# ForeFlight Mobile EFB vs METAR

The clearest difference is rating: ForeFlight Mobile EFB at 4.4 against METAR's 3.8. ForeFlight Mobile EFB also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 22) and chart position (#12 vs unranked). METAR's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ForeFlight Mobile EFB sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and METAR sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ForeFlight Mobile EFB holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ForeFlight Mobile EFB has 3.3K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of ForeFlight Mobile EFB's written reviews are positive against 57% of METAR's.

ForeFlight Mobile EFB ships an update every 2 weeks, METAR every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ForeFlight Mobile EFB | METAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foreflight-mobile-efb/id333252638/reviews)** | [3.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metar/id1597816936/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **68.2% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | — |
| Size | 592 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ForeFlight](https://appshunter.io/developer/283512699) | [Luke Cashion-Lozell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1446518152) |

## What reviewers say

### ForeFlight Mobile EFB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foreflight-mobile-efb/id333252638)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Grossing · Weather, #47 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

This app simplifies flight planning, briefing, and filing for pilots. It offers interactive weather layers, detailed charts, and hazard awareness tools for enhanced situational awareness. Logbook features track flight hours and currency.

**Highlights:** Touch Planning on Map, Interactive Weather Layers, Geo-referenced Plates & Charts, Global Hazard Awareness, Digital Logbook, Synthetic Vision

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Plus US - 3 months | $70.00 | one-time |
| Starter LATAM - 1 Year | $129.99 | one-time |
| Starter US - 1 Year | $129.99 | one-time |
| Starter CA - 1 Year | $129.99 | one-time |
| Starter EUR - 1 Year | $129.99 | one-time |
| Starter APAC - 1 Year | $129.99 | one-time |
| Starter ME & SA - 1 Year | $129.99 | one-time |
| Essential APAC - 1 Year | $259.99 | one-time |
| Essential ME & SA - 1 Year | $259.99 | one-time |
| Essential US - 1 Year | $259.99 | one-time |
| Essential CA - 1 Year | $259.99 | one-time |
| Premium LATAM | $390.00 | one-time |
| Premium ME & SA | $390.00 | one-time |
| Premium US - 1 Year | $390.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent flight planning and navigation tool
- 🔒 Enhances safety and situational awareness
- 👍 Comprehensive and user-friendly features
- 👍 Seamless integration with avionics
- 👍 Responsive and helpful customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption on mobile devices
- 🚫 Limited functionality for non-US/Canada users
- 💰 Expensive subscription model for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Weather data not updating correctly
- Issues with syncing user waypoints and annotations
- Incompatibility with certain iOS versions and device models

**Requested features**

- Ability to add multiple landing legs in a single flight plan
- Improved map annotations and drawing tools
- Customizable logbook and flight data export options
- Better support for Apple Watch and other wearables
- More comprehensive coverage of international airports and charts


### METAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metar/id1597816936)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ForeFlight Mobile EFB free?

ForeFlight Mobile EFB is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is METAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ForeFlight Mobile EFB or METAR?

ForeFlight Mobile EFB is rated higher. ForeFlight Mobile EFB averages 4.4 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while METAR averages 3.8 from 22 ratings.

### Do ForeFlight Mobile EFB or METAR have ads?

Neither ForeFlight Mobile EFB nor METAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ForeFlight Mobile EFB or METAR?

ForeFlight Mobile EFB ships an update every 2 weeks, and METAR every 4 days. Most recently, ForeFlight Mobile EFB was updated on October 17, 2026 and METAR on October 16, 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.*