Sporty's E6B Flight Computer vs Sparkys E6B
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sporty's E6B Flight Computer
This aviation calculator app offers 27 functions for navigation, fuel calculations, and conversions. It includes a versatile timer for tracking multiple time zones and performing countdowns with alerts. Designed for pilots, it simplifies complex flight planning and in-flight computations.
- 27 Aviation Functions
- 22 Aviation Conversions
- Navigational Calculations
- Fuel Calculations
- Advanced Timer/Clock
- Zulu, Local, and Home Time Tracking
- Basic Arithmetic Calculator
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Based on Sporty’s popular handheld E6B Electronic Flight Computer, the E6B app has been designed from the ground up to make the most of iOS on the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and MacOS on Apple Computers. The software is based on the tried and true formulas and algorithms developed over the years by Sporty’s team of over 50 pilots. Its pilot-friendly design makes quick work of any navigational, conversion or fuel problem and it also performs conventional arithmetic calculations. The advanced timer/clock feature simultaneously tracks Zulu, Local and Home time zones. The timer counts either up or down, and will display an alert when reaching zero. 27 AVIATION FUNCTIONS -Pressure & Density Altitude -Planned True Airspeed -Heading and Groundspeed -Compass Heading -Leg Time -Fuel Required -Crosswind, Headwind and Tailwind -Cloud Base and Freezing Level -Actual True Airspeed -Actual True Altitude -Wind Speed and Direction -Groundspeed -Planned Mach Number -Required True Airspeed -Required Calibrated Airspeed -Distance Flown -Endurance -Fuel per Hour -Actual Mach Number -Percent Mean Aerodynamic Chord (MAC) -Hydroplane Speed -Required Rate of Climb -Specific Range -Pivotal Altitude -Top of Descent -Required Rate of Descent -Glide Distance 22 AVIATION CONVERSIONS -Celsius :: Fahrenheit -Nautical Miles :: Statute Miles -Nautical Miles :: Kilometers -Feet :: Meters -Pounds :: Kilograms -Avgas Gallons :: Pounds -Jet A Gallons :: Pounds -Gallons :: Liters -Hours/Minutes/Seconds :: Hours -Climb FT/NM :: Climb Percent -Climb FT/NM :: Climb Degrees CALCULATOR -Perform basic math without having to exit the application CLOCK/TIMER -Simultaneous tracking of Zulu, Home and Local time zones -Advanced timer counts up or down and operates independently so you can perform other calculations while the timer is running -Upon reaching zero in the countdown mode, a message will display no matter what app is active – a useful feature for missed approaches, switching fuel tanks, etc.
Sparkys E6B
This app emulates a mechanical E6B flight computer, offering digital readouts for precise calculations. It combines the speed and intuitiveness of analog input with the accuracy of digital output for various aviation computations.
- Digital readouts for calculations
- Analog input with cursors and steppers
- Multiplication and division
- Rate problems (fuel, time, speed)
- Wind correction angle calculations
- Conversions (miles, fuel, weight)
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Sparky's E6B emulates a mechanical E6B Flight Computer, with significant additional capabilities. The app provides digital readouts of values that would otherwise have to be eyeballed in a standard E6B. The use of cursors and steppers enables the precision of a digital computer with the speed and intuitiveness of an analog computer. The E6B is an analog computer invented in the 1930's by Lt. Philip Dalton, USN for purposes of training and flight calculations. The app can be used to perform calculations, or to practice and learn how to use a mechanical E6B. Advantages of analog slide-rule E6Bs include the speed of entering data, and continous operation that can enable a more intuitive feel for how outputs change as inputs are changed. If inputs are changed, it is simply a matter of a swipe or using a stepper to fine tune inputs, and outputs are updated simultaneously. Advantages of digital E6B's includes precision, but as E6Bs are in reality often used to estimate data, this precision often cannot be taken advantage of. Furthermore, entering data is slowed down by soft keypads popping up and down. It may be hard to understand how outputs change in response to inputs if individual numbers need to be entered on a keypad. Sparky's E6B provides the best of both worlds. The speed and intuitive entry of an analog E6B, along with the digital readout of a digital E6B. The "slide rule" or "front" side includes a circular log-log scale that can be used for multiplication, division, fuel consumption and time/speed/distance calculations. There are also various conversions available, such as nautical-miles/statute-miles/kilometers, fuel and oil volume and weight. The windows on the front are used for airspeed, various forms of "altitude' and mach number calculations. Digital output is provided for - Multiplication and division - Ascent and descent vertical and horizontal speed and angles - Rate problems such as gallons per hour, time to destination etc. - Density Altitude and True Airspeed calculations. - True Altitude Calculations - Mach speeds vs. temperature - Conversions of Nautical and Statue Miles to and from Kilometers - Volume of oil and fuel vs. weight - Conversion of Pounds to Kilograms - Conversion of Feet to Meters The "wind" side is a vector computer used to determine flight headings, wind correction angle etc. It also provides digital readouts to provide an intuitive feel for wind correction, as well as to let the inputs be fine-tuned or updated as conditions change. We have no ads and collect no personal information. We hope you enjoy Sparky's E6B and find it useful.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sparkys E6B at Free against Sporty's E6B Flight Computer's $9.99. Sparkys E6B also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 59%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.0). Sporty's E6B Flight Computer's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (5.3K vs 13). On ads and in-app purchases 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
Sparkys E6B is free to download; Sporty's E6B Flight Computer costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sporty's E6B Flight Computer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sporty's E6B Flight Computer has 5.3K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Sporty's E6B Flight Computer's written reviews are positive against 75% of Sparkys E6B's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Sporty's E6B Flight Computer ships an update every 4 weeks, Sparkys E6B every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sporty's E6B Flight Computer | Sparkys E6B |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (5.3K ratings) — better | 4.7 (13 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5.3K — better | 13 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 10 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #5 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sporty's Pilot Shop | Intineo LLC |
Customer experience
Sporty's E6B Flight Computer
Sparkys E6B
Bugs and requests
Sporty's E6B Flight Computer
Reported bugs
6 issues- Keyboard not working on iPad and iOS 26
- Pressure altitude tool not accepting certain numbers
- Weight and balance not accepting decimal points
- Heading and groundspeed calculations not working
- Density altitude calculation issues
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- Keyboard issues causing number scrambling
Requested features
8 requests- Add weight and balance feature
- Improve Apple Watch support
- Add cold temperature correction for DA and MDA
- Add glide path calculation to TOD
- Add time calculation like on electronic E6B
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- Allow inputting required rate of climb
- Add magnetic variation input field
- Add more metric unit support
Sparkys E6B
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sporty's E6B Flight Computer
No in-app purchases
Sparkys E6B
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sporty's E6B Flight Computer free?
Is Sparkys E6B free?
Which has better reviews, Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Sparkys E6B?
Do Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Sparkys E6B have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Sparkys E6B?
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