Garmin Pilot vs iFlightPlanner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Garmin Pilot
This app offers comprehensive tools for general aviation and corporate pilots, including flight planning, interactive maps, weather briefings, and navigation. It streamlines pre-flight preparation, filing, inflight navigation, and post-flight logging with an intuitive interface.
- Pre-flight planning with aviation weather data
- Interactive maps with track-up navigation
- Flight plan filing via Leidos Flight Service or DUATS
- En-route navigation with moving map and GPS panel
- Electronic logbook with automatic GPS data generation
- Real-time weather and traffic information (with compatible hardware)
Read full descriptionHide full description
*30 Days Free Trial on initial download!* Plan. File. Fly. Log. Garmin Pilot is the most comprehensive suite of tools for the iPad designed specifically for general aviation and corporate pilots. Flight planning, charts, interactive maps, weather briefing resources and navigation capabilities; it’s all included. The app’s intuitive interface mirrors those on the newest Garmin touchscreen avionics so you can go seamlessly from preflight to inflight. Plan Garmin Pilot’s powerful capabilities start with pre-flight planning, providing pilots with the most comprehensive aviation weather information to make better-informed flight decisions. Pilots can check NEXRAD radar, visible and infrared cloud imagery, METARs, TAFs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, PIREPs, NOTAMs, winds and temperature aloft, TFRs and lightning data. With Garmin Pilot, data can be displayed over Garmin’s interactive maps that support track-up navigation, VFR sectional or an IFR low or high en-route chart to visualize the weather for your route. Add text-based weather widgets and use the exclusive NavTrack feature to view weather along the planned route. File With Garmin Pilot, users can easily enter a flight plan and interactively edit it on the map. Pre-loaded forms make it quick to save and reuse data for frequently flown routes. And when the flight plan is ready, Garmin Pilot makes it simple to file, amend or close the flight plan via Leidos Flight Service or DUATS. Fly Garmin Pilot provides full en-route navigation capability on its moving map. Pilots can also navigate with Garmin’s patented panel, a GPS-driven instrument pack with a graphical HSI directional display and indicators for groundspeed, altitude and vertical speed. After takeoff, pilots can continue to view real-time weather in the U.S. and traffic information by wirelessly connecting to Garmin’s GDL 50 series portable ADS-B Receiver (sold separately). Log Garmin Pilot includes a comprehensive electronic logbook that syncs with flyGarmin. The logbook automatically generates entries based upon GPS data collected during the flight, tracks currency, supports manual entries, endorsements and creates reports. Garmin Pilot U.S. Standard: - Rich, interactive maps support Track-Up navigation - Charts: VFR Sectionals, low and high IFR en-route, airport diagrams and approach procedures - Ability to view Jeppesen Terminal Charts (Jeppesen echart subscription required) - Weather Maps: Animated radar, Infrared and Visible Satellite, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, Lightning, TFRs and more! - Extensive text products: METARs, TAFs, Winds Aloft, PIREPs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, Area Forecasts and NOTAMs - AOPA Airport Directory - Weight and Balance - Checklists - Flight plan filing via Leidos Flight Services - Garmin patented navigation panel - Terrain and Obstacles - Smart Airspace - Fast Find predictive Waypoint Entry - Logbook - Optional VFR Premium: Synthetic Vision (SVX), Terrain and obstacle alerting, and Garmin SafeTaxi® - Optional IFR Premium: VFR Premium plus geo-referenced Garmin FliteCharts® Garmin Pilot has regional offerings for Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and Latin America. Features include: - Worldwide Jeppesen NavData - Rich, interactive maps support Track-Up navigation - Radar and Satellite imagery for Western Europe, U.S., Canada and Australia - Ability to view Jeppesen Terminal Charts (Jeppesen echart subscription required) - Worldwide METARs, TAFs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, NOTAMs and winds aloft - VFR Flight Plan Filing - IFR autorouting and Flight plan filing in Europe - Terrain and Obstacles with alerting - Synthetic Vision (SVX) - Smart Airspace - Logbook - Optional VFR charts from DFS, IGN and NATS and IFR enroute charts from EuroControl - Optional Garmin FliteCharts® and SafeTaxi® diagrams available on a country-by-country basis *Note: Use of GPS running in the background may decrease battery life.* *Note: One subscription to Garmin Pilot may be used on three devices.*
iFlightPlanner
This app offers comprehensive flight planning tools for pilots in the United States, accessible on web, iPad, and iPhone. It features auto-routing, weather briefs, navigation logs, and one-touch flight plan filing and closing.
- Seamless flight plan synchronization
- Intuitive U.S. flight auto-routing
- Detailed navigation logs
- Thorough weather briefs
- Integrated weight & balance calculator
- One-touch VFR/IFR flight plan filing
- Hi-resolution U.S. aviation charts
Read full descriptionHide full description
Welcome to iFlightPlanner for iPad v4.5! iFlightPlanner provides unparalleled flight planning from any computer or mobile device for pilots of all levels flying in the United States and with version 4.5, this includes your iPhone as we are proud to introduce the companion to iFlightPlanner for iPad. Why iFlightPlanner? Here are some of the incredible features: • Seamless, 2-way synchronization with flights planned at iFlightPlanner.com • Intuitively plan U.S. flights with auto-routing, recently issued ATC routes, SIDs, STARs, or direct • Detailed navigation logs with fuel, time, and distance calculations • Thorough weather briefs for the entire route of flight • Integrated, weight & balance calculator customizable for your aircraft • One-touch VFR and IFR ICAO flight plan filing and closing in the U.S. • Hi-resolution U.S. VFR, TAC, and IFR Low/High Enroute charts • Animated weather imagery from Baron Weather • ADS-B weather and traffic from more than 10 certified and portable devices • Map overlays menu with interactive weather, airspace, fuel pricing, and more • GPS moving map with integrated flight data recorder • Georeferenced airport diagrams and instrument approach procedures • Virtual GPS compatibility with Microsoft Flight Simulator, Prepar3D, and X-Plane • Expanded digital instrument panel with instrument approach timer • Customizable split-screen view with enhanced approach plate viewer • Intelligent cockpit voice recorder with auto-pause functionality • Comprehensive Airport/Facility Directory with national retail fuel prices • Stylus-compatible Notepad with free draw and typing capabilities • Digital pilot log with currency and EAA IMC Club proficiency tracker • One-touch transfer of flight plans to ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, FltPlan Go, WingX, FlyQ, and Jeppesen FliteDeck ...all this and much more! So, take advantage of the 30-day FREE trial to iFlightPlanner Premium, our top-level membership, and experience all that iFlightPlanner offers. Visit our website for a complete breakdown of every feature. After the trial, you may elect to continue with an iFlightPlanner Core or iFlightPlanner Premium membership. All memberships include comprehensive web, iPad, and iPhone-based flight planning. Premium members have access to enhanced features both online and in the app. NOTE: Continued use of your device's GPS can dramatically decrease battery life. iFlightPlanner offers the ability to turn off the GPS when not needed.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: iFlightPlanner at 83% against Garmin Pilot's 42%. iFlightPlanner also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). Garmin Pilot's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (4.1K vs 93). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Garmin Pilot sells 18 one-off in-app purchases and iFlightPlanner sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Garmin Pilot holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Pilot has 4.1K ratings behind it against 93, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 42% of Garmin Pilot's written reviews are positive against 83% of iFlightPlanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Garmin Pilot ships an update fortnightly, iFlightPlanner every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Garmin Pilot | iFlightPlanner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (4.1K ratings) — better | 4.5 (93 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 41.8% of reviews | 83.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4.1K — better | 93 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #39 — better | #197 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 633 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garmin DCI | iFlightPlanner, LLC |
Customer experience
Garmin Pilot
iFlightPlanner
Bugs and requests
Garmin Pilot
Reported bugs
5 issues- Crashes when viewing weather data
- Weight and balance profile import/export issues
- Database concierge not working as expected
- Inability to file VFR flight plans in some regions
- Groundspeed and track data not working on certain devices
Requested features
9 requests- Ability to mark up and annotate charts
- Vertical navigation view
- Cabin altitude/hypoxia warning
- Apple Watch app
- Passenger app for flight following
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Google Maps integration with user waypoints
- Ability to import GPX/CSV waypoints
- Printable logbook reports
- More detailed weather imagery and forecasts
iFlightPlanner
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Garmin Pilot
- Canada Premium$74.99
- Latin American Premium Upgrade$74.99
- Europe Premium Upgrade$74.99
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- U.S. Premium Upgrade$99.99
- Africa Standard$109.99
- Pilot Asia Standard$109.99
- Australia Standard$109.99
- Canada Standard$109.99
- Europe Standard$109.99
- Latin American Standard$109.99
- U.S. Standard$109.99
- Garmin Pilot Africa Premium$184.99
- Garmin Pilot Canada Premium$184.99
- Garmin Pilot Asia Premium$184.99
- Garmin Pilot Europe Premium$184.99
- Garmin Pilot Latin America Premium$184.99
- Garmin Pilot U.S. Premium$209.99
- Worldwide Premium$599.99
iFlightPlanner
- iFlightPlanner Premium - 1 Month$9.99
- iFlightPlanner Premium - 3 Months$24.99
- iFlightPlanner Premium Plus - 3 Months$39.99
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- iFlightPlanner Core$49.99
- iFlightPlanner Premium - 1 Yr$89.99
- iFlightPlanner Premium$99.99
- iFlightPlanner Premium Plus - 1 Year$139.99
Questions
Is Garmin Pilot free?
Is iFlightPlanner free?
Which has better reviews, Garmin Pilot or iFlightPlanner?
Do Garmin Pilot or iFlightPlanner have ads?
Which is updated more often, Garmin Pilot or iFlightPlanner?
Which is more popular, Garmin Pilot or iFlightPlanner?
Other comparisons















