OpenWind vs luftline
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
OpenWind
This application connects to a specialized instrument to display real-time sailing data, including vessel pitch and roll, compass readings, and wind speed and direction. It also provides insights into the instrument's battery level and Bluetooth connection strength. The app requires a connection to the OW instrument to function.
- Real-time sailing data display
- Vessel pitch and roll monitoring
- True and apparent wind data
- Compass and course over ground
- Instrument battery level
- Bluetooth connection strength
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The OpenWind App is an extension for the OpenWind instrument, designed to receive all the Data measured during sail time, such as: - pitch/roll of the vessel - compass - true wind speed and direction - apparent wind speed and direction - course over ground - speed over ground The App also gives information about the battery level of the instrument and the strength of the bluetooth connection. The App only works after connecting to the OW instrument. UDP NMEA 0183 output sentences for AWA/AWS and TWA/TWS
luftline
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Save a place while you're on wifi. Find it again on foot, with no signal. luftline is a quiet compass for travelers. Search for the museum, the bakery, the hotel before you leave home — with one swipe each becomes a saved place that works without a network. Later, when you're on a foreign street corner with a single bar of signal and roaming charges you'd rather avoid, you tap a place and a single ink needle points the way. That's the whole app. WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT – Saved places work entirely offline. No tiles to download, no maps that expire, no account to make. – A real compass, not turn-by-turn. The needle shows distance, bearing, how far you've walked. You choose the route. – Calm, minimal interface inspired by Japanese ink and washi paper. Nothing shouts. – Nothing leaves your device. No tracking, no ads, no analytics. HOW IT WORKS 1. While you're online — at home, in a café, in the hotel lobby — search for any place: a restaurant, a viewpoint, a station, a bookshop. 2. Swipe right to keep it. The location, address, and coordinates are saved to your phone. 3. When you're walking, tap the saved place. The compass turns and points. Walk toward it. WHAT IT ISN'T luftline isn't a turn-by-turn router. It won't say "in 200 meters, turn left." It assumes you can read a city — that you'd rather find your own way than be talked at. If you want voice navigation, this isn't it. If you've ever walked the wrong way out of a metro stop in a foreign city and felt the small panic of not knowing which direction is which — luftline is for that. Available in English and German.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: OpenWind at fortnightly against luftline's every 105 months. OpenWind also leads on device support (5 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
OpenWind ships an update fortnightly, luftline every 105 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | OpenWind | luftline |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 105 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 52 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Liesenberg | Rachid El Khayari |
In-app purchases
OpenWind
No in-app purchases
luftline
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is OpenWind free?
Is luftline free?
Do OpenWind or luftline have ads?
Which is updated more often, OpenWind or luftline?
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