# Vario One vs XCSoar

The clearest difference is rating: XCSoar at 5.0 against Vario One's 1.0. XCSoar also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). Vario One's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 50%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Vario One sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. XCSoar asks for nothing beyond the download.

XCSoar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Vario One's written reviews are positive against 50% of XCSoar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Vario One ships an update every 5 weeks, XCSoar monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vario One | XCSoar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vario-one/id1605797423/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcsoar/id6741046464/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **85.1% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 106 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Leobalo GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605797425) | [praechtig gbr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483050323) |

## What reviewers say

### Vario One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vario-one/id1605797423)

This app provides a precise variometer for iPhone and Apple Watch, utilizing built-in sensors for real-time lift detection. It offers air traffic awareness, thermal assistance, and flight recording capabilities. Takeoff and landing sites are always visible, with a free 14-day trial for all features.

**Highlights:** Real-time variometer with acoustic lift signals, Air traffic awareness with Safesky integration, Thermal Assistant with climb/sink rate visualization, Flight recording with GPS and IGC tracks, Import flights via GPX/IGC, Standalone Apple Watch functionality, Visible takeoff and landing sites

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 days for Apple iPhone/Watch | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| 3 month Apple iPhone/Watch | $11.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 year iPhone and Apple Watch | $22.99 | per year |


### XCSoar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcsoar/id6741046464)

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.

**Highlights:** Moving map display, Task planning, Airspace information, Thermal detection, Route optimization, Real-time flight data

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vario One free?

Vario One is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is XCSoar free?

XCSoar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Vario One or XCSoar?

XCSoar is rated higher. Vario One averages 1.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while XCSoar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Vario One or XCSoar have ads?

Neither Vario One nor XCSoar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Vario One or XCSoar?

Vario One ships an update every 5 weeks, and XCSoar monthly. Most recently, Vario One was updated on October 27, 2026 and XCSoar on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*