# Aufwind vs XCMania

The clearest difference is rating: XCMania at 4.9 against Aufwind's 4.0. XCMania also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Aufwind's advantage is review sentiment (53% vs 33%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aufwind sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year and XCMania sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

XCMania holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Aufwind's written reviews are positive against 33% of XCMania's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Aufwind ships an update every 2 months, XCMania every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aufwind | XCMania |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aufwind-glider-flight-prep/id1472566219/reviews) | **[4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcmania/id1494610953/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **53.3% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 120 MB | 133 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fifteen Jugglers Software UG](https://appshunter.io/developer/292972357) | [刚 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1318656438) |

## What reviewers say

### Aufwind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aufwind-glider-flight-prep/id1472566219)

Plan cross-country glider flights with detailed weather forecasts, airspace information, and a visual task planner. Export your plans to flight computers or XCSoar. Access soaring-specific weather data like thermal strength and cloudbase.

**Highlights:** Visual task planner, Overlay airspaces and NOTAMs, Soaring weather forecasts, Export tasks to flight computers, Import custom waypoints and airspaces, SkySight weather integration

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aufwind Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Aufwind Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


### XCMania

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcmania/id1494610953)

This app transforms your mobile device into a sophisticated flight computer, offering advanced features like real-time weather radar, 3D thermal visualization, and automated SOS alerts. It provides certified flight records and integrates with online contests, aiming to enhance pilot decision-making and safety.

**Highlights:** Real-time Doppler weather radar, 3D thermal visualization, Live Tracking with automatic SOS, Certified flight record for online contests, Flight Planner, Global elevation and airspace maps, Support for external varios and FLARM devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Competition - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Competition - Annual | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aufwind free?

Aufwind is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is XCMania free?

XCMania is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Aufwind or XCMania?

XCMania is rated higher. Aufwind averages 4.0 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while XCMania averages 4.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do Aufwind or XCMania have ads?

Neither Aufwind nor XCMania shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aufwind or XCMania?

Aufwind ships an update every 2 months, and XCMania every 3 weeks. Most recently, Aufwind was updated on September 11, 2026 and XCMania on September 9, 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.*