Sofia VAC vs SDVFR Next
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Sofia VAC
This app provides access to French aeronautical information, including airfield details and dynamic VAC maps. Users can search for airfields by name or code, filter by runway characteristics, and download maps for offline use. It offers personalized map views with various airspace and navigational point overlays.
- Search airfields by name, ICAO code, or map
- Filter airfields by runway length and surface
- Consult dynamic VAC maps
- Personalize map views with airspaces and VFR points
- Download maps for offline access
- Receive update notifications
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The official App of the SIA, french Aeronautical Information Service FIND AN AIRFIELD Find the aerodrome or helipad of your choice by his name, ICAO code or directly on the map. Filter the airfileds according to the length of the runway and the nature of the surface. CONSULT FRENCH METROPOLITAN AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION Consult VAC maps easily from a dynamic map. Personalize your consultation by displaying the airspaces of your choice - TMA - CTR - SIV - FIR, P - D - R zones, or even the various VORs and VFR points. Manage your preferences: aerodromes or heliports - French or English - Automatic map updates. YOUR VAC MAPS WITH NO LIMIT Download geographical tiles and the VAC maps of your choice on your tablet in order to consult them at any time, even offline. UPDATES You can see your dataset's date. You'll be notified if an update is needed when openning the app. You are informed of the updates that need to be made for each VAC map on your tablet.
SDVFR Next
This app provides pilots with advanced navigation tools, including detailed European maps, weather forecasts, and flight planning capabilities. It supports custom waypoints, GPS tracking, and the ability to display multiple map layers simultaneously for comprehensive situational awareness.
- European vector maps
- Day/night map styles
- Customizable waypoints
- GPS tracking and alerts
- Weather forecasts (METAR, TAF, Wintems)
- Flight planning and logging
- Multi-device synchronization
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This application is designed for pilots of aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR). Coverage: Artic, France, British Isles, Eastern Europe, Iberia, Balkans, Italia, Scandinavia, Central Europe Features: - Application in English or French - Home made Europe vector map - Day and night styles - Remove upper airspaces with a ceiling filter - Traditional SDICAO map still available - Free ICAO additional maps (14 countries) - Chargeable maps available (see shop at https://skydreamsoft.fr) - Online maps (plan, terrain, satellite, hybrid) - Use your maps in MBTiles format - Use your map layers (KML, GeoJSON, SHP) - Display several maps simultaneously - Change maps according to zoom - Manage your custom waypoints - Georeferenced VAC maps (automatic zoom mode) - GPS tracking (speed vector & time bubbles) - Be alerted in the event of loss of GPS or traffic stream (GDL90) - Estimation of wind aloft - Height estimation (accurate terrain model) - Magnetic declination - Map options (auto-center, orientation) - Direct function (including localities search) - Live track - Replay tracks - Customisable black box - Export of tracks in KML and GPX formats - 2D and 3D track display - Stopwatches - VFR & IFR Notams - Zones from SUPAIP - RTBA (very low altitude network) activations - Double-tap airspace details - Flight profile - Navigation profile - Create your navigations in just a few clicks - Configurable flight log - Take into account climb/descent times - Drift and effective wind taken into account - Overlaps (radio navigation) - Help with choosing frequencies - Export and import of GPX, KML, PLN (Flight Simulator) and FPL (Garmin) navigations - METAR & TAF & SIGMET (raw and decoded) - Wintems (18 levels and 24-hour forecasts) - WINTEM and TEMSI weather maps from MΓ©tΓ©o-France - Weather radar - Data sheets for your aircraft - Weight and balance screen - Fuel estimates - Narrow route briefing (weather, airfields and notams on your route) - Generation of complete flight report - French documentation (VAC, AIP, ULM, SUP AIP, FFA ICARUS) - Load your personal documents and associate them with custom waypoints - Library of VFR & weather guides, map supplements, legends, etc. - Replace GPS with your flight simulator (FS2020/4, FSX, P3D, X-Plane, FlightGear, AeroFly) - Use SafeSky or your traffic detection unit with GDL90 - Synchronise navigations, aircraft, custom points and tracks between your devices - Numerous customisation options!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SDVFR Next at 72% against Sofia VAC's 25%. SDVFR Next also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sofia VAC ships an update every 3 months, SDVFR Next weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sofia VAC | SDVFR Next |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | 72.0% of reviews β better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 β better | 16.5 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DIR SERVICES DE NAVIGATION AERIENNE | SKYDREAMSOFT OOD |
Customer experience
Sofia VAC
SDVFR Next
In-app purchases
Sofia VAC
No in-app purchases
SDVFR Next
No in-app purchases





