# NOAA CBIBS vs Spot Assist Skydiving Tool

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NOAA CBIBS at none against Spot Assist Skydiving Tool's 10. Spot Assist Skydiving Tool's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 46%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spot Assist Skydiving Tool sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. NOAA CBIBS asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for NOAA CBIBS against 4.6 for Spot Assist Skydiving Tool. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spot Assist Skydiving Tool has 145 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of NOAA CBIBS's written reviews are positive against 78% of Spot Assist Skydiving Tool's.

NOAA CBIBS ships an update every 9 months, Spot Assist Skydiving Tool every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NOAA CBIBS | Spot Assist Skydiving Tool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-cbibs/id439920948/reviews) | **[4.6 (145 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spot-assist-skydiving-tool/id832891884/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **145** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **78.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#184** |
| Size | 15 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chesapeake Conservancy](https://appshunter.io/developer/439920951) | [Andrey Kan](https://appshunter.io/developer/832891887) |

## What reviewers say

### NOAA CBIBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-cbibs/id439920948)

Access real-time weather and water data collected by smart buoys in the Chesapeake Bay. This information supports the use and management of a healthy bay, improving safety, economy, and environmental protection.

**Highlights:** Real-time weather data, Real-time water data, Chesapeake Bay information, Supports bay management, Improves safety and environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Spot Assist Skydiving Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spot-assist-skydiving-tool/id832891884)

**Currently charting:** #184 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

This app provides skydivers with crucial weather information, including winds aloft and surface winds, along with a satellite map of dropzones. It helps determine the best exit area and recommended parachute patterns based on current wind conditions. Advanced features for canopy range, jump runs, and cutaway location tracking are available via in-app purchase.

**Highlights:** Satellite dropzone maps, Current wind data (surface & aloft), Parachute range display, Recommended jump patterns, Cutaway canopy location tracking

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cutaway Data Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Ncep NAM Data Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Ncep GFS Data Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Ncep All Models Data Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Ncep Two Models Data Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Exit Area Feature for life | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pattern Feature for life | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Features for one month | $4.99 | one-time |
| Forecast Feature for life | $4.99 | one-time |
| One Month Cutaway Data | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for planning jumps
- 👍 Accurate wind data
- 👍 Helpful for landing patterns
- 👍 Useful for new DZs
- 👍 Good for visualizing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unusable after updates
- 🐛 Inaccurate real-time data
- 🐛 Poor UI readability
- 🐛 Paid features lost

**Reported bugs**

- App repeatedly crashes on opening
- App unusable after version 2.3.0
- Wind direction inaccurate in real time
- Background colors and lettering hard to read
- Pattern direction stopped working

**Requested features**

- PC or Mac version
- More canopy selection
- Ability to edit/delete canopies
- Set exit altitude
- Set canopy deployment altitude


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NOAA CBIBS free?

NOAA CBIBS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Spot Assist Skydiving Tool free?

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NOAA CBIBS or Spot Assist Skydiving Tool?

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool is rated higher. NOAA CBIBS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Spot Assist Skydiving Tool averages 4.6 from 145 ratings.

### Do NOAA CBIBS or Spot Assist Skydiving Tool have ads?

Neither NOAA CBIBS nor Spot Assist Skydiving Tool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NOAA CBIBS or Spot Assist Skydiving Tool?

NOAA CBIBS ships an update every 9 months, and Spot Assist Skydiving Tool every 3 weeks. Most recently, NOAA CBIBS was updated on October 23, 2026 and Spot Assist Skydiving Tool on November 1, 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.*