# xWind vs Runway Wind

The clearest difference is monetization model: xWind at free against Runway Wind's paid. xWind also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (550 vs 1). Runway Wind's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

xWind costs $0.99 and Runway Wind $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Runway Wind holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xWind has 550 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

xWind ships an update fortnightly, Runway Wind every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | xWind | Runway Wind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (550 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xwind/id1477120117/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runway-wind/id1549637693/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **550** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 13 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jan Bloemendaal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477120116) | [Small Aviation Tools](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887792413) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Runway Wind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runway-wind/id1549637693)

Calculate headwind, tailwind, and crosswind components for takeoff and landing. This tool helps pilots visualize wind direction and speed relative to a runway, with reference icons for clarity.

**Highlights:** Headwind, tailwind, crosswind calculation, Runway and wind alignment, Wind speed slider, Lock runway rotation, Wind sock and chart symbol reference

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is xWind free?

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

### Is Runway Wind free?

Runway Wind costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, xWind or Runway Wind?

Runway Wind is rated higher. xWind averages 4.6 out of 5 from 550 ratings, while Runway Wind averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do xWind or Runway Wind have ads?

Neither xWind nor Runway Wind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, xWind or Runway Wind?

xWind ships an update fortnightly, and Runway Wind every 8 months. Most recently, xWind was updated on September 26, 2026 and Runway Wind 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.*