey80227563111

Customer experience

OpenADSB

All ratings108 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral5.6%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive68.6%
Neutral9.8%
Negative21.6%

Mini Radar

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

OpenADSB

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes when moving map or accessing settings
  • App refuses to update, requiring reinstallation
  • App freezes and locks up iPhone
  • No aircraft display despite proper configuration
  • JSON response errors after iOS updates
Show 6 more
  • VRS data source disappears from settings
  • App crashes 5 seconds after opening
  • Military filter causes all aircraft to disappear
  • Photos not loading or displaying
  • Incorrect routing information for flights
  • Selected altitude data showing wrong values

Requested features

18 requests
  • Aircraft-specific icons (like Flightradar24)
  • Search button on main screen for N-number lookup
  • Dark mode for nighttime use
  • Notifications/alerts for tracked aircraft
  • 3D map view like Google Earth
Show 13 more
  • Track single aircraft with auto-panning
  • Full flight history tracking
  • iCloud sync for filter settings
  • Ability to toggle ground vehicles on/off
  • Adjustable range rings on map
  • Historic aircraft lookup
  • Different icons for helicopters vs planes
  • Departure/arrival boards display
  • Filter by operator name instead of codes
  • Radar ID display and filtering
  • iOS 16 dark icon support
  • Improved settings organization
  • German localization

Mini Radar

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

OpenADSB

No in-app purchases

None

Mini Radar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OpenADSB free?
OpenADSB costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mini Radar free?
Mini Radar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, OpenADSB or Mini Radar?
Mini Radar is rated higher. OpenADSB averages 4.4 out of 5 from 108 ratings, while Mini Radar averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do OpenADSB or Mini Radar have ads?
Neither OpenADSB nor Mini Radar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OpenADSB or Mini Radar?
OpenADSB ships an update every 2 weeks, and Mini Radar every 2 days. Most recently, OpenADSB was updated on October 12, 2026 and Mini Radar on September 22, 2026.

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