# ArcGIS Earth vs FDsidekick

The clearest difference is rating: FDsidekick at 5.0 against ArcGIS Earth's 3.5. FDsidekick also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). ArcGIS Earth's advantage is ratings volume (45 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

FDsidekick holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcGIS Earth has 45 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ArcGIS Earth ships an update every 3 months, FDsidekick every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ArcGIS Earth | FDsidekick |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcgis-earth/id1442724282/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fdsidekick/id6795324398/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 35.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 145 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ESRI](https://appshunter.io/developer/379687933) | [Erik Patrinostro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1616290144) |

## What reviewers say

### ArcGIS Earth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcgis-earth/id1442724282)

Explore and visualize geographic data in an intuitive 3D environment. Supports a wide range of data sources, including online services and local files. Offers tools for analysis, placemark management, and creating immersive tours.

**Highlights:** 3D geographic data visualization, Connect to ArcGIS Online/Enterprise, Support for local data files, Interactive analysis tools, Placemark collection and sharing, Create and share tours

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### FDsidekick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fdsidekick/id6795324398)

This app offers quick access to preflight and inflight notes and utilities. It includes features for customizing notecards, viewing imported PDFs, and a specialized aviation calculator. You can also create PA scripts and jot down notes with stylus support.

**Highlights:** Customizable Notecard with Autofill, PDF Reference Viewer, Aviation Calculator, PA Script Creator, Touch/Stylus Notepad

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ArcGIS Earth free?

ArcGIS Earth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FDsidekick free?

FDsidekick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ArcGIS Earth or FDsidekick?

FDsidekick is rated higher. ArcGIS Earth averages 3.5 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while FDsidekick averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ArcGIS Earth or FDsidekick have ads?

Neither ArcGIS Earth nor FDsidekick shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ArcGIS Earth or FDsidekick?

ArcGIS Earth ships an update every 3 months, and FDsidekick every 5 days. Most recently, ArcGIS Earth was updated on November 11, 2026 and FDsidekick 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.*