Fly Local vs XCSoar
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Fly Local
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Compute a safe altitude for your glider plane on a local flight. The app uses the GPS to display your relative position to an airfield and compute a safe glide altitude according to the selected L/D ratio. Database includes airfields of 34 European countries. You may add your own waypoints and fields. Require iPhone or iPad with GPS. Include Apple Watch app (models with GPS). CAUTION : The app does not monitor the terrain clearance, but only glide angle.
XCSoar
An open-source flight navigation tool for gliders and sailplanes. It offers a moving map, task planning, airspace data, and thermal detection to aid pilots in route optimization and real-time flight information.
- Moving map display
- Task planning
- Airspace information
- Thermal detection
- Route optimization
- Real-time flight data
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Disclaimer: Do not rely on this app for navigation or flight-critical decisions. XCSoar is an open-source flight navigation software designed for gliders and other sailplanes. It provides features like a moving map, task planning, airspace information, and thermal detection. The software helps pilots with route optimization and offers real-time data on altitude, speed, and location. It can be used on various devices, including tablets and smartphones, making it versatile for both recreational and competitive flying.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Fly Local at every 3 weeks against XCSoar's every 2 months. XCSoar's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Fly Local ships an update every 3 weeks, XCSoar every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Fly Local | XCSoar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Studio BabDreams | praechtig gbr |
In-app purchases
Fly Local
No in-app purchases
XCSoar
No in-app purchases
