Comparison

ACE Checklist Editor vs Virtual PAPI

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

Head to head
About

ACE Checklist Editor

Create, manage, and execute aviation checklists digitally. Designed for pilots, it offers offline functionality, professional templates, and multi-format import/export for enhanced safety and efficiency in the cockpit.

Highlights
  • Digital aviation checklist creation
  • Offline functionality
  • Multi-format import/export (ACE, ForeFlight, Dynon)
  • Professional templates
  • Challenge & Response format
  • Revision history
  • Smart organization by aircraft or phase of flight
Features
Read full description

Transform Your Aviation Safety with Professional Digital Checklists ACE Checklist Editor is the professional pilot's choice for creating, managing, and executing aviation checklists on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Designed by pilots for pilots, ACE brings the reliability of paper checklists into the digital age with powerful features that enhance safety and efficiency. WHY PILOTS CHOOSE ACE • Universal Compatibility - Import and export checklists in ACE (.ace), ForeFlight (.fmd), and Dynon formats • Industry-Standard ACE Format - Compatible with Garmin avionics and other systems that support ACE files • Works Offline - All your checklists are stored locally on your device. No internet required in flight • Professional Templates - Start with expertly crafted templates for popular aircraft or create your own from scratch • External Drive Sync - Keep your checklists synchronized across devices using external drives • Smart Organization - Group checklists by aircraft, phase of flight, or custom categories SAFETY-FIRST DESIGN • Challenge & Response Format - Clear distinction between checklist items and expected responses • Emergency Procedures - Quick access to critical checklists with high-visibility formatting • Warning & Caution Items - Color-coded alerts for critical items that demand attention • Revision History - Track all changes with complete version control • No Distractions - Clean, focused interface designed for cockpit use POWERFUL FEATURES • Multi-Format Import & Export - Share checklists in Garmin (.ace) [.gcl and .gplts coming soon], ForeFlight (.fmd), or Dynon formats with other pilots and avionics systems • ForeFlight Integration - Import your existing ForeFlight checklists and export back in encrypted .fmd format • Dynon Compatibility - Full support for Dynon SkyView checklist format with proper line wrapping • Multiple Aircraft - Manage checklists for your entire fleet in one app • Customizable Sections - Organize by phase of flight: Preflight, Startup, Taxi, Takeoff, Cruise, Landing, Shutdown • Rich Formatting - Add notes, references, conditional items, and amplified procedures • Search & Filter - Quickly find any checklist or item across your entire library BUILT FOR REAL PILOTS Whether you're a student pilot building good habits, a CFI managing training aircraft, or a professional pilot flying complex aircraft, ACE adapts to your needs: • Student Pilots: Learn proper checklist discipline with clear, organized procedures • Flight Instructors: Create standardized checklists for your training fleet • Aircraft Owners: Maintain custom checklists that match your specific equipment and STCs • Professional Pilots: Manage multiple aircraft types with airline-style formatting ONE APP, EVERY DEVICE • Native iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps, all in one download • Edit on the Mac with a full desktop window, menus, and keyboard • Document-based app - Open .ace files directly from Files, email, or other apps • iCloud backup keeps your data safe YOUR DATA, YOUR CONTROL • All checklists stored locally on your device but auto synced via iCloud to other devices you control. • No account required • Core checklist editing is available without a subscription; optional subscriptions and lifetime purchases unlock additional features • Export your data anytime in ACE, ForeFlight, or Dynon formats • Privacy-focused: We never see your checklists IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE ACE Checklist Editor is designed to assist pilots but does not replace your aircraft's official Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) or FAA-approved flight manual. Always verify checklist items against your aircraft's official documentation. Every aircraft is unique with different equipment and STCs. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Additional Terms: https://www.acechecklist.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.acechecklist.com/privacy

About

Virtual PAPI

This app offers adjustable visual descent guidance for any runway, allowing pilots to select airports and runways, then customize descent angles and aiming points. It provides accurate vertical guidance for various approach types and works offline with an extensive runway database.

Highlights
  • Adjustable visual descent guidance
  • Select airport and runway
  • Customize descent angle and aiming point
  • Accurate vertical guidance
  • Works offline
  • 30,000+ runway database
Features
Read full description

Pilots love runways with visual descent guidance, such as PAPI or VASI, but unfortunately they don't exist everywhere. This app provides an adjustable visual descent guidance for every runway on the planet. The pilot can select an airport, a runway, adjust the desired descent angle and the aiming point, then Virtual PAPI will create a glide slope indicator style. The glide slope will provide accurate vertical guidance to the aiming point from any direction, 360 degrees, providing a valuable guidance for any type of approach, like base entries, short approaches, straight-ins, etc. The app comes with over 30 thousand runways in its offline database, and more will be added as they are discovered. The app works completely offline and never tries to use the internet. All it needs is access to your location. Virtual PAPI is and free and open source, with all the code available on GitHub.

Screenshots

ACE Checklist Editor4 screens
Virtual PAPI2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Virtual PAPI at 100% against ACE Checklist Editor's 50%. Virtual PAPI also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). ACE Checklist Editor's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, 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

Both are free to download. ACE Checklist Editor sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Virtual PAPI asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Virtual PAPI holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ACE Checklist Editor has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of ACE Checklist Editor's written reviews are positive against 100% of Virtual PAPI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ACE Checklist Editor ships an update every 4 days, Virtual PAPI every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ACE Checklist Editor versus Virtual PAPI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterACE Checklist EditorVirtual PAPI
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPatrick MichalinaMarlon Dutra

Customer experience

ACE Checklist Editor

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

Virtual PAPI

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

In-app purchases

10 purchases

ACE Checklist Editor

Subscriptions2
  • ACE Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
  • ACE Pro Annual$49.991 Year
One-time8
  • Fly Mode (Lifetime)$4.99
  • PDF Export (Lifetime)$9.99
  • Beechcraft Baron B55 (BE55)$9.99
Show 5 more
  • Beechcraft Baron B58 (BE58)$9.99
  • Beechcraft Baron B58P (B58T)$9.99
  • Beechcraft Duchess (BE76)$9.99
  • Piper JETPROP (PA46) Checklist$9.99
  • ACE File Access (Lifetime)$99.99
None

Virtual PAPI

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ACE Checklist Editor free?
ACE Checklist Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Virtual PAPI free?
Virtual PAPI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ACE Checklist Editor or Virtual PAPI?
Virtual PAPI is rated higher. ACE Checklist Editor averages 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Virtual PAPI averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do ACE Checklist Editor or Virtual PAPI have ads?
Neither ACE Checklist Editor nor Virtual PAPI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ACE Checklist Editor or Virtual PAPI?
ACE Checklist Editor ships an update every 4 days, and Virtual PAPI every 2 weeks. Most recently, ACE Checklist Editor was updated on November 5, 2026 and Virtual PAPI on October 30, 2026.

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