Comparison

xWind vs Pilot

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

Head to head
About

xWind

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
Currently charting
Read full description

xWind is an easy to use tool to assist pilots in evaluating wind conditions with respect to head, cross and tailwind limitations. Once setup, the xWind app provides all information in one single screen, requiring minimal user interaction during high workload phases of flight, displaying: - Current wind direction and speed - Runway course - Cross and head or tailwind components - Currently applied wind limits - 'Forbidden' wind angles based on the current wind speed - Maximum wind speed table based on current wind limits ​ Reference wind, runway course, as well as wind limits, can all be adjusted on the main screen by either dragging the wind arrow, course rose or wind limit lines. A settings button at the bottom presents a popup screen where both the units for wind speed (Kts or Mps) and the default values for wind limits can be specified. In addition to the general setting for wind speed units, the user can select the alternative units for only the current wind, wind components and maximum winds table by double tapping the wind display at the top of the main screen. When operating from a Kts country into Mps territory, this option allows to set the current wind and see the maximum allowed winds in Mps, based on limits that are still set in Kts. Or vice versa.... xWinds supports iOS darkmode.

About

Pilot

This reference app provides flight crews with fast, offline access to over 14,000 aviation abbreviations and acronyms. It includes organized lists for general terms, datalink messages, airports, aircraft registrations, and airlines, drawing from numerous international sources.

Highlights
  • Offline access to 14,000+ aviation abbreviations
  • Organized lists: general, CPDLC, airports, registrations, airlines
  • Covers FAA, NOTAM, EASA, Jeppesen, and more
  • Fast and intuitive search functionality
  • Created by a pilot for pilots
  • Optimized for flight planning and in-flight reference
Features
Read full description

Pilot-Abbr – Aviation Abbreviations for Flight Crews Pilot-Abbr is a powerful reference app designed for professional pilots, providing fast, offline access to over 14,000 aviation abbreviations and acronyms from international sources. Main Features: Five Organized Lists: • Abbreviations – General aviation terms used by pilots. • CPDLC Messages – Commonly used datalink message elements. • Airports – IATA and ICAO codes, airport name, city, and flag. • Registrations – Aircraft registration codes by country. • Airlines – IATA and ICAO codes, airline name, and country. Sources Include: • FAA Abbreviations • U.S. Aeronautical Contractions • NOTAM Abbreviations • Canadian AIM • Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) • Jeppesen • Boeing Acronyms • EASA Acronyms • Dangerous Goods and Ground Handling codes • And more Whether you're decoding a NOTAM, preparing for departure, or reviewing CPDLC messages, Pilot-Abbr gives you the reference you need — anytime, even offline. Why Pilots Use Pilot-Abbr: • Created by a pilot, for pilots • Fast, intuitive search • Covers operational, regulatory, and airline-specific terms • Optimized for flight planning, briefing, and in-flight reference Subscription Details • $4.99/year, auto-renewable • Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase • Manage or cancel your subscription in your iTunes account settings • No partial refunds Legal • Privacy Policy & Terms of Service: https://villarroel98.wixsite.com/hazmat-pjv/about • Apple EULA (End User License Agreement): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Pilot-Abbr — The most complete aviation abbreviation tool on the App Store. Essential for every flight crew.

Screenshots

xWind4 screens
Pilot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Pilot at Free against xWind's $0.99. xWind's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (75% vs 33%). On ads and device support 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

Pilot is free to download; xWind costs $0.99 up front. Pilot sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. xWind asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

xWind holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xWind has 550 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of xWind's written reviews are positive against 33% of Pilot's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

xWind ships an update fortnightly, Pilot every 31 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
xWind versus Pilot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterxWindPilot
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (550 ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings550 — better4
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 31 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#126 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJan BloemendaalPedro Jose Villarroel Cuevas

Customer experience

xWind

All ratings550 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative20.0%

Pilot

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

Bugs and requests

xWind

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Speed toggle doesn't work, always shows MPS

Requested features

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

Pilot

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

xWind

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Pilot

Subscriptions1
  • PilotAbbr Subscription$4.991 Year

Questions

Is xWind free?
xWind costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pilot free?
Pilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, xWind or Pilot?
xWind is rated higher. xWind averages 4.6 out of 5 from 550 ratings, while Pilot averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do xWind or Pilot have ads?
Neither xWind nor Pilot shows ads.
Which is updated more often, xWind or Pilot?
xWind ships an update fortnightly, and Pilot every 31 months. Most recently, xWind was updated on October 17, 2026 and Pilot on October 11, 2026.

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