iBFDmonochrome vs Virtual VOR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iBFDmonochrome
This app provides pilots with a backup flight display, including an attitude indicator, heading indicator, and altimeter. It can also function as a flight data and cockpit voice recorder, offering essential information in emergencies when primary instruments fail.
- Attitude Indicator
- Heading Indicator
- Altimeter
- Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
- Map with airport information
- Multiple display color modes
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integrated Backup Flight Display (iBFD) Real pilots understand the risk of a primary flight instrument failure while flying. In certain situations the loss of the Attitude Indicator is perhaps the greatest risk a pilot can face. This iPhone based integrated Backup Flight Display (iBFD) is an inexpensive, easy to operate tool intended to reduce risk and improve safety if an instrument fails and no other backup is available. This application consists of an Attitude Indicator, Heading Indicator, Altimeter, Vertical Speed Indicator, speed Indicator, Side Slip Indicator, and Clock. Furthermore, in the portrait mode of the iPad, a Map is displayed below the Attitude Indicator, and when you enter an airport code such as KFTW, the direction and distance to the airport are displayed. It can also be used as Flight Data Recorder(FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder(CVR). This function is activated by touching the red circle in the upper left corner. Recording is stopped by touching the red circle again or it will be stopped automatically when large G is applied. iBFD uses the iPhone's 3 axis Gyro sensor as its primary sensor. Pitch and Roll angles are calculated using the Gyro data and the same algorithm as strap down Inertial Reference Systems (IRS). GPS and Accelerometer are used with Kalman filter as sensor fusion to prevent gyro drift and improve Accuracy. The iBFD performs noticeably better than other comparable applications on the market. Unfortunately the iBFD doesn't have FAA certification. It doesn't have enough reliability for use as Primary Flight Instruments, and neither our software nor your iPhone have been subjected to rigorous certification tests. And the accuracy of Map and Airport Information is not guaranteed. All information displayed on the iBFD is for reference only! Therefore, we are not responsible for any death, injury or damage as a result of using the iBFD. USE THIS DEVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK! Nevertheless, during an In Flight Emergency having an iBFD is far better than having no instrument at all. Particularly if in a limited visibility situation with an inoperative Attitude Indicator. Engine vibration can affect accuracy of the iBFD, so special consideration must be given to mounting the iPhone to the cockpit instrument panel or glare shield. Other features (1) There are three display color modes; Day, Night or NVC. (2) Altitude/Speed is selectable in units of feet/knots, feet/MPH or meter/kilometers per hour. (3) Airspeed is calculated using GPS Speed, Wind Direction, and Wind Velocity. Wind Direction and Velocity are obtained via ATIS and set manually. (4) Pitch angle zero can be adjusted manually by touching center of the display or slider setting. (5) Magnetic Heading or True Heading, and GPS or M.S.(Magnetic Sensor) are selectable. (6) Settings Window for entering parameters and user preferences. (7) Battery Icon indication. (8) Recorded data can be accessed by Files. (9) Magnetic Heading can be adjusted with the slider. (10) Function to correct roll angle. However, when performing this function, the iPhone needs to be correctly placed horizontally. (11) Local time or UTC is selectable. (12) GPS Altimeter and Barometric Altimeter. (13) Roll indicator (Sky pointer or Ground pointer) is selectable. Note: Initial roll and pitch angle are calculated using the accelerometer at the time of alignment (same as real IRS). Therefore, if acceleration due to motion is applied during alignment, an angle error will occur. However, such initial angle error automatically decreases with time and disappears after a few minutes in case of level flight.
Virtual VOR
This navigation app allows users to place a VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) beacon anywhere on a map. It provides VOR-DME and ADF gauges for flight simulation or training purposes.
- Place VOR beacons anywhere
- VOR-DME gauge display
- ADF gauge display
- Customizable VOR placement
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Virtual VOR-DME, cast your VOR wherever you want, and get a VOR-DME and ADF gauges.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: iBFDmonochrome at none against Virtual VOR's shown. iBFDmonochrome also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Virtual VOR's advantage is ratings volume (46 vs 9). On price, review sentiment, update cadence 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.
iBFDmonochrome holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Virtual VOR has 46 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of iBFDmonochrome's written reviews are positive against 86% of Virtual VOR's.
iBFDmonochrome ships an update every 11 months, Virtual VOR every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | iBFDmonochrome | Virtual VOR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (9 ratings) — better | 4.0 (46 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews — better | 85.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 46 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tatsuo Saeki | Gev Simon |
Customer experience
iBFDmonochrome
Virtual VOR
In-app purchases
iBFDmonochrome
No in-app purchases
Virtual VOR
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is iBFDmonochrome free?
Is Virtual VOR free?
Which has better reviews, iBFDmonochrome or Virtual VOR?
Do iBFDmonochrome or Virtual VOR have ads?
Which is updated more often, iBFDmonochrome or Virtual VOR?
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