Comparison

METAR vs WxPlan

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

Head to head
About

METAR

Access decoded aviation weather reports and forecasts for thousands of airports globally. View nearby weather, runway winds, and customize units. A Pro version offers expanded nearby airport views and home screen widgets.

Highlights
  • Decoded METARs & TAFs
  • Nearby airport weather
  • Runway wind components
  • Search and favorite airports
  • Customizable units
  • Light/dark mode
  • Widgets (Pro)
Features
Read full description

- View decoded METARs & TAFs from thousands of airports worldwide - View up to 10 nearby airports and their current weather observations and forecasts - See observed runway wind components - Search and favourite airports that you visit frequently - Customise the units being displayed to suit you - Switch between light and dark mode METAR Pro - Subscription* The same great features we've always provided for free will always be available for free, but we've created a couple of extra premium features to add a little more to METAR for people who'd like to subscribe to METAR Pro. - View up to 50 nearby airports and their current weather observations and forecasts - Display raw METAR or TAF text on lock and home screen widgets - Display runway layout and wind indications on home screen widgets * Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged the renewal price within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period unless your change your subscription preferences in your App Store account settings. You can manage your subscription at any time through your App Store account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when making a purchase of an auto-renewing subscription. METAR makes it quick and easy to find and decode weather reports and forecasts for airports all over the world. Terms - https://metarapp.io/legals/terms Privacy - https://metarapp.io/legals/privacy

About

WxPlan

This aviation planning app provides Australian pilots with essential weather and flight planning tools. It offers free access to official NAIPS weather data, including TAF analysis, NOTAM summaries, and holding fuel calculations. The app features auto-updating METARs, offline caching, and customizable settings for a streamlined flight preparation experience.

Highlights
  • NAIPS weather access
  • Smart TAF analysis
  • Simplified NOTAMs
  • Holding fuel calculator
  • Customizable alternate minima
  • Auto-updating METAR/ATIS
  • Offline chart caching
Read full description

WxPlan - Smarter Weather & Flight Planning, tailored for Australian pilots. Get unrestricted access to official NAIPS weather - completely free, with no ads and no sign-in required. WxPlan gives all users free access to essential tools including Location Briefs, Area Briefs, First/Last Light, Wind & Temperature Profiles, Restricted Area Briefs, RAIM Prediction, and all Charts. Smart ETA-based TAF analysis: Simply enter your destination and ETA, or import your run sheet - WxPlan extracts the TAF lines relevant to your arrival, considers TAF3 requirements, buffers, Part 121 or 91 rules and utilises your alternate minima to determine any weather conditions that may trigger holding or an alternate. View detailed TAF and METAR wind components for each runway. NOTAMs Simplified: View active and inactive NOTAMs relevant to your ETA. The NOTAM Analyser delivers easy-to-read summaries, while smart filters let you focus on the categories that matter to you. Holding fuel calculator: Instantly calculate your maximum holding time and latest exit point, whether you're in the hold or planning ahead, based on forecast or real-time data. Alternate minima made easy: Use our built-in Category alternate minima for CAT A to D aircraft, or bulk-import your own. Switch between Category and individual Custom Destination/Alternate minima to suit your needs. Need to be more specific? Import and switch between individual runway minima with support for multiple variations to each runway minima. Auto-updating METAR, SPECI and ATIS: WxPlan refreshes airport weather with automatic METAR/SPECI updates and notifies you as soon as a new ATIS is issued. Flexible storage and caching: Going offline? Cache charts, Met Briefs, and your entire day’s flying straight from your run sheet. Store individual briefs or import full rosters, and update them all with a single tap. First/Last light indicator and Multi-ATIS pages: Instantly see if your arrival is going to be at night with our day/night indicator reflecting official first/last light data for your arrival. Use the Multi-ATIS page to display up to four ATIS entries simultaneously for a complete snapshot. Store your preferred briefs: Store up to 40 sets of Location Briefs, each with up to 11 international or domestic airports - all with TAF validity age display. Tap once to update all stored briefs. Restricted Area brief integration: View and store restricted area briefs with easy-to-read, colour-coded statuses and expandable NOTAM details for each area. Chart and General Met Brief pinning: Pin your preferred Charts and General Met Briefs to the top of your lists for fast access, and cache them all with a single tap. Highly customisable settings: Configure all your alternate minima, wind limits, aircraft category, automation and refresh preferences, display settings, and more. Built for Australian Pilots: WxPlan is built for Australian pilots, with official data sourced directly from Airservices Australia. Smart TAF analysis on all Australian airports and international airports in New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Designed for both iPad and iPhone, WxPlan offers a seamless experience across devices, with iPad providing flexible portrait and landscape layouts - fully supporting Split View for efficient planning. Whether you're flying your first solo, a GA charter, or for an airline, WxPlan brings clarity to your brief, helping you fly smarter and make informed decisions fast. WxPlan is free to download and use, with full access to core features. Get a 2-week free trial, then just AUD $2.99/month or AUD $29.99/year (save 2 months) to keep premium tools like the Planner, Holding Calculator, NOTAM filtering, General Met Briefs, and Multi-ATIS pages unlocked. One subscription works across all your devices with the same Apple ID. Terms Of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

METAR4 screens
WxPlan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: WxPlan at 100% against METAR's 57%. METAR's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. METAR sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month and WxPlan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

METAR ships an update every 4 days, WxPlan every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
METAR versus WxPlan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMETARWxPlan
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (22 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLuke Cashion-LozellWXPLAN PTY LTD

Customer experience

METAR

All ratings22 ratings
Positive68.2%
Neutral4.5%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%

WxPlan

Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

METAR

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
2 purchases

WxPlan

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly14 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Annual14 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is METAR free?
METAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WxPlan free?
WxPlan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do METAR or WxPlan have ads?
Neither METAR nor WxPlan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, METAR or WxPlan?
METAR ships an update every 4 days, and WxPlan every 5 weeks. Most recently, METAR was updated on September 25, 2026 and WxPlan on September 25, 2026.

Other comparisons