# AvPlan EFB vs Approach Charts

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AvPlan EFB at 85% against Approach Charts's 0%. AvPlan EFB also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). Approach Charts's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AvPlan EFB sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Approach Charts sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AvPlan EFB holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AvPlan EFB has 94 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of AvPlan EFB's written reviews are positive against 0% of Approach Charts's.

AvPlan EFB ships an update every 3 weeks, Approach Charts every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AvPlan EFB | Approach Charts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avplan-efb/id417674282/reviews)** | [2.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/approach-charts/id560829267/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **94** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **85.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 144 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BJA Consulting Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/417674285) | [Candidus LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776981240) |

## What reviewers say

### AvPlan EFB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avplan-efb/id417674282)

This app provides comprehensive flight planning and electronic flight bag capabilities for pilots. It offers advanced features like terrain warning, airspace status, and graphical replanning to enhance situational awareness and streamline flight preparation and execution.

**Highlights:** VFR & IFR Flight Planning, Terrain Warning & Alerting, Graphical Flight Replanning, Weight and Balance, Geo-referenced Airport Diagrams, GPS Moving Map

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AvPlan VFR - 1 Month Subscription | $12.00 | one-time |
| AvPlan EFB USA IFR Upgrade 1 Year Subscription | $49.99 | one-time |
| AvPlan USA VFR 1 Year Subscription | $59.99 | one-time |
| AvPlan EFB Velocity Weather Upgrade 1 Year Subscription | $59.99 | one-time |
| AvPlan NZ IFR Upgrade - 1 year subscription | $79.00 | one-time |
| AvPlan Worldwide 1 Year Subscription | $89.99 | one-time |
| AvPlan VFR - 1 Year Subscription | $129.00 | one-time |
| AvPlan NZ VFR 1 year subscription | $149.00 | one-time |
| AvPlan EFB VFR Plus | $149.99 | one-time |
| AvPlan EFB Premium Bundle - United States | $169.99 | one-time |
| AvPlan EFB Premium Bundle - Australia | $249.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎯 Comprehensive flight planning capabilities
- 📊 Excellent satellite imagery and weather overlays
- 🚀 Accurate fuel burn and flight time calculations
- ⭐ Outstanding customer support and responsiveness

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezing issues
- 💰 Subscription pricing considered expensive by some users
- 🎨 UI design perceived as outdated by some users
- ⚙️ Steep learning curve for complex features
- 🔧 Some features require extensive aircraft profile setup

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during flight planning
- Wind data fails to download
- Registration process causes app to close
- Performance data not recognized during planning
- Georeference errors on NZ IFR charts (NZKK RNAV, NZNS STARs)

**Requested features**

- Fixed range rings around airports
- Better STARS and APPROACH plate access like JeppFD
- Larger heads-up display options for better readability
- Ability to sort flight plans in list view
- Dark mode option


### Approach Charts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/approach-charts/id560829267)

Access FAA Instrument Approach charts for the US, including airport diagrams, minimums, and runway information. Get live weather and NOTAMs, and search by various criteria. The database and charts update monthly.

**Highlights:** FAA Instrument Approach charts, Airport diagrams and runway information, Live weather and NOTAMs, Search by airport name, city, identifier, or state, Quick access to favorite airports, Monthly automatic updates

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AvPlan EFB free?

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

### Is Approach Charts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AvPlan EFB or Approach Charts?

AvPlan EFB is rated higher. AvPlan EFB averages 4.6 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while Approach Charts averages 2.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do AvPlan EFB or Approach Charts have ads?

Neither AvPlan EFB nor Approach Charts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AvPlan EFB or Approach Charts?

AvPlan EFB ships an update every 3 weeks, and Approach Charts every 3 months. Most recently, AvPlan EFB was updated on September 21, 2026 and Approach Charts on September 15, 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.*