# Earthmate vs Helitab Flight Planner

The clearest difference is update cadence: Earthmate at monthly against Helitab Flight Planner's every 5 months. Helitab Flight Planner's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Earthmate ships an update monthly, Helitab Flight Planner every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Earthmate | Helitab Flight Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (272 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earthmate/id519247758/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **272** | — |
| Positive reviews | 21.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 92 MB | 825 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [AIRBUS HELICOPTERS](https://appshunter.io/developer/442021573) |

## What reviewers say

### Earthmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earthmate/id519247758)

Connect your satellite communicator to your mobile device for text messaging, navigation, and trip planning. Access offline maps, track your location, and share your adventures globally. Stay connected and safe on any outdoor expedition.

**Highlights:** Send/receive text messages, Offline topographic maps, Waypoint and route navigation, Tracking and location sharing, Trip logging and planning, Cloud storage for trips, Control inReach device features

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Offline maps
- 📡 Satellite communication
- 💬 Messaging functionality
- 🗺️ Tracking and navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
- 🔍 Lacking detailed maps
- 🔑 Login/sync issues
- 🔧 Buggy and unstable
- 🗓️ Frequent app crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Invisible text fields
- Disappearing waypoints and tracks
- Inability to send preset messages from app
- Incorrect wind speed display
- Broken map downloads

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch integration
- Customizable preset messages
- Improved map detail and customization
- Seamless sync between app and device
- Frequent message check intervals


### Helitab Flight Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helitab-flight-planner/id1316901262)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Earthmate free?

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

### Is Helitab Flight Planner free?

Helitab Flight Planner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Earthmate or Helitab Flight Planner have ads?

Neither Earthmate nor Helitab Flight Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Earthmate or Helitab Flight Planner?

Earthmate ships an update monthly, and Helitab Flight Planner every 5 months. Most recently, Earthmate was updated on October 21, 2026 and Helitab Flight Planner on September 22, 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.*