Comparison

fDeck vs SondeScope

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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/

About

SondeScope

Read full description

SondeScope is an app that transforms your device into a powerful tool for exploring radiosondes in the sky. Point your device to sky and see where radiosondes are actually flying. Well, within line of sight - of course! Key Features: - Real-Time Sky Exploration: Point your device towards the sky, and SondeScope instantly identifies and displays real-time data from radiosondes in your vicinity. - User-Friendly Interface: SondeScope boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for both weather enthusiasts and curious minds to explore the invisible layers above. No ads, no analytics, no tracking, no selling information out. The app wants to use your location information; this is crucial of course for the app to work as all calculations are based on your location. The app doesn't give the location information to anyone outside the app. Your location is solely used inside the app. The app doesn't have any analytics inside so it only communicates to sonde source and do not give any sensitive or personal information out. This app uses Sondehub.org as data source. Sondehub is a powerful tool to view radiosonde flights all around the globe. Sondehub.org receives radiosonde data from hundreds of listening stations around the world and provide this for hobbyist and professionals all kind. Visit https://sondehub.org for more. The data is used by permission. Big thanks to Sondehub for making this possible! Now track some sondes and go for search adventure, sondehunting is fun!

Screenshots

fDeck4 screens
SondeScope1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: fDeck at Free against SondeScope's $0.99. SondeScope's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

fDeck is free to download; SondeScope costs $0.99 up front. fDeck sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. SondeScope asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

fDeck ships an update every 3 weeks, SondeScope daily. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
fDeck versus SondeScope: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterfDeckSondeScope
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.8 (328 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings328 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size137 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDarren YeatesJouni Erola

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
Show 4 more
  • 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
Show 4 more
  • User-defined waypoints with latitude/longitude input
  • Primary flight display (PFD) for airliner-style instruments
  • Accurate elevation data for locations
  • iPad split-screen compatibility

SondeScope

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

fDeck

Subscriptions2
  • fDeck monthly lounge access$1.991 Month
  • fDeck annual lounge access$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • fDeck lifetime lounge access$29.99
None

SondeScope

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is fDeck free?
fDeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SondeScope free?
SondeScope costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do fDeck or SondeScope have ads?
Neither fDeck nor SondeScope shows ads.
Which is updated more often, fDeck or SondeScope?
fDeck ships an update every 3 weeks, and SondeScope daily. Most recently, fDeck was updated on September 23, 2026 and SondeScope on September 14, 2026.

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