Comparison

coolAltitude vs RunwayWX

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

coolAltitude

This professional tool assists IFR pilots in cold weather with temperature corrections for instrument approaches. It integrates weather, runway, and de-/anti-icing data into a clear workflow to reduce workload and enhance situational awareness during flight preparation.

Highlights
  • Temperature-corrected altitude calculations for various approaches
  • Integrated weather and runway condition data
  • De-/anti-icing support with holdover time timers
  • SNOWTAM decoding and braking action information
  • Save and share approach presets and operational data
Features
Read full description

coolAltitude is a professional aviation tool and calculator for IFR pilots operating in cold-weather conditions. It assists with temperature corrections during instrument approaches and integrates weather, runway and de-/anti-icing data into a single, clear workflow. Designed to reduce workload and improve situational awareness during flight preparation, coolAltitude focuses on accuracy, clarity and operational usability. Some advanced features require a paid subscription. -------------------------------- What coolAltitude does • Calculates temperature-corrected altitudes for ILS (CAT I), RNAV/GNSS, VOR and NDB approaches • Requires minimal data entry, using consistent color coding for immediate interpretation • Displays corrected altitudes along the entire approach profile at relevant DME distances • Supports flight path angle (FPA) calculations for FPA-enabled aircraft • Provides vertical speed reference tables (corrected and uncorrected) for various ground speeds • Includes QNH to QFE conversion tables with temperature corrections -------------------------------- Integrated weather and runway information • Live METAR interaction with automatic propagation of relevant values, including temperature (requires subscription) • SNOWTAM decoding with braking action information • RCAM (Runway Condition Assessment Matrix) based on ICAO GRF • Support for DME shift, including threshold, touchdown zone and displaced DME references -------------------------------- De-/Anti-icing support (requires subscription) • FAA Holdover Time (HOT) Guidelines for multiple fluid types and manufacturers • Integrated HOT countdown timer to track minimum and maximum recommended holdover times • Reference tables supporting assessment of snowfall intensity • Structured storage and sharing of airport-specific de-/anti-icing procedures -------------------------------- Saved and shared data (requires subscription) • Save and reload approach presets for individual airports and procedures • Share verified, structured operational data with other users • Local override of shared data when required -------------------------------- Built for professional use coolAltitude is built by pilots, for pilots. It is designed to support decision-making during high-workload phases without replacing approved procedures. -------------------------------- Important notice coolAltitude is an advisory tool only. It is not certified for operational use and does not replace approved documentation. Use in flight operations requires approval and operation as part of the operator’s Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) in accordance with applicable regulations. -------------------------------- coolAltitude does not replace your procedures. It helps you apply them correctly, even on the coldest days. -------------------------------- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

RunwayWX

This app provides pilots with essential aviation weather data, including runway wind analysis, real-time METARs, and satellite runway diagrams. It offers performance calculations, astronomical data, and airport intelligence in a clean, pilot-focused interface.

Highlights
  • Runway wind analysis (headwind, tailwind, crosswind)
  • Real-time METAR and D-ATIS parsing
  • Satellite runway diagrams with wind overlays
  • Performance calculations (density altitude, freezing level)
  • Astronomical data (sunrise, sunset, moon phase)
  • Airport intelligence (elevation, timezone, clocks)
Features
Read full description

RunwayWX: Professional Aviation Weather for Pilots Built by pilots, for pilots. RunwayWX delivers critical weather data in a format designed for professional flight operations. KEY FEATURES: - Runway Wind Analysis Calculate headwind, tailwind, and crosswind components for every runway at 25,000+ airports worldwide. Color-coded displays show favorable/unfavorable conditions at a glance. - Real-Time METAR & D-ATIS Live weather data with automatic D-ATIS parsing to identify active runways. Flight category indicators (VFR/MVFR/IFR/LIFR) provide instant weather assessment. - Satellite Runway Diagrams Interactive satellite view with wind-aligned runway overlays. Zoom, pan, and analyze runway positioning with real geographic context. - Performance Calculations Pressure altitude, density altitude, and freezing level calculations with color-coded severity warnings for high-density altitude conditions. - Astronomical Data Sunrise, sunset, civil twilight, moon phase, and moonrise/moonset times for flight planning and operational requirements. - Airport Intelligence Complete airport identity with country flags, elevation, timezone data, and real-time local/UTC clocks for 25,000+ airports worldwide. - Professional Design Clean, pilot-focused interface designed for quick weather assessment. No ads, no distractions - just the data you need. DATA SOURCES: RunwayWX uses official aviation weather sources including NOAA and CheckWX API, combined with comprehensive runway data from OurAirports. Internet connection required for weather updates. Built with feedback from active airline pilots, RunwayWX brings professional-grade weather analysis to your iPhone.

Screenshots

coolAltitude4 screens
RunwayWX3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RunwayWX at Free against coolAltitude's $7.99. RunwayWX also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). coolAltitude's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 1). On rating, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

RunwayWX is free to download; coolAltitude costs $7.99 up front. coolAltitude sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. RunwayWX asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for coolAltitude against 5.0 for RunwayWX. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: coolAltitude has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of coolAltitude's written reviews are positive against 100% of RunwayWX's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

coolAltitude ships an update every 5 months, RunwayWX every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
coolAltitude versus RunwayWX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametercoolAltitudeRunwayWX
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (7 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB20 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperSilkIdea s.r.o.Vinayak Raghubir Sharma

Customer experience

coolAltitude

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

RunwayWX

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

coolAltitude

Subscriptions2
  • De & Anti-Icing Pro$7.991 Year
  • Save & Retrieve Approach Data$7.991 Year
None

RunwayWX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is coolAltitude free?
coolAltitude costs $7.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is RunwayWX free?
RunwayWX is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, coolAltitude or RunwayWX?
coolAltitude and RunwayWX are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do coolAltitude or RunwayWX have ads?
Neither coolAltitude nor RunwayWX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, coolAltitude or RunwayWX?
coolAltitude ships an update every 5 months, and RunwayWX every 2 weeks. Most recently, coolAltitude was updated on October 13, 2026 and RunwayWX on October 7, 2026.

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