Comparison

SimFly Pad vs Avionics Buddy

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

Head to head
About

SimFly Pad

Enhance your flight simulation experience with interactive checklists, in-game camera recording, and direct cockpit control. Manage flight records and sync media to the cloud for permanent storage.

Highlights
  • Interactive flight checklists
  • In-game virtual camera
  • Cockpit instrument control
  • Flight record management
  • Cloud synchronization for media
  • Voice interaction for checklists (Beta)
Features
Read full description

SimFly Pad is an app focused on enhancing your flight simulation game experience. In SimFly Pad, you can quickly find a sophisticated flight checklist to help you complete each stage of your flight with precision. SimFly Pad is also the first App that comes with a built-in "Camera" allowing you to capture and record every moment of your flight through your phone. All photos and videos are supported for syncing to the cloud for permanent storage. Through the built-in Cockpit page of SimFly Pad, you can directly manipulate the simulated aircraft in your game, such as turning on or off landing lights, adjusting NAV frequencies, and other operations. (Note: The camera function requires an application installed on your PC to work) All Features: * Interactable checklist * Over ten elaborate build-in checklists. * Supports voice interaction (Beta version) * Supports importing custom checklists. * Virtual Camera * Capture and record your in-game footage in real-time. (requires SimFly Linker) * All photos/videos support lossless synchronization to the cloud. * Your flight data is also carried in your photos and videos. * Support real-time view of in-flight data. (barometric pressure, wind, altitude, etc.) * Support exporting videos with beautiful flight data charts. * All exported videos/photos would carry geographic metadata. (meaning you can view the geographic location in your system album). * Cockpit Instrument Control * Direct control of various panels during flight (autopilot, lighting, switches, flaps, etc.) * Supports A320/A330//A340/A350/A380/B737/B757/B777/B787/C250/G1000/C172/CRJ/GA/TBM930/SR22/B777CDU/StreamingScreen. * All components are implemented natively, offering higher performance and lower latency. * Flight Records * Manage all your flight records by tags. * Supports analysis and display of FDR data. * Support for reviewing the flight path. * Support generating and exporting flight path maps. The checklists currently included in the app are: * Douglas DC6A/6B * Airbus A320NX * Airbus A310 * Boeing 737 * Boeing 777 * Carenado M20R * Bombardier CRJ-500/700 * DATER TMB930 * Bae 146 * Cessna 310R * Beech King Air 350 * McDonnell Douglas 82 * Cessna 172SP * Comanche 250 More checklists and features are arriving. If you have any suggestions, please let us know via email at ethantoken@gmail.com or in the comments. NOTE: !!! Please DO NOT use this App in real flight. This App should ONLY be used for simulation games!!!!

About

Avionics Buddy

Enhance your flight simulation experience with live telemetry, maps, and customizable gauges on your Apple devices. Monitor aircraft position, weather, and flight statistics, and access airport information and approach helpers.

Highlights
  • Live aircraft telemetry
  • Follow-mode map
  • Customizable cockpit gauges
  • Trip Computer
  • Lifetime Logbook
  • Airport search and library
  • Runway approach helpers
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Turn your iPhone, iPad or Mac into a live companion display for Microsoft Flight Simulator with live telemetry, maps, customizable gauges, airport information, weather, flight statistics, approach helpers, missions and challenges—all without leaving the simulator window. See your aircraft position on the map, monitor altitude, heading, airspeed, ground speed and vertical speed, browse airports, inspect runways, check live airport weather and use visual approach helpers while you fly. Take on Missions & Challenges and give your flights a destination. Choose from included challenges or download additional mission packs, explore airports around the world and complete each objective by flying there in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Avionics Buddy automatically recognizes your landings, tracks your challenge progress and awards medals as you complete them. Avionics Buddy is built for sim pilots who want to extend their Microsoft Flight Simulator setup beyond the main screen. Use it as a beautifully designed cockpit display on your desk or as an additional avionics screen in a larger multi-monitor simulator setup. Its adaptive interface makes use of the available screen space across iPhone, iPad and Mac, letting you build your own flight deck using the Apple devices you already own. Track your current flight with the Trip Computer, including distance, fuel, speed, altitude, wind and temperature. Continue building your Lifetime Logbook with accumulated flight time, takeoffs, landings, distance flown and personal records across all your simulator sessions. Search more than 80,000 airports, save your favorites, display selected airports on the map, inspect runways and review live weather before departure. Export and import your Airport Library to back up your saved airports or transfer them between your iPhone, iPad and Mac. Stay connected to your flight, even when Microsoft Flight Simulator is running on another screen. Key Features • Missions & Challenges with automatic landing detection, progress tracking and medals • Downloadable mission packs with detailed mission briefings – https://www.avionicsbuddy.com/missions/ • Live aircraft telemetry from Microsoft Flight Simulator • Follow-mode map with aircraft position, heading and selectable aircraft icons • Customizable cockpit gauges with multiple layouts, styles and live Session Gauge metrics • Trip Computer with live flight statistics for every session • Lifetime Logbook with cumulative flight time, takeoffs, landings, distance and records • Awards and medals earned through your flying • Search over 80,000 airports with favorites and map integration • Export and import your Airport Library between Apple devices • Runway approach helpers for visual alignment during simulator arrivals • Live airport weather with wind, pressure, clouds and current conditions • Optional cabin sound effects, including seatbelt announcements and other immersive details • Adaptive layouts across iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Mac • Local network connection through the free Avionics Buddy Bridge for Windows • No account required • No cloud telemetry How it works 1. Start Microsoft Flight Simulator on your Windows PC. 2. Download and run the free Avionics Buddy Bridge for Windows – https://www.avionicsbuddy.com/#bridge 3. Scan the QR code with Avionics Buddy on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. 4. Fly with live telemetry on your second screen. Avionics Buddy is intended for Microsoft Flight Simulator entertainment use only. It is not designed for real-world navigation, flight training, flight planning or operational aviation use. Avionics Buddy is not affiliated with Microsoft, Asobo Studio, Working Title, OurAirports or any aircraft manufacturer.

Screenshots

SimFly Pad4 screens
Avionics Buddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SimFly Pad at Free against Avionics Buddy's $3.99. SimFly Pad also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Avionics Buddy's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and in-app purchases (none vs 12). 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

SimFly Pad is free to download; Avionics Buddy costs $3.99 up front. SimFly Pad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Avionics Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SimFly Pad ships an update every 2 weeks, Avionics Buddy monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
SimFly Pad versus Avionics Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimFly PadAvionics Buddy
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.7 (15 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#200 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size151 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSeeingSky Inc.Sharif El Fatatry

Customer experience

SimFly Pad

All ratings15 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

Avionics Buddy

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

12 purchases

SimFly Pad

One-time12
  • SimFly Pad Premium Panel - B767$19.99
  • SimFly Pad B757 Premium Panel$19.99
  • Premium Panel - B737 Ng/Max$24.99
Show 9 more
  • Premium Panel - A320$24.99
  • Premium Panel - B787$24.99
  • SimFlyPad Premium Panel C250$24.99
  • Premium Panel - B777$24.99
  • Premium Panel - A330$24.99
  • Premium Panel - A380$24.99
  • SimFly Pad A350 Premium Panel$24.99
  • SimFly Pad A340 Premium Panel$24.99
  • SimFly Pad Panel - CRJ$24.99
None

Avionics Buddy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SimFly Pad free?
SimFly Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Avionics Buddy free?
Avionics Buddy costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do SimFly Pad or Avionics Buddy have ads?
Neither SimFly Pad nor Avionics Buddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SimFly Pad or Avionics Buddy?
SimFly Pad ships an update every 2 weeks, and Avionics Buddy monthly. Most recently, SimFly Pad was updated on October 1, 2026 and Avionics Buddy on October 10, 2026.

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