Comparison

Garmin TXi Trainer vs Alert Simulator

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

Head to head
About

Garmin TXi Trainer

Virtually explore Garmin's G500/G600 TXi flight displays and engine information systems on your iPad. Familiarize yourself with touch interfaces, various configurations, and simulated system information before flying with the actual hardware.

Highlights
  • Simulated touch and bezel interface
  • TXi EIS (Engine Instrumentation System)
  • Multiple display configurations
  • Aviation databases
  • SafeTaxi and FliteCharts
  • Simulated system information
Read full description

The Garmin G500 TXi, G600 TXi and TXi EIS Trainer provides an on-the-ground environment to experience these products virtually anywhere you can take an iPad. Easily familiarize yourself with these flight displays and engine information systems prior to flying behind them. The Trainer includes: - Simulated touch and bezel interface – interact with the primary flight and multi-function displays, become familiarized with the new HSI Map one-touch zoom gesture, full- and split-screen PFD/MFD modes, on-screen autopilot controls, and much more - TXi EIS (Engine Instrumentation System) – demonstrates common engine gauge layouts for single-engine piston, multi-engine piston, and single-engine turboprop aircraft - Selection between 10", 7" Portrait, and 7" Landscape configurations for multiple aircraft types - explore the broad range of options available in the TXi series - Garmin North America and Jeppesen Worldwide/Americas aviation databases are available – go to Settings > More to select the database used. - Garmin SafeTaxi and FliteCharts – view detailed airport information and published approach charts on the moving map - High resolution worldwide terrain and obstacle databases, including powerline alerting - Simulated system information for: - ADS-B and TCAS Traffic with TargetTrend™ Relative Motion - FIS-B and SiriusXM Weather - Garmin GWX 75 Weather Radar - Stormscope Lightning Detection * Note: The Trainer is currently only supported on iPads with an A7 Chip or newer, including iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, and later. * This app contains simulated data and does not receive data from or interact with real Garmin avionics. Content may differ slightly from actual hardware for demonstration purposes or be out-of-date with respect to the latest airborne software and database cycles. This app should not be used for navigation purposes. * Some functionality that requires a navigator or other products, e.g., flight plans from GTN, may be unavailable in this standalone Trainer. * Visit Garmin's web site for additional GTN/TXi Trainer options, TXi flight familiarization and tutorial videos, and to explore our fully-featured training programs.

About

Alert Simulator

Features
Read full description

This app generates simulated alerts that could happen in a plane during cruise for pilot training. You can use the app in two ways: You can generate a random simulated alert at any time by pressing the Run One Now button. If you enable notifications, you can select a duration for cruise and frequency, press start flight and receive the notification in the background while doing other tasks, for example on your electronic flight bag. If you didn't enable notification you will just receive one simulated alert immediately. If you receive an simulated alert via a notification, you can click on it to see its detail on the app. The simulated alert can be either a situation, like an engine failure or a crew alerting message on your avionics, and you should determine and review all the steps required to handle the situation, identify and run checklists, information in pilot handbook, review the actions you should take. It relies on a predetermined database of alerts corresponding to the plane you select. Currently only two planes are available. The goal is for you to regularly go through the motion required for managing alert, so should a real alert happens it will be automatic. This app is open source on GitHub.

Screenshots

Alert Simulator1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Alert Simulator at every 2 weeks against Garmin TXi Trainer's every 8 months. Garmin TXi Trainer's advantage is iOS requirement (14 vs 18.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Garmin TXi Trainer ships an update every 8 months, Alert Simulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Garmin TXi Trainer versus Alert Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGarmin TXi TrainerAlert Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews16.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS14 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2.5 GB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDigital CycloneBrice Rosenzweig

In-app purchases

None

Garmin TXi Trainer

No in-app purchases

None

Alert Simulator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Garmin TXi Trainer free?
Garmin TXi Trainer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Alert Simulator free?
Alert Simulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Garmin TXi Trainer or Alert Simulator have ads?
Neither Garmin TXi Trainer nor Alert Simulator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Garmin TXi Trainer or Alert Simulator?
Garmin TXi Trainer ships an update every 8 months, and Alert Simulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, Garmin TXi Trainer was updated on July 4, 2026 and Alert Simulator on September 10, 2026.

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