fDeck vs Pooleys iPlates
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
fDeck
This app provides a comprehensive flight deck with realistic instruments for aviation enthusiasts and pilots. It includes navigation tools, real-time weather, and traffic data, functioning as both a training aid and a supplementary instrument set.
- Realistic flight instruments (HSI, VOR, ADF, etc.)
- Interactive aviation moving map
- Live weather and ADS-B traffic data
- Radio navigation training simulation
- Worldwide aviation database
- X-Plane flight simulator integration
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fDeck turns your iPhone or iPad into a working aircraft instrument panel - a graphically beautiful flight deck for your pocket, with live weather, real ADS-B traffic, a flight planner and a powerful radio-navigation trainer. Trusted by 50,000+ pilots, student pilots and flight-sim enthusiasts worldwide. 100% ad-free. A FULL PANEL OF INSTRUMENTS Every instrument is hand-crafted to look and behave like the real thing - responsive, animated, and controlled with intuitive touch. Mix and match any combination to build your own flight deck: • Synthetic Vision (Vision PFD) • Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) • VOR receiver • Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) • Artificial Horizon • Altimeter (GPS/Baro) • Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) • Aircraft compass with heading bug • Groundspeed indicator • Chronometer with fuel totaliser • Live weather & wind, with TAF/METAR in raw or decoded form Every instrument has its own built-in video tutorial. LEARN TO NAVIGATE Pan your aircraft anywhere on the map and watch every instrument respond in real time. Tune any VOR, NDB or radio aid from a worldwide database - or build your own virtual navaids to practise tracking radials, intercepts and holds. The best radio-navigation trainer you can carry. PLAN YOUR FLIGHT Build a flight plan and slave any instrument to it. Waypoints transition automatically as you fly, so every needle keeps pointing exactly where it should - no re-tuning between legs. FLY WITH CONFIDENCE • Worldwide aviation database: 20,000+ airports and navaids, updated monthly • Aviation moving map with airspace, airports and navaids • Optional 5/10/20NM range rings and enhanced radial lines • Live ADS-B traffic with a built-in traffic avoidance (TCAS) system • Tag your own aircraft registration to silence alerts on yourself • Export your tracks as GPX or KML FOR YOUR HOME COCKPIT Drive the instruments straight from X-Plane or Microsoft Flight Simulator via the flight simulation connection, and turn any device into a secondary instrument panel. PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST No ads. No tracking across other apps. We never sell your data and collect only what is needed to run the app. NEW IN VERSION 3.0 • Vision: a brand-new synthetic vision PFD (early access - 2D now, 3D coming soon) • Now 100% ad-free • Microsoft Flight Simulator support, alongside X-Plane FDECK PREMIUM fDeck is free to download and use. Become a Premium member to unlock: • Premium and Early Access instruments (including Vision) • Unlimited user navigation stations • Monthly navigation database updates • Map weather overlays & live virtual radar • Live ADS-B traffic with TCAS alerting • Live TAF & METAR reports • Unlimited X-Plane & MSFS flight simulation connection • Crazy fast support from the dev! Premium is available as a monthly or annual subscription, or as a one-time lifetime purchase. • Payment is charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase • Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends • Manage or cancel anytime in your account settings IMPORTANT fDeck is a training aid and a supplementary/backup instrument. It is not a certified instrument and must not be used as a primary means of navigation. Questions or ideas? I read every email personally - just use "Contact the developer" in the app, or the contact page on my website: https://fdeck.app/support/#contact Full details of our Terms of Service and Privacy policy can be found at the following URLs: Terms of Use: https://fdeck.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://fdeck.app/privacy/
Pooleys iPlates
Access and manage essential aviation charts and reference documents for the UK and Republic of Ireland. Easily download, store, share, and print up-to-date information with a user-friendly interface and favorite selection options.
- UK and Republic of Ireland aviation plates
- Download, store, share, and print charts
- User-friendly interface
- Favorites folder for quick access
- Regular electronic updates
- Offline search functionality
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The Pooleys iPlates App is your convenient source of Pooleys plates to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. With a simple to follow user interface, the app is easy to use and navigate. Plates and reference documents are separated into easy to manage folders. Favourites can be selected and the individual plates and reference documents included in your own personal favourites folder. Updates are easily managed and users are alerted to available updates which can be quickly downloaded over wifi or your mobile network. Pooleys is the generic word for accurate, up-to-date airfield and airspace information. You can use the App to download, store, share and print aviation charts and other related materials. Subscriptions last for 12 months from the date of purchase. The price includes updates to the Pooleys Guides during that period. The UK Flight Guide will be updated on a minimum 28 day cycle. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Prices of subscriptions: Pooleys UK Flight Guide - £29.99 Pooleys Ireland Flight Guide - £19.99 *** Great reasons to choose the Pooleys iPlates App for your Apple Device *** Pooleys offers you: - Quick and easy access to the latest and most up-to-date Pooleys plates available - Accuracy and reliability that has made the Pooleys Flight Guide the No.1 UK guide for seven decades - Regular iPlates electronic updates. As soon as we make a change, you get it when you sync your device with our servers - Easy to use search engine - available on and offline - Nominate your favourite airfield plates for easy access - Print and share your iPlates Terms of Use (EULA) : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: fDeck at free with in-app purchases against Pooleys iPlates's subscription. fDeck also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Pooleys iPlates's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 90%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). 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
Both are free to download. fDeck sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Pooleys iPlates sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
fDeck ships an update every 3 weeks, Pooleys iPlates every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | fDeck | Pooleys iPlates |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (329 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 329 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 141 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Darren Yeates | Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd |
Customer experience
fDeck
Pooleys iPlates
Bugs and requests
fDeck
Reported bugs
9 issues- Compass inverted display
- Map pointer inverted
- VOR OBS reverse sensing (TO/FROM indication incorrect)
- Maps fail to load/display
- X-Plane simulator connection unreliable
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- VSI inaccuracy compared to actual aircraft instruments
- App incompatible with iPhone SE screen format
- Ads cannot be closed and require app restart
- Weather pressure readings 1mb inaccurate
Requested features
9 requests- Compass horizontal configuration support (180 degrees)
- CarPlay functionality for in-vehicle navigation
- EFIS version for advanced glass cockpit simulation
- Local NOTAM integration
- CAA airspace overlay for UK users
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- User-defined waypoints with latitude/longitude input
- Primary flight display (PFD) for airliner-style instruments
- Accurate elevation data for locations
- iPad split-screen compatibility
Pooleys iPlates
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
fDeck
- fDeck monthly lounge access$3.991 Month
- fDeck annual lounge access$24.991 Year
- fDeck lifetime lounge access$49.99
Pooleys iPlates
- Pooleys Ireland Flight Guide$19.991 Year
- Pooleys UK Flight Guide$29.991 Year








