SkyDemon vs SDVFR Next
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SkyDemon
Plan and navigate VFR flights across Europe with detailed aeronautical charts, dynamic airspace clipping, and real-time hazard warnings. Features include virtual radar, automated weather briefings, and comprehensive flight logging for pilots.
- Vector aeronautical charts with dynamic airspace clipping
- Intuitive route planning and modification
- Virtual Radar for hazard and airspace visualization
- Automated weather briefings (TAF, METAR, SIGMET)
- Real-time hazard and airspace warnings
- Georeferenced airfield plates and documents
- Fuel, weight, and balance calculations
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SkyDemon is Europe's favourite software for VFR flight planning and in-flight navigation. Use this app to access your SkyDemon subscription on your iOS device, unlocking SkyDemon's powerful features while on the move. FLIGHT PLANNING FEATURES - SkyDemon vector charts are the clearest aeronautical charts you'll ever use, with dynamic airspace clipping and choice of map layers - Route planning is as simple as touching consecutive waypoints and dragging to make changes - Virtual Radar shows how your route relates to airspace, terrain, obstructions and other features - Pilot Log facility calculates headings and groundspeeds from actual wind data, and shows useful frequencies - Plates and other documents for relevant airfields are displayed automatically as you plan, and many are available georeferenced for use in flight - Intuitive pan, pinch and rotate support with no loss of map clarity or text legibility - File a VFR flightplan for your route directly to air traffic controllers - Automatic TAF, METAR and SIGMET briefing as you plan a route, with graphical decoding - Rainfall data can be overlaid on the main map, with animation, showing the trend of rainfall over time - Integration of GAFOR route forecasts for Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia - Both narrow-route and area NOTAM briefings available, updated as you plan - Advanced NOTAM graphical interpretation and depiction on the main map - Easily print your PLOG and the output from various briefings - Warnings for airspace and other potential hazards to your flight, updated in real time - Airfield Admin Information shows useful contacts and other details for airfields featured in our charts - Forecast winds aloft are automatically retrieved for the flight time and displayed on the map - Create an advanced flight performance profile for each aircraft you use - ATS Routes mode offers an alternative chart presentation for flight along airways - Accurate fuel, weight and balance calculations including flight costings - Create an unlimited number of user-defined waypoints - Analyse your track logs for posterity - Choose between six different vector chart styles - Extensive European chart coverage as standard GPS NAVIGATION FEATURES - Intelligent warnings for approaching airspace, NOTAM, obstacles, terrain and other hazards - Virtual Radar shows a side-on projection of all approaching features and how your trajectory relates to them - Vector map automatically follows the aircraft in north up, track up or course up orientation - Clear and concise instruments show you flight statistics and help keep you on track - An HSI/ILS instrument helps you keep to your planned route and line up early for approach - Live Pilot Log shows progress through your route, ETAs, ATAs and useful frequencies based on your current position - TerrainSafe dynamically colours mountainous terrain around you to quickly identify safer areas - Direct To allows easy re-routing in a hurry by picking from a selection of nearby airfields - Approach Information shows runway diagrams, TAF, METAR, NOTAM and other airfield details useful for making an approach - Live updates of TAF and METAR while in flight, with associated alerts* - Extended runway centrelines appear automatically on the map as you near your destination airfield - Permanent display of position relative to nearest well-known waypoint, for position reporting - Easy changing of the planned route while in flight by touching and dragging Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. * Internet connection required for live weather update while in flight
SDVFR Next
This app provides pilots with advanced navigation tools, including detailed European maps, weather forecasts, and flight planning capabilities. It supports custom waypoints, GPS tracking, and the ability to display multiple map layers simultaneously for comprehensive situational awareness.
- European vector maps
- Day/night map styles
- Customizable waypoints
- GPS tracking and alerts
- Weather forecasts (METAR, TAF, Wintems)
- Flight planning and logging
- Multi-device synchronization
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This application is designed for pilots of aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR). Coverage: Artic, France, British Isles, Eastern Europe, Iberia, Balkans, Italia, Scandinavia, Central Europe Features: - Application in English or French - Home made Europe vector map - Day and night styles - Remove upper airspaces with a ceiling filter - Traditional SDICAO map still available - Free ICAO additional maps (14 countries) - Chargeable maps available (see shop at https://skydreamsoft.fr) - Online maps (plan, terrain, satellite, hybrid) - Use your maps in MBTiles format - Use your map layers (KML, GeoJSON, SHP) - Display several maps simultaneously - Change maps according to zoom - Manage your custom waypoints - Georeferenced VAC maps (automatic zoom mode) - GPS tracking (speed vector & time bubbles) - Be alerted in the event of loss of GPS or traffic stream (GDL90) - Estimation of wind aloft - Height estimation (accurate terrain model) - Magnetic declination - Map options (auto-center, orientation) - Direct function (including localities search) - Live track - Replay tracks - Customisable black box - Export of tracks in KML and GPX formats - 2D and 3D track display - Stopwatches - VFR & IFR Notams - Zones from SUPAIP - RTBA (very low altitude network) activations - Double-tap airspace details - Flight profile - Navigation profile - Create your navigations in just a few clicks - Configurable flight log - Take into account climb/descent times - Drift and effective wind taken into account - Overlaps (radio navigation) - Help with choosing frequencies - Export and import of GPX, KML, PLN (Flight Simulator) and FPL (Garmin) navigations - METAR & TAF & SIGMET (raw and decoded) - Wintems (18 levels and 24-hour forecasts) - WINTEM and TEMSI weather maps from Météo-France - Weather radar - Data sheets for your aircraft - Weight and balance screen - Fuel estimates - Narrow route briefing (weather, airfields and notams on your route) - Generation of complete flight report - French documentation (VAC, AIP, ULM, SUP AIP, FFA ICARUS) - Load your personal documents and associate them with custom waypoints - Library of VFR & weather guides, map supplements, legends, etc. - Replace GPS with your flight simulator (FS2020/4, FSX, P3D, X-Plane, FlightGear, AeroFly) - Use SafeSky or your traffic detection unit with GDL90 - Synchronise navigations, aircraft, custom points and tracks between your devices - Numerous customisation options!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SDVFR Next at none against SkyDemon's 1. SDVFR Next also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). SkyDemon's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 72%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.5). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. SkyDemon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SDVFR Next asks for nothing beyond the download.
SkyDemon ships an update monthly, SDVFR Next every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SkyDemon | SDVFR Next |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (549 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.3% of reviews — better | 72.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 549 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 53 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Divelements Limited | SKYDREAMSOFT OOD |
Customer experience
SkyDemon
SDVFR Next
Bugs and requests
SkyDemon
Reported bugs
2 issues- Incompatible with latest iPad OS
- Crashes when trying to download all charts
Requested features
6 requests- Print PLOG or route on iPad
- Improved logbook functionality
- Support for official CAA/NATS charts
- Synthetic vision
- IFR flight plan filing to Eurocontrol
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- Integration with Jeppesen IFR charts
SDVFR Next
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SkyDemon
- SkyDemon iOS Subscription$199.99
SDVFR Next
No in-app purchases









