Comparison

FlightDeck vs Vrolu

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

Head to head
About

FlightDeck

This app provides real-time flight tracking with AI-generated insights, offering context beyond raw data. It highlights notable aircraft, weather conditions, and airport details, with customizable alerts and emergency detection.

Highlights
  • Real-time flight tracking map
  • AI-generated flight briefs
  • Notable aircraft spotting
  • Weather intelligence overlays
  • Detailed airport information
  • Customizable flight alerts
  • Emergency squawk detection
Features
Read full description

FlightDeck is the flight tracker that shows you what pilots are saying, live. PILOT MESSAGES (ACARS) Read the messages pilots and their airline send each other, decoded live: diversions, medical emergencies, maintenance problems, and the odd joke. Search any flight and day. TRACK YOUR FLIGHT Follow your flight on your Lock Screen: clearance, pushback, takeoff and landing runways, and the plane flying in that becomes yours. 3D MODE The 3D flight tracking you've seen all over social media. Real planes in their airline's paint, gear and all. Nothing else comes close. REPLAY Go back to any flight from the last 30 days and watch it fly again. ALERTS Write an alert in plain English, or draw one on the map. Get notified about emergency squawks and military and government aircraft. ALSO INCLUDED Weather radar, turbulence and pilot reports, D-ATIS, METARs, plain-English NOTAMs, FAA ground stops and delays, active runways, gates, TSA wait times, and approach charts. SUBSCRIPTION FlightDeck requires a weekly or yearly subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. It renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it anytime in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://www.tryflightdeck.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.tryflightdeck.com/terms

About

Vrolu

Track flights in real-time with live maps, aircraft locations, and delay explanations. Share your journey with others and receive automatic updates on gates and baggage claim. Offers group features for multiple travelers.

Highlights
  • Live aircraft tracking on map
  • Inbound aircraft status
  • Delay reasons in plain English
  • Gate, terminal, and baggage claim info
  • Group flight sharing
  • Live Lock Screen and Dynamic Island tracking
Features
Read full description

Vrolu is a serious flight tracker for iPhone. Add a flight and watch the real aircraft move on a live map, see the plane that's coming to fly you, and read why it's late in plain English — before the gate agent says a word. When you're traveling with people, bring them along: everyone's flight, one board, one shared link. A SERIOUS FLIGHT TRACKER • A live map with the real aircraft on the path it has actually flown, from pushback to the runway it lands on • Where's my plane: the aircraft coming to fly you — every leg of its day, where it is now, and when it lands • Delay intel in plain English: your plane, the airport in the FAA's own words, or a ground stop at the other end — and how much of it your schedule can absorb • Gates, terminals, baggage claim, and automatic updates from gate change to wheels down • Add a flight with just the airline and number; codeshares show who you booked and who's actually flying • Alternate flights: the remaining nonstops on your route, ranked by departure — one tap swaps one onto your trip • Live Lock Screen and Dynamic Island tracking, with a countdown that takes over in the last 45 minutes before departure BUILT FOR GROUPS, TOO • One trip, everyone on it — the whole group's flights at a glance • The arrivals & departures board shows who lands today, live • One-tap check-ins: tell your people you made it the moment you land • Share a private live link anyone can follow — no app or account needed • Itinerary, events, and stay details in one place NO FRONT DOOR Open Vrolu and you're in. No welcome screen, no sign-up wall — add a flight in one tap. We only ask who you are to buy Pro, share a trip, or invite someone. VROLU PRO Your first flight flies in full Pro, free. After that, the live map, the inbound aircraft, delay reasons, and Lock Screen tracking are $4.99/week or $39.99/year. Group Pro lights up every flight on the board: $12.99/week or $79.99/year. Cancel anytime. Free to track your flights and share a trip. Know first. Privacy Policy: https://vrolu.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

FlightDeck4 screens
Vrolu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Vrolu at 100% against FlightDeck's 19%. Vrolu also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). FlightDeck's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 23) and chart position (#14 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FlightDeck sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Vrolu sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vrolu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FlightDeck has 1.5K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of FlightDeck's written reviews are positive against 100% of Vrolu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
FlightDeck versus Vrolu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlightDeckVrolu
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1.5K ratings)4.9 (23 ratings) — better
Positive reviews19.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.5K — better23
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 4 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#14 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size163 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAttractsVrolu LLC

Customer experience

FlightDeck

All ratings1,473 ratings
Positive86.6%
Neutral1.7%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews292 reviews
Positive19.2%
Neutral10.6%
Negative70.2%

Vrolu

All ratings23 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral4.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

FlightDeck

Subscriptions6
  • FlightDeck Pro$6.997 Days
  • FlightDeck Pro$12.997 Days
  • FlightDeck Pro$19.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • FlightDeck Pro$49.991 Year
  • FlightDeck Pro3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • FlightDeck Pro3 Days trial$69.991 Year
4 purchases

Vrolu

Subscriptions4
  • Vrolu Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Group Pro Weekly$12.997 Days
  • Vrolu Pro Annual$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Group Pro Annual$79.991 Year

Questions

Is FlightDeck free?
FlightDeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vrolu free?
Vrolu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FlightDeck or Vrolu?
Vrolu is rated higher. FlightDeck averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Vrolu averages 4.9 from 23 ratings.
Do FlightDeck or Vrolu have ads?
FlightDeck shows ads; Vrolu does not.
Which is updated more often, FlightDeck or Vrolu?
FlightDeck ships an update every 4 days, and Vrolu every 4 days. Most recently, FlightDeck was updated on November 9, 2026 and Vrolu on November 10, 2026.

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