# xWind vs Handy Pilot

The clearest difference is price: Handy Pilot at Free against xWind's $0.99. Handy Pilot also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). xWind's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Handy Pilot is free to download; xWind costs $0.99 up front. Handy Pilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. xWind asks for nothing beyond the download.

Handy Pilot 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, Handy Pilot every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | xWind | Handy Pilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (550 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xwind/id1477120117/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-pilot/id1573532661/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **550** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jan Bloemendaal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477120116) | [Shin Nariai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573530687) |

## 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


### Handy Pilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-pilot/id1573532661)

This app offers a suite of aviation-specific calculation tools for pilots of all levels. It simplifies complex flight planning and in-flight adjustments with features like unit conversion, wind component calculation, and descent rate planning. Enhance your flight efficiency and safety with these essential tools.

**Highlights:** Unit Converter for flight operations, Time Calculator for flight planning, Turning Radius and STD Rate Turn calculations, Wind Component and Limitation calculators, Descent Rate and Path Angle calculators, ILS and PAPI indication calculations, Holding Entry Pattern and Load Factor calculations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Features | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is xWind free?

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

### Is Handy Pilot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, xWind or Handy Pilot?

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

### Do xWind or Handy Pilot have ads?

Handy Pilot shows ads; xWind does not.

### Which is updated more often, xWind or Handy Pilot?

xWind ships an update fortnightly, and Handy Pilot every 3 days. Most recently, xWind was updated on September 26, 2026 and Handy Pilot 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.*