Comparison

Cessna M&B vs PilotGuard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cessna M&B

Features
Read full description

Cessna Mass & Balance calculator! Three models in just one App! With easy and interactive weights adding, Arm selecting and real time Chart plotting. Included are the Cessna 152, 172 and 182. You can calculate for the following Cessna models: C152 C172 - A, K Floatplane, L, M, N, P and P Floatplane, R, S and SP, RG and RGII C182 - P (Skylane), Q, RG and RGII , S, T. Get access to Loading Charts for accurate reading. Red Dot "marks the Spot". Also Red warning alerts if you're overweight! Create your PDF file with your loadsheet in a professional looking sheet, save it, print it, share it or e-mail it! Includes regulatory data such as A/C registration, departure aerodrome, arrival aerodrome, time and date. Convert all necessary weight, fuel Units, Wind and temperatures on a dedicated page. Mass and Balance was never so easy. Enjoy your Mass and Balance on your iPhone! Available for 3 models or individual Aircrafts for Cessna C152, C172 and C182,. Also available for Piper PA28, PA34 SENECA and PA44 SEMINOLE and Diamond aircrafts.

About

PilotGuard

This tool helps pilots make informed go/no-go decisions for every flight by assessing risks using the FAA's FRAT and PAVE frameworks. It automatically fetches live weather data and allows users to set personal minimums for a comprehensive pre-flight evaluation.

Highlights
  • FAA FRAT and PAVE framework integration
  • Live METAR and TAF weather data fetching
  • Automated weather pre-filling
  • Customizable personal minimums
  • Runway analysis with crosswind/tailwind components
  • FAA-sourced risk mitigation suggestions
  • Flight history and trend tracking
Features
Read full description

PilotGuard brings the FAA's Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) and PAVE framework to your iPhone and iPad — so every flight starts with a clear, structured go/no-go decision. HOW IT WORKS Enter your departure and arrival airports plus your estimated time of departure. PilotGuard instantly fetches live METAR and TAF data from NOAA and pre-fills your weather questions automatically. Answer the remaining questions across the four PAVE categories — Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, and External Pressures — and get a risk score in seconds. LIVE WEATHER, BUILT IN No manual lookups. PilotGuard pulls real-time METAR and TAF for both your departure and arrival airports and maps the conditions directly to your assessment. Departure weather, en-route forecast, winds, and time of flight are all pre-filled based on what's actually happening outside. PERSONAL MINIMUMS Set your own limits — maximum crosswind, headwind, and tailwind, minimum runway length, VFR ceiling and visibility, and fuel reserves. PilotGuard checks every flight against your minimums and flags violations clearly in your results, so you're always flying within your personal envelope. RUNWAY ANALYSIS Select your departure and arrival runways and PilotGuard calculates the exact crosswind and tailwind components based on current winds — not just total wind speed. Includes density altitude so you know what your aircraft is actually performing against. FAA-SOURCED RISK MITIGATIONS When any PAVE category scores Moderate or High, PilotGuard surfaces FAA-sourced antidotes specific to that risk area — practical mitigations, not generic advice. FLIGHT HISTORY Every completed assessment is saved to your history. Review past flights, see how conditions compared to your minimums, and track your risk trends over time. BUILT FOR GENERAL AVIATION PILOTS PilotGuard is designed for student pilots building decision-making habits and experienced pilots who want a structured pre-flight discipline. It follows the same 18-question FRAT methodology recommended by the FAA, organized across the four PAVE categories. No account required. No subscription. Your data stays on your device.

Screenshots

Cessna M&B4 screens
PilotGuard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PilotGuard at Free against Cessna M&B's $9.99. PilotGuard also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). Cessna M&B's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). On ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

PilotGuard is free to download; Cessna M&B costs $9.99 up front. PilotGuard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Cessna M&B asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cessna M&B ships an update every 2 months, PilotGuard every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Cessna M&B versus PilotGuard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCessna M&BPilotGuard
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.5 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPedro IsidoroEdwin Coronado

In-app purchases

None

Cessna M&B

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

PilotGuard

One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$4.99

Questions

Is Cessna M&B free?
Cessna M&B costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PilotGuard free?
PilotGuard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cessna M&B or PilotGuard have ads?
Neither Cessna M&B nor PilotGuard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cessna M&B or PilotGuard?
Cessna M&B ships an update every 2 months, and PilotGuard every 8 days. Most recently, Cessna M&B was updated on October 29, 2026 and PilotGuard on October 24, 2026.

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