# Garmin Explore™ vs pgpilot flight companion

The clearest difference is review sentiment: pgpilot flight companion at 100% against Garmin Explore™'s 46%. pgpilot flight companion also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). Garmin Explore™'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pgpilot flight companion sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Garmin Explore™ asks for nothing beyond the download.

pgpilot flight companion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Explore™ has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Garmin Explore™'s written reviews are positive against 100% of pgpilot flight companion's.

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, pgpilot flight companion every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Explore™ | pgpilot flight companion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pgpilot-flight-companion/id6759820116/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#112** | — |
| Size | 452 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [eide.ai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1880927762) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Explore™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-explore/id1276675721)

**Currently charting:** #112 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Navigate off-grid with this app, which pairs with a compatible Garmin device for trip planning, mapping, and navigation even without Wi-Fi or cellular service. Plan routes, download maps for offline use, and sync data to the cloud.

**Highlights:** Off-grid navigation, Trip planning, Offline map downloads, Pair and sync with Garmin device, Activity library, Cloud storage, LiveTrack location sharing

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent for planning routes and activities
- 💡 Great for offline navigation with downloaded maps
- 👍 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 👍 Useful for tracking and sharing adventures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with Garmin devices
- 🔍 Lacking detailed map options in some regions
- 🔍 Confusing interface and terminology
- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🔒 Requires login and internet connection for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Sync failures between app and Garmin devices
- Disappearing or corrupted user data
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS/Android versions
- Unreliable offline map downloads

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit waypoint coordinates
- More customization options for map layers and displays
- Improved route planning and navigation features
- Better syncing and data management between app and devices
- Support for more Garmin device models


### pgpilot flight companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pgpilot-flight-companion/id6759820116)

This app provides paragliding pilots with essential tools for flight, including navigation, thermal assist, and instrument panels. It also features voice chat, group creation, and visualization of landing spots with glide range.

**Highlights:** Thermal assist, Navigation, Instrument panels, External vario support, Voice chat, Group creation, Glide range visualization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $1.99 | per month |
| pgpilot Supporter | $6.00 | per month |
| pgpilot Early Supporter | $29.00 | per year |
| pgpilot Supporter Year | $39.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Explore™ free?

Garmin Explore™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is pgpilot flight companion free?

pgpilot flight companion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Garmin Explore™ or pgpilot flight companion?

pgpilot flight companion is rated higher. Garmin Explore™ averages 4.2 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while pgpilot flight companion averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Garmin Explore™ or pgpilot flight companion have ads?

Neither Garmin Explore™ nor pgpilot flight companion shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Garmin Explore™ or pgpilot flight companion?

Garmin Explore™ ships an update monthly, and pgpilot flight companion every 5 days. Most recently, Garmin Explore™ was updated on November 1, 2026 and pgpilot flight companion on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*