# Q Code vs Airmate

The clearest difference is rating: Airmate at 4.5 against Q Code's 3.0. Airmate also leads on ratings volume (545 vs 2) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months). Q Code's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 21). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Airmate sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Q Code asks for nothing beyond the download.

Airmate holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Airmate has 545 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Q Code's written reviews are positive against 75% of Airmate's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Q Code ships an update every 5 months, Airmate every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Q Code | Airmate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-code/id415059756/reviews) | **[4.5 (545 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airmate/id998181102/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **545** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lonnie Ganz](https://appshunter.io/developer/377624986) | [Myriel Aviation SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/998181101) |

## What reviewers say

### Q Code

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-code/id415059756)

Decode aviation Notam Q-codes quickly and easily. Enter the four letters following 'Q' to instantly see the Notam Subject, Component, and Condition codes. Essential for pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Q-Code decoding, Notam Subject lookup, Component code display, Condition code display, Simple interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Airmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airmate/id998181102)

This app provides pilots with comprehensive flight planning tools, including weather forecasts, airport data, and navigation charts. It enhances situational awareness with a moving map, traffic displays, and terrain elevation views. Pilots can also file flight plans and record their flights.

**Highlights:** Flight planning and weather forecasts, Airport data and aviation maps, Moving map with aircraft location, Traffic and terrain elevation display, Flight plan filing and management, Flight recording and replay, ADS-B traffic and weather reception

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airmate Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Photorealistic terrain display | $47.99 | per year |
| Flight plan filing token | $1.99 | one-time |
| Token for 1 year chart access | $3.99 | one-time |
| Support Airmate development! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Argentina Center VFR 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chile North VFR chart 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chile Santiago VFR chart 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Argentina/Chile South VFR 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Support Airmate development! | $8.99 | one-time |
| Chart download token | $8.99 | one-time |
| Italy North Avioportolano 2022 | $11.99 | one-time |
| Support Airmate development! | $17.99 | one-time |
| Airmate Pro version | $22.99 | one-time |
| Tunisia VFR Air Million 2024 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Skyguide Swiss VFR Airport Plates (with one year updates) | $36.99 | one-time |
| Airmate Dispatcher | $44.99 | one-time |
| Avioportolano VFR Airfield Plates for Italy (one year subscription) | $46.99 | one-time |
| Airport Plates premium browser | $54.99 | one-time |
| UAE 2023 Rogers Data | $79.99 | one-time |
| UAE 2025 Rogers Data | $89.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Q Code free?

Q Code is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Airmate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Q Code or Airmate?

Airmate is rated higher. Q Code averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Airmate averages 4.5 from 545 ratings.

### Do Q Code or Airmate have ads?

Neither Q Code nor Airmate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Q Code or Airmate?

Q Code ships an update every 5 months, and Airmate every 6 weeks. Most recently, Q Code was updated on September 30, 2026 and Airmate on October 3, 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.*