# Lightspeed App vs xWind

The clearest difference is review sentiment: xWind at 75% against Lightspeed App's 12%. xWind also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). Lightspeed App's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Lightspeed App is free to download; xWind costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

xWind holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xWind has 550 ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Lightspeed App's written reviews are positive against 75% of xWind's.

Lightspeed App ships an update every 6 months, xWind fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightspeed App | xWind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [3.3 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightspeed-app/id1469234593/reviews) | **[4.6 (550 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xwind/id1477120117/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **550** |
| Positive reviews | 11.8% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 71 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lightspeed Aviation](https://appshunter.io/developer/541925734) | [Jan Bloemendaal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477120116) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightspeed App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightspeed-app/id1469234593)

Enhance your flight experience with real-time CO sensor monitoring and personalized audio. Record and archive radio conversations for review and training.

**Highlights:** Real-time CO sensor tracking, Smart CO alerts, Personalized audio equalization (HearingEQity™), Record radio conversations, Archive flight recordings, Draw flight diagrams

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### xWind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xwind/id1477120117)

This tool helps pilots quickly assess wind conditions relative to aircraft limitations. It displays essential wind data, including headwind, crosswind, and tailwind components, along with runway course and wind limits on a single screen for easy reference during flight.

**Highlights:** Headwind, crosswind, and tailwind calculation, Displays current wind direction and speed, Shows runway course, Indicates applied wind limits, Identifies 'forbidden' wind angles, Provides maximum wind speed table, Adjustable wind and runway settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and read
- 👍 Works well for its intended purpose
- 👍 Good interface
- 👍 Remembers settings
- 👍 Helpful for visualizing wind

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Numbers are unlabeled and ambiguous
- 🤔 Not intuitive
- 🤔 Difficult to understand
- 🤔 Instructions could be clearer
- 🤔 Old version was better

**Reported bugs**

- Speed toggle doesn't work, always shows MPS

**Requested features**

- Incorporate gust factors
- 3 customizable buttons for quick limit settings
- Different colored concentric rings inside the red limit ring


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightspeed App free?

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

### Is xWind free?

xWind costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lightspeed App or xWind?

xWind is rated higher. Lightspeed App averages 3.3 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while xWind averages 4.6 from 550 ratings.

### Do Lightspeed App or xWind have ads?

Neither Lightspeed App nor xWind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightspeed App or xWind?

Lightspeed App ships an update every 6 months, and xWind fortnightly. Most recently, Lightspeed App was updated on September 7, 2026 and xWind on September 25, 2026.

---

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