Flyskyhy vs Variometer+
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flyskyhy
This app transforms your device into a comprehensive flight instrument for airsports. It provides real-time data on altitude, speed, wind, and glide angle, alongside a moving map displaying your flight path and thermal indicators. It also logs flights, calculates scoring distances, and offers live tracking.
- Real-time flight data (altitude, speed, wind)
- Moving map with flight trail and thermal indicators
- Landing spot reachability calculation
- Bluetooth vario integration
- Full flight logging and analysis
- Live tracking and friend location sharing
- Configurable flight display screens
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Flyskyhy forms your flight instrument during flight and shows all information you need for that. You get the normal data like altitude, climb rate, ground speed, and glide angle. But it also calculates and shows the current wind direction and strength, very important for your safety. A moving and rotating map shows your current flying position and flight trail. It indicates where you have gone up (in a thermal), and where you have had faster than normal decline. With that, you can easily find back that thermal that you lost. The map also shows the nearest known landing spots, and whether they are reachable by normal glide, given your current altitude and wind direction. Integration with Bluetooth varios SensBox, FlyNet, GoFly iPico, XC-Tracer, BlueFlyVario, or SkyDrop gives accurate altitude and lift information. That turns your iPhone into an full-fletched GPS-vario, including vario tones. The app makes a full log of your flight, that can be analyzed afterwards. Besides normal data like start and landing positions, duration of flight, and an altitude graph of the flight, Flyskyhy also calculates the scoring distances for you. So you can immediately see whether you have broken that FAI triangle record. Your live location is reported on livetrack24.com or loctome.com if you desire, so anybody can follow your flight while it is happening. If you are flying together with friends, then their location is shown on your map during your flight. So you never have to wonder anymore whether they are in front of or behind you. The flight display has multiple screens which are all fully configurable. You can move all elements to other spots, delete and add elements, and resize them. Through in-app purchases, the app also supports airspaces and waypoints. The app is optimised for paragliding and hang gliders, but can be used with all kinds of airsports. Main features during the flight; • Altitude, climb rate, ground speed, air speed, direction, glide angle and many more • Wind strength and direction • Moving map of the flying area • Spots where you have had lift, great for thermal coring • Shows whether you can still reach a landing spot with the current altitude and wind • Live tracking of your flight on livetrack24.com or loctome.com • Shows live location of your friends during flight After the flight: • Full logbook of all your flights • Basic flight data like start/landing, duration, height difference, distance flown, and many more • Calculation of 5-points, open triangle, and FAI triangle distances • Graph of altitude and climb rate • Signed IGC and KML log files of flights • Transfer the log to iTunes or send by email • Upload the flight directly to XContest, ParaglidingForum, DHV-XC, and other Leonardo servers • Open flight in Google Earth on the iPhone • Replay the flight and relive it! By purchasing the Waypoints Extension you get access to: • A fully zoomable and scrollable map with the waypoints and optimised route. The map also shows start and landing spots, as well as restricted airspaces (with the Airspace Extension) • Enter new waypoints, either on the map or by specifying the parameters • Full route support with start time, goal, entry/exit points, etc. • Many instruments to guide you along the route • Visible and audible indication when a waypoint has been reached • Complete waypoints organiser • Import and export of various waypoint file formats By purchasing the Airspace Extension you get access to: • Airspaces of 30 countries • Display of airspaces on the map with configurable colors and formats • Display of your vertical position w.r.t. airspaces • Visible and audible warnings when approaching and entering an airspace • Shows local airspaces by touching a spot on the map Note: a live internet connection is required for live tracking of your and your friends locations Note: continuous GPS and screen usage makes the battery drain faster than normal
Variometer+
This app provides a highly responsive variometer for paragliding, hang gliding, and aviation. It offers customizable beeps, haptic feedback, and ground speed/altitude displays, with an independent Apple Watch app for full functionality on your wrist.
- Highly responsive variometer algorithm
- Audible beeps and haptic feedback
- Ground speed and altitude display
- Sink alarm
- Customizable settings and sounds
- Independent Apple Watch app
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Variometer+ is the most responsive variometer for your iPhone or/and Apple Watch. Works for all activities (paragliding, hang gliding, aviation, ...). • Super reactive / responsive thanks to a very advanced algorithm • Beeps like a real variometer (or haptic feedback on your wrist) • Shows ground speed & altitude (sea level & relative to take-off) • Sink alarm • Entirely configurable (settings sync with Apple Watch through iCloud) • Choose among several gauges • Change units (m/s, ft/min, ...) • Customize beeps tresholds • Customize gauge max & min values based on your activity • Customize the sound of your vario (frequency, cadence, ...) for maximum comfort • Independent Apple Watch app (sound, haptic feedback, ...) → everything on your wrist • ... and more Use at your own risk. The creator cannot be held responsible for any issue that might arise. Common sense should prevail. Fly safe! This app respects your privacy and does not collect any data. Feedback is welcome and appreciated, you can contact me from within the app :-). Please be nice with me ;-). About the algorithm: This variometer is not an ordinary app. To provide this level of responsiveness, a very advanced mathematical technique is being used. This is called ‘Sensor fusion’. It uses data from multiple sensors of your devices, and combines them to increase accuracy and responsiveness. This has been developed in collaboration with researchers from the university of UCLouvain in Belgium. Because of the efficiency, hence complexity, of the algorithm, a great amount of computational power is required. This is why, based on the tests, the advanced level of responsiveness is only available on recent devices. The app still works - but is less responsive - on older devices though. Enjoy! --------- The terms of use & privacy policy can be found here: https://variometer.app/terms-and-privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Variometer+ at Free against Flyskyhy's $8.99. Variometer+ also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (89% vs 76%). Flyskyhy's advantage is chart position (#49 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.4). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Variometer+ is free to download; Flyskyhy costs $8.99 up front. Flyskyhy sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Variometer+ sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Variometer+ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 77 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Flyskyhy's written reviews are positive against 89% of Variometer+'s.
Flyskyhy ships an update monthly, Variometer+ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Flyskyhy | Variometer+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (77 ratings) | 4.8 (27 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 76.3% of reviews | 89.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 77 — better | 27 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #49 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Renevision | iSolid apps |
Customer experience
Flyskyhy
Variometer+
In-app purchases
Flyskyhy
- Social$3.991 Year
- Thermal Maps$3.991 Year
- Map Download$6.491 Year
- Waypoints$7.99
- Airspaces$7.99
- XC-Package$7.99
Variometer+
- Vario PRO Monthly$6.991 Month
- Vario PRO Yearly3 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Vario PRO Lifetime$49.99
Questions
Is Flyskyhy free?
Is Variometer+ free?
Which has better reviews, Flyskyhy or Variometer+?
Do Flyskyhy or Variometer+ have ads?
Which is updated more often, Flyskyhy or Variometer+?
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