iSoar vs Vario One
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iSoar
This navigation app assists glider pilots with route planning, real-time flight data, and landing calculations. It features moving maps of European airspace, an end-approach calculator, and an automatic flight logbook.
- Moving map with European airspace
- End-approach calculator
- Air-traffic monitor
- Automatic flight logbook
- IGC flight logger
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iSoar – Dein digitaler Copilot im Segelflug iSoar ist das komfortable Navigationssystem speziell für Segelflieger. Von der Routenplanung bis zur Landung hast du alles im Blick – präzise, übersichtlich und immer aktuell. Funktionen: • Moving Map mit aktuellen Luftraumkarten – zeige deine Position und den Luftraum in 18 europäischen Ländern. • Endanflugrechner – berechnet deine Ankunftshöhe basierend auf der Polare deines Segelflugzeugs (50 Modelle verfügbar). • Air-Traffic-Monitor – zeigt den Verkehr um dich herum oder nur deine Buddies. • Automatisches Flug-Logbuch – Start und Landung werden erkannt und direkt eingetragen. • IGC Logger – zeichnet deinen Flug im internationalen Standardformat auf, versand- oder upload-bereit. Unterstützte Karten: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland + Gelände-Karte. Abomodelle: • 6 Monate oder 12 Monate – beide mit 14 Tagen kostenloser Testphase. Links: Nutzungsbedingungen: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Datenschutz: https://www.isoar.de/privacy/
Vario One
This app provides a precise variometer for iPhone and Apple Watch, utilizing built-in sensors for real-time lift detection. It offers air traffic awareness, thermal assistance, and flight recording capabilities. Takeoff and landing sites are always visible, with a free 14-day trial for all features.
- Real-time variometer with acoustic lift signals
- Air traffic awareness with Safesky integration
- Thermal Assistant with climb/sink rate visualization
- Flight recording with GPS and IGC tracks
- Import flights via GPX/IGC
- Standalone Apple Watch functionality
- Visible takeoff and landing sites
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VARIO One – Your smart variometer for iPhone and Apple Watch. As precise as a pro vario. As simple as an app. No extra hardware. VARIO One combines a pressure sensor, an accelerometer and GPS into a full-featured variometer — right on your iPhone and Apple Watch. Both apps work independently and signal lift with acoustic beeps. Optionally connect an external Bluetooth vario for even more precision. Try all features free for 14 days. VARIOMETER - Instantly audible lift by combining pressure and acceleration sensors. - Internal barometer (baro + IMU fusion) — a calmer, more precise signal. - Display of altitude, speed and glide ratio. - Barometric altitude with QNH — set directly on the flight screen. - Climb tone threshold freely configurable (down to −0.5 m/s). - Rotating wind direction indicator. FLIGHT RECORDING - Automatic recording as GPS and IGC track. - Digital logbook with map view and statistics. - Automatic upload to DHV-XC and XContest. - Automatic take-off and landing detection. MAP - Airspaces downloadable per country or importable as OpenAir files. - Current wind from thousands of weather stations. - Take-off and landing sites — permanently free to view. AIRSPACE MAP & ALERTS Download airspace maps for any country right in the app from OpenAIP. Or import your own OpenAir files (classic as well as Naviter 1.0/2.0). All airspaces are shown as a vector map; tap for details, altitude profile and legend. As you approach, VARIO One warns you with a voice announcement and a configurable lead time — including a snooze function and automatic escalation. REAL-TIME AIR TRAFFIC WITH SAFESKY See nearby aircraft — paragliders, hang gliders, sailplanes, helicopters — using SafeSky, including other SafeSky users on the map. ADS-B, FLARM, OGN, PilotAware, and other supported traffic sources — all in one real-time view. Coverage depends on the availability of compatible transmitters and network reception. BUDDY FLYING – FLY TOGETHER, EVERYONE IN VIEW With Buddy Flying you see your flying partners live on the map — perfect for a shared cross-country flight or a day at your local mountain. One person creates a group and shares the code, the others join. As soon as "Sharing" is active, you all see each other in real time. For each buddy you see position with distance and bearing, absolute altitude and altitude relative to you, current climb and an 8-second average, plus speed. When a buddy is climbing, you see it in their climb rate — and know where the thermal is. A colour scale shows how their climb compares to yours. EXTERNAL BLUETOOTH VARIOS Connect your device wirelessly to use it as your vario signal source: BlueFly Vario (multiple protocols), Mipfly MipBipX & MipTrack, Stodeus BlueBip & UltraBip, Skytraxx (BLE). Connect any time from the settings — no onboarding needed. THERMAL ASSISTANT Your flight track is coloured live by climb and sink values — so you instantly see where the best thermal is in the turn. The app automatically detects circling and switches to the thermal view. Including wind direction and speed. IMPORT FLIGHTS Import previously flown flights as GPX or IGC files straight into the logbook — via the + button or via "Open with" from the Files app. APPLE WATCH - Standalone vario with precise pressure sensors. - Ideal for hike & fly, as a backup or when there's no room in the cockpit. - Flight recording in GPX and IGC format. New features are added regularly. Try everything free for 14 days. Take-off and landing sites remain free afterwards too. The subscription renews automatically and can be cancelled any time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Vario One at free with in-app purchases against iSoar's subscription. iSoar's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. iSoar sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $36.99 per 6 months and Vario One sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
iSoar ships an update monthly, Vario One every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | iSoar | Vario One |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 1.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 85.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 106 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Denis Leupold | Leobalo GmbH |
Customer experience
iSoar
Vario One
In-app purchases
iSoar
- 6 Month Subscription14 Days trial$36.996 Months
- 1 Year Subscription14 Days trial$46.991 Year
Vario One
- 7 days for Apple iPhone/Watch14 Days trial$3.997 Days
- 3 month Apple iPhone/Watch14 Days trial$11.993 Months
- 1 year iPhone and Apple Watch14 Days trial$22.991 Year









