Radar Performance vs Simple Xwind
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Radar Performance
This application calculates the geometry of aircraft weather radar beams relative to Earth, the freezing level, and the "bright band" for optimal weather detection. It identifies areas on the radar display where the beam is too high or low for effective weather detection and highlights potential ground returns.
- Calculates weather radar beam geometry
- Considers Earth and freezing level
- Identifies optimal detection altitudes
- Shows areas of ineffective beam coverage
- Highlights potential ground returns
- Supports various radar models
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Radar Performance calculates the geometry of aircraft weather radar beams with respect to the earth, the freezing level, and the band of altitudes that provide the maximum weather radar returns (the "bright band"). It also shows the areas on the radar display where the beam is too high or low to effectively detect active weather and areas where you may see ground returns. Radar Performance also includes an Overfly mode for confirming that the tops of lower-level convective weather remain safely below your aircraft. You choose a safe clearance altitude and a tactical range, and the app calculates the radar tilt at which the bottom of the beam just reaches that altitude at that range. With this tilt set, any weather returns indicate that the tops have penetrated your safety margin, so going around the weather is advised. Overfly mode is available at aircraft altitudes of 15,000 ft and above, and is inspired by Tom McGrath's "Snowplow" technique. Radar Performance supports a variety of weather radar models as well as a "generic" model. It is not specific to any aircraft type.
Simple Xwind
Quickly calculate crosswind and tailwind limits during flight. This app provides fast, precise calculations without clutter or unnecessary graphics, designed for immediate use when conditions change unexpectedly.
- Quick crosswind calculations
- Precise tailwind limits
- Fast and reliable
- Simple, clutter-free interface
- Designed for speed
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You're on short final when the tower provides updated winds. The conditions have changed more than expected, and there’s no time for mental math to determine if you're within crosswind and tailwind limits. Xwind gives you quick and precise calculations when you need them most. No clutter, no unnecessary graphics—just a fast, reliable crosswind calculator built for ease of use. Unlike other bulky apps, Xwind is designed for speed and simplicity, so you can get the data you need instantly. No extra clicks, no distractions—just numbers.
Screenshots
Verdict
Radar Performance and Simple Xwind both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Radar Performance's written reviews are positive against 67% of Simple Xwind's. Simple Xwind's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Radar Performance against 5.0 for Simple Xwind. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Radar Performance's written reviews are positive against 67% of Simple Xwind's.
| Parameter | Radar Performance | Simple Xwind |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | POH Performance L.L.C. | Alex Deutz |
Customer experience
Radar Performance
Simple Xwind
In-app purchases
Radar Performance
No in-app purchases
Simple Xwind
No in-app purchases









