Comparison

Handy Pilot vs Wader Pilot Logbook

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

Head to head
About

Handy Pilot

This app offers a suite of aviation-specific calculation tools for pilots of all levels. It simplifies complex flight planning and in-flight adjustments with features like unit conversion, wind component calculation, and descent rate planning. Enhance your flight efficiency and safety with these essential tools.

Highlights
  • Unit Converter for flight operations
  • Time Calculator for flight planning
  • Turning Radius and STD Rate Turn calculations
  • Wind Component and Limitation calculators
  • Descent Rate and Path Angle calculators
  • ILS and PAPI indication calculations
  • Holding Entry Pattern and Load Factor calculations
Features
Read full description

"Handy Pilot" is designed to be used not only by trainees but also by professional pilots. It will become the best partner that can perform complex calculations on your behalf. With this app, your daily flight will definitely become smarter. Enjoy Handy Pilot and have a safe flight. Tools : "Unit Converter" - converts units used in everyday flight operations. "Time Calculator" - add, subtract, multiply, and divide time values. "Turning Radius" - calculates the turning radius based on speed and bank angle. "STD Rate Turn" - calculates the bank angle for making a standard rate turn. "Wind Component" - calculates the crosswind and headwind components. "Wind Limitation" - calculates the wind speed that can meet your limitation, in each wind direction. "Descent Rate" - calculates the descent rate required to maintain the desired path. "ILS Height Check" - calculates the passing altitude at the desired point based on the temperature at that time. "Path Calculator" - calculates the actual path angle based on the true altitude. "Descent Point" - calculates the starting point of descent to obtain the desired descent angle based on the true altitude. "PAPI" - calculates the altitude at which each PAPI indication can be obtained at the desired point. "ILS vs PAPI" - calculates the change in the PAPI indication during the ILS approach. "Entry Pattern" - calculates holding entry pattern based on heading. "Load Factor" - calculates the load factor based on the bank angle. It can also calculate the bank angle at which any load factor can be obtained. * Available on iOS 14.1 and later. * Purchase is required to use all the features.

About

Wader Pilot Logbook

This app simplifies flight logging for pilots by automatically filling in flight details from ADS-B data. It also provides pre-flight briefings, crew coordination features, and career overview statistics. Advanced features are available through an optional subscription.

Highlights
  • Automated flight logging from ADS-B data
  • Pre-flight briefing with weather and NOTAMs
  • Crew coordination and roster sharing
  • Career overview with totals and maps
  • Digital wallet for licenses and certificates
  • Offline functionality and data syncing
  • Exportable flight logs in various formats
Features
Read full description

Your logbook, your next flight and your crew. In one app. 18,000 pilots have logged over 7.5 million flights with Wader. It fills in each sector from real ADS-B data, briefs you before you go and keeps you close to the pilots you fly with, on iPhone and iPad. ▶ A LOGBOOK THAT FILLS ITSELF IN • Real tail numbers and block times from ADS-B • Block and flight time worked out as you type • Crew, aircraft and airports suggested from your own history • Works offline at any airfield and syncs when you are back online • Find any flight in seconds: search by airport, tail, crew or flight number, then filter ▶ YOUR CAREER AT A GLANCE • Totals by function, aircraft and engine type, and every airport you have flown to on one map • Wallet: licences, medicals and certificates stacked like passes, the next to expire on top • Fleet: every type and tail you have flown, with your type ratings • Export a PDF in EASA, UK CAA, FAA, SACAA, GCAA or CASA layout, or a CSV, at any time ▶ BRIEFED BEFORE YOU GO • Your next flight on a map, on the ground and in the air, with your position • Alternates from the nearest airports, filtered by runway length • METAR and TAF decoded, with wind and gust warnings • NOTAMs in plain language, the original text always one tap away • A checklist for every flight, with reminders ▶ FLY WITH YOUR CREW • See where your friends are on a map, and the days you will be at the same airport • Compare rosters and chat • Log a flight once for the whole crew: it lands in every logbook and stays up to date • A feed for flights, alerts and aviation news ▶ BUILT FOR iPAD • A side bar and two panes: your logbook on the left, the open flight on the right • Briefing, Dashboard and chat with room to breathe ▶ GO FURTHER WITH WADER PRO • Live tracking of the aircraft you are about to fly: where it is, its inbound flight, delays and your gate • The TAF at your ETD and ETA, and live D-ATIS at US and Australian airports • Airport busy hours and briefs from real flight data • Unlimited ADS-B flights and every sector of your day in one tap • Imports from airline rosters, spreadsheets and other logbook apps • Recency: know when your take-offs and landings expire • Checklists synced across your devices, batch edit, a pilot CV, a stats report and priority support Wader PRO is an auto-renewing annual subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. It renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. Terms of use: waderaviation.com/terms-of-use Wader is a logbook and planning aid, not an official source. Weather, NOTAM, ATIS and tracking data come from third parties without any guarantee of accuracy: always check official sources before flight. Wader Aviation Corp is not liable for any damage resulting from the use of this app.

Screenshots

Handy Pilot4 screens
Wader Pilot Logbook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Wader Pilot Logbook at none against Handy Pilot's shown. Wader Pilot Logbook also leads on ratings volume (22 vs 1). Handy Pilot's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Handy Pilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Wader Pilot Logbook sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $79.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Handy Pilot holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wader Pilot Logbook has 22 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Handy Pilot ships an update every 3 days, Wader Pilot Logbook every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Handy Pilot versus Wader Pilot Logbook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHandy PilotWader Pilot Logbook
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.6 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews—98.1% of reviews
Number of ratings122 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB141 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperShin NariaiWader Aviation Corp

Customer experience

Handy Pilot

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Wader Pilot Logbook

All ratings22 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive98.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Handy Pilot

One-time1
  • Unlock All Features$2.99
1 purchases

Wader Pilot Logbook

Subscriptions1
  • Wader Pro Annual$79.991 Year

Questions

Is Handy Pilot free?
Handy Pilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wader Pilot Logbook free?
Wader Pilot Logbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Handy Pilot or Wader Pilot Logbook?
Handy Pilot is rated higher. Handy Pilot averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Wader Pilot Logbook averages 4.6 from 22 ratings.
Do Handy Pilot or Wader Pilot Logbook have ads?
Handy Pilot shows ads; Wader Pilot Logbook does not.
Which is updated more often, Handy Pilot or Wader Pilot Logbook?
Handy Pilot ships an update every 3 days, and Wader Pilot Logbook every 2 weeks. Most recently, Handy Pilot was updated on October 12, 2026 and Wader Pilot Logbook on October 30, 2026.

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