PlaneSpotting vs SpotLog
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PlaneSpotting
Track civilian and military aircraft registered in the UK. Log sightings with details like location and photos, or record flight information. Export your data for analysis and bulk import.
- UK aircraft registration database
- Log sightings with photos
- Record flight details
- Data export and import
- Browse aircraft by type
- Regular updates
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PlaneSpotting is the ultimate app for anybody involved with the aviation industry in the UK from professional pilots to plane spotters! It contains the details of every civilian flying machine registered to fly in the UK - more than 20,000 of them! Increasing numbers of UK Military aircraft (current and historic) are also being added with each update. The standard version database is updated annually. If you require the very latest registrations we recommend our Premium Subscription which is updated every two weeks with, typically, 70 registration changes. For Sightings you only need to save the Registration but you can also add: Location, Photo (camera or library), Date & notes. For Flights you only need Origin & Destination but you can also add: Registration (adding number automatically generates a spot), Photo (camera or library), Departure Date & Time (defaults to current date & time for quick save on boarding), Arrival Date & Time & Notes. You can view your data via Trip or Location or Browse the entire internal app database via type! You can export your data for viewing via a spreadsheet, this will also allow you to add sightings or flights in bulk and then import the file. We encourage your interaction with us via our dedicated website or directly from within the app. If you provide us with a default type image (assuming you have copyright permissions) your name and the URL of your choice will be included in the next update! Premium Subscription details: Subscription price: £4.99 Description: Provides our Premium Service database for users who need the very latest UK registrations. Trial duration: None Offered Subscription duration: 1 year Please read below about the auto-renewing subscription nature of this product: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Terms of Use: http://www.plane-spotting.co.uk/privacyPolicy.htm Privacy Policy: http://www.plane-spotting.co.uk/privacyPolicy.htm
SpotLog
Log train sightings with precise location, time, and date. Access detailed datasets for European railway systems, including locomotives and rolling stock. This app is designed for enthusiasts to meticulously record their observations.
- Record train sightings
- Log location, time, and date
- UK and European railway datasets
- Details on locomotives and rolling stock
- User-friendly interface
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Record trains seen with location, time and date. App has datasets for UK and many other European railway systems with details of loco's, units and other rolling stock. https://spotlog.org/spotlog/gettingstarted
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: PlaneSpotting at Free against SpotLog's $2.99. PlaneSpotting also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 70%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). SpotLog's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On ads 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
PlaneSpotting is free to download; SpotLog costs $2.99 up front. PlaneSpotting sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.49 per year. SpotLog asks for nothing beyond the download.
PlaneSpotting ships an update fortnightly, SpotLog every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PlaneSpotting | SpotLog |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (13 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 70.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 175 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Imagekings Limited | Mark Goodspeed |
Customer experience
PlaneSpotting
SpotLog
In-app purchases
PlaneSpotting
- Premium Service Database$5.491 Year
SpotLog
No in-app purchases








