# XCMania vs Variometer+

XCMania and Variometer+ both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 89% of Variometer+'s written reviews are positive against 33% of XCMania's. Variometer+ also leads on ratings volume (27 vs 7). XCMania's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.4). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. XCMania sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Variometer+ sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for XCMania against 4.8 for Variometer+. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 27 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of XCMania's written reviews are positive against 89% of Variometer+'s.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XCMania | Variometer+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcmania/id1494610953/reviews)** | [4.8 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/variometer-plus/id1636307202/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **27** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 133 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [刚 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1318656438) | [iSolid apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1215383083) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Variometer+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/variometer-plus/id1636307202)

This app provides a highly responsive variometer for paragliding, hang gliding, and aviation. It offers customizable beeps, haptic feedback, and ground speed/altitude displays, with an independent Apple Watch app for full functionality on your wrist.

**Highlights:** Highly responsive variometer algorithm, Audible beeps and haptic feedback, Ground speed and altitude display, Sink alarm, Customizable settings and sounds, Independent Apple Watch app

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vario PRO Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Vario PRO Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Vario PRO Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XCMania free?

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

### Is Variometer+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, XCMania or Variometer+?

XCMania is rated higher. XCMania averages 4.9 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Variometer+ averages 4.8 from 27 ratings.

### Do XCMania or Variometer+ have ads?

Neither XCMania nor Variometer+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XCMania or Variometer+?

XCMania ships an update every 3 weeks, and Variometer+ every 3 weeks. Most recently, XCMania was updated on September 9, 2026 and Variometer+ on September 23, 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.*