# PilotBuddy vs Vane

The clearest difference is update cadence: Vane at every 3 weeks against PilotBuddy's every 4 months. Vane also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PilotBuddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month and Vane sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PilotBuddy ships an update every 4 months, Vane every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PilotBuddy | Vane |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vane-e6b-flight-computer/id6787179895/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bastian Kohlbauer](https://appshunter.io/developer/295858723) | [Chirag Arora](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892433885) |

## What reviewers say

### PilotBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotbuddy-cockpit-companion/id1644073918)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (Monthly) | $2.00 | per month |
| Pro (Yearly) | $18.00 | per year |


### Vane

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vane-e6b-flight-computer/id6787179895)

This aviation app provides 14 essential flight calculators and instruments, including weather decoding and navigation planning. It's designed for pilots to use offline, showing step-by-step calculations for understanding and accuracy. Offers multiple cockpit themes and unit preferences for a personalized flying experience.

**Highlights:** 14 pilot instruments, Offline calculators, Show your work calculations, METAR & TAF decoding, Nav log with 48,000 airports, Weight & Balance calculator, Day, night, and red night-vision themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vane Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Vane Pro - Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Vane Pro - Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PilotBuddy free?

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

### Is Vane free?

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

### Do PilotBuddy or Vane have ads?

Neither PilotBuddy nor Vane shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PilotBuddy or Vane?

PilotBuddy ships an update every 4 months, and Vane every 3 weeks. Most recently, PilotBuddy was updated on October 18, 2026 and Vane on October 25, 2026.

---

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