Comparison

Bad Elf GPS vs xWind

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

Head to head
About

Bad Elf GPS

Manage your Bad Elf GPS accessory. Check hardware health, view GPS data, transfer trip logs, and update firmware. Enhances location services for iOS devices.

Highlights
  • Check hardware health
  • View GPS data
  • Transfer trip logs
  • Install firmware updates
  • Enhance iOS location services
Read full description

This utility app allows owners of any Bad Elf GPS accessory to check the health of the Bad Elf hardware, view the GPS data being received, transfer and view trip logs, and install firmware updates. Visit www.bad-elf.com to learn more about the Bad Elf GPS, GPS Pro/Pro+, and the GNSS Surveyor accessories, which add a high performance GPS receiver to the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad via the 30-pin dock connector, Lighting connector, or Bluetooth. The GPS data is usable by ALL location-based iOS applications in the App Store. Note: Continued use of the GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

xWind

This tool helps pilots quickly assess wind conditions relative to aircraft limitations. It displays essential wind data, including headwind, crosswind, and tailwind components, along with runway course and wind limits on a single screen for easy reference during flight.

Highlights
  • Headwind, crosswind, and tailwind calculation
  • Displays current wind direction and speed
  • Shows runway course
  • Indicates applied wind limits
  • Identifies 'forbidden' wind angles
  • Provides maximum wind speed table
  • Adjustable wind and runway settings
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

xWind is an easy to use tool to assist pilots in evaluating wind conditions with respect to head, cross and tailwind limitations. Once setup, the xWind app provides all information in one single screen, requiring minimal user interaction during high workload phases of flight, displaying: - Current wind direction and speed - Runway course - Cross and head or tailwind components - Currently applied wind limits - 'Forbidden' wind angles based on the current wind speed - Maximum wind speed table based on current wind limits ​ Reference wind, runway course, as well as wind limits, can all be adjusted on the main screen by either dragging the wind arrow, course rose or wind limit lines. A settings button at the bottom presents a popup screen where both the units for wind speed (Kts or Mps) and the default values for wind limits can be specified. In addition to the general setting for wind speed units, the user can select the alternative units for only the current wind, wind components and maximum winds table by double tapping the wind display at the top of the main screen. When operating from a Kts country into Mps territory, this option allows to set the current wind and see the maximum allowed winds in Mps, based on limits that are still set in Kts. Or vice versa.... xWinds supports iOS darkmode.

Screenshots

Bad Elf GPS4 screens
xWind4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Bad Elf GPS at Free against xWind's $0.99. Bad Elf GPS also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). xWind's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 49%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Bad Elf GPS is free to download; xWind costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

xWind holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xWind has 550 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of Bad Elf GPS's written reviews are positive against 75% of xWind's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bad Elf GPS ships an update every 2 months, xWind fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Bad Elf GPS versus xWind: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBad Elf GPSxWind
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.4 (19 ratings)4.6 (550 ratings) — better
Positive reviews49.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings19550 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#152 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size82 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBad Elf, LLC.Jan Bloemendaal

Customer experience

Bad Elf GPS

All ratings19 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews147 reviews
Positive49.0%
Neutral12.2%
Negative38.8%

xWind

All ratings550 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative20.0%

User reviews

Bad Elf GPS

From 19 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎯 Accurate GPS positioning without cellular dependency
  • ⚡ Fast satellite acquisition and lock
  • 🔧 Reliable hardware that lasts years
  • 📱 Works seamlessly with compatible mapping apps
  • 🛰️ Excellent satellite visibility display

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes across iOS versions
  • 📶 Stale data display in app interface
  • 🔄 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
  • ⚠️ No offline base maps in app
  • 🗺️ Limited map functionality without third-party apps

xWind

From 550 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use and read
  • 👍 Works well for its intended purpose
  • 👍 Good interface
  • 👍 Remembers settings
  • 👍 Helpful for visualizing wind

Room to improve

  • 🤔 Numbers are unlabeled and ambiguous
  • 🤔 Not intuitive
  • 🤔 Difficult to understand
  • 🤔 Instructions could be clearer
  • 🤔 Old version was better

Bugs and requests

Bad Elf GPS

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • App crashes on startup with iOS 8.3+
  • Firmware update hangs indefinitely
  • Stale cached data prevents control functionality
  • Track logging fails to activate despite appearing to work
  • Barometer readings not displayed correctly
Show 8 more
  • WAAS/SBAS toggle has no effect
  • Satellite count discrepancies between device and app
  • App forces re-download of all trips when deleting individual trips
  • Map views show no overlay in trip detail
  • Intermittent position data sharing with third-party apps
  • App crashes when naming recorded tracks
  • Recording at rates above 1Hz with POI causes download failure
  • Landscape mode not functioning in GPS screen

Requested features

10 requests
  • Offline base map display
  • UTM coordinate display option
  • Improved Bluetooth reliability
  • Modern USB-C connector
  • Satellite status information in main app view
Show 5 more
  • Better trip organization and sorting
  • POI saving without track recording
  • Dark mode support
  • Integrated GoBackPro functionality
  • Firmware update progress indicator

xWind

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Speed toggle doesn't work, always shows MPS

Requested features

3 requests
  • Incorporate gust factors
  • 3 customizable buttons for quick limit settings
  • Different colored concentric rings inside the red limit ring

In-app purchases

None

Bad Elf GPS

No in-app purchases

None

xWind

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bad Elf GPS free?
Bad Elf GPS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is xWind free?
xWind costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bad Elf GPS or xWind?
xWind is rated higher. Bad Elf GPS averages 4.4 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while xWind averages 4.6 from 550 ratings.
Do Bad Elf GPS or xWind have ads?
Neither Bad Elf GPS nor xWind shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bad Elf GPS or xWind?
Bad Elf GPS ships an update every 2 months, and xWind fortnightly. Most recently, Bad Elf GPS was updated on October 8, 2026 and xWind on October 17, 2026.

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