Comparison

Balloon Live vs Box the Wind

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Balloon Live

This official competition logger app is designed for hot air balloon pilots. It offers flight recording, electronic marker drops, and goal declarations. It synchronizes with online platforms for live tracking and competition data.

Highlights
  • Two app modes: training and competition
  • Flight recording with start/stop
  • Up to 18 electronic marker drops
  • Up to 18 goal declaration slots
  • IGC-file recording and export
  • Automatic flight resume
  • Connects to external Balloon Live Sensor box
Features
Read full description

The application is the official FAI Balloon Live competition logger app. The app is used in hot air balloon competitions and has the following features: - 2 app modes: training and competition - Flight recording with Start/Stop functionality - Up to 18 different electronic marker drops - Up to 18 goal declaration slots - Recording in IGC-file format - Export as IGC-file - Automatic flight resume on app restart (after force close) - Connection to external Balloon Live Sensor box In competition mode: - List of watchmefly events with user login - Synchronization of competition settings and flight data with watchmefly.net - Live tracks to watchmefly.net In-app payments: - Payment of the pilot fee for using the Balloon live system in a competition

About

Box the Wind

This app provides hot air balloon pilots and chase crews with essential tools for competition flying. It offers offline maps, live tracking, task management, and real-time flight data, all designed to enhance performance and safety in the air.

Highlights
  • Offline maps for competition areas
  • Live pilot to crew tracking
  • Competition task import and editing
  • Real-time drift and approach data
  • Flight recording and sharing (GPX)
  • Wind guidance and updates
Features
Read full description

Box the Wind is for flying a balloon competition with a simplified IT layer. Fly, don't fight the computer or app. It's for the pilot in the basket and the crew chasing them. This is a competition-specific ballooning app, not a general one. Its features are focused on what the competition pilot needs, and no more. It is designed to fly next to the BLS and BLA setup and replace a cumbersome IT setup. Load the day's tasks, pick a target, and get live bearing, distance, and closest approach on your current drift. See the contest area, the prohibited zones. Crew sees both the ballon position and theirs. The maps work both online and offline. WHAT'S IN IT • Tasks, shared. Import a WatchMeFly task sheet via URL (web page or PDF), edit it, tap a target to make it active. Marker color, number, and timing sit right in the list. The crew can import the pilot's tasks whenever they change, or run their own version. • The wind cone. Your measured drift by altitude plus a forecast sounding, with an AGL bar showing which level heads toward the target. • Live tracking support for the crew. Position flows pilot to crew over a private channel in real time. A clear stale marker shows if the link drops. The crew's own position shows too. • Declare goals easily. Auto-find the 4/4 from the display center, or key one in during flight, checked against the contest area before you commit. • Zones and warnings. Import Red, Yellow, Blue, and Red-Road zones and the contest boundary. Audible and on-screen warnings fire as you approach or infringe, with per-zone ceilings and floors. • Offline maps. Download street and aerial imagery for your region before launch; it renders fully offline in the air. • Practice mode. Log electronic marker drops and get the 2D or 3D distance to the target. A training tool, not official scoring. • Recording. Every flight logs to GPX — replay, rename, share, or import. ... and more ... Built to BFA/FAI AX conventions: the UTM 4/4 grid, the standard task types. Show units in metric, imperial, or a mixed mode that keeps altitude in feet and distance in meters. Actually, for real, free. No account. No ads. No tracking. Your location is used only to show your position, recording and sharing only when you want. Actively supported and listening to requests.

Screenshots

Balloon Live4 screens
Box the Wind1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Box the Wind at Free against Balloon Live's $4.99. Box the Wind also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Box the Wind is free to download; Balloon Live costs $4.99 up front. Balloon Live sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Box the Wind asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Box the Wind holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Balloon Live ships an update monthly, Box the Wind every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
Balloon Live versus Box the Wind: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBalloon LiveBox the Wind
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.5 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB13 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperFédération Aéronautique InternationaleJefferson Wagener

Customer experience

Balloon Live

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Box the Wind

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Balloon Live

One-time1
  • Balloon Live event credit$9.99
None

Box the Wind

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Balloon Live free?
Balloon Live costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Box the Wind free?
Box the Wind is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Balloon Live or Box the Wind?
Box the Wind is rated higher. Balloon Live averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Box the Wind averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Balloon Live or Box the Wind have ads?
Neither Balloon Live nor Box the Wind shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Balloon Live or Box the Wind?
Balloon Live ships an update monthly, and Box the Wind every 3 weeks. Most recently, Balloon Live was updated on October 3, 2026 and Box the Wind on October 5, 2026.

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