Comparison

E6B Pilot Flight Computer vs beacons

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

Head to head
About

E6B Pilot Flight Computer

Features
Read full description

Catch a bad crosswind or leg-time assumption before engine start. E6B Pilot Flight Computer helps student pilots, CFIs, and other manual-planning pilots turn runway wind checks, wind previews, and nav-log cards into a faster preflight and teaching workflow without opening a full EFB. Use the free core to: - check runway crosswind plus headwind or tailwind components from manual wind and runway inputs - check density altitude from pressure altitude and outside air temperature before opening aircraft performance tables - preview wind correction angle, heading, and groundspeed from true course, true airspeed, wind-from direction, and wind speed - keep the workflow fully offline with no account, ads, or live EFB scope Unlock Nav-Log Cards to: - turn a wind leg into a full nav-log card with heading, groundspeed, leg time, and fuel required before reserves - save, pin, and reload local training or preflight cards on iPhone or iPad - share a plain-language training summary for debrief, lesson handoff, or planning notes - unlock the full student-pilot and CFI drill-card library for repeat runway, wind, and leg-time practice Why pilots keep it: - catch a runway-component or leg-time mistake before engine start - practice manual E6B thinking without rebuilding the same math in notes, spreadsheets, or browser calculators - hand off a clean training or debrief card instead of rewriting numbers - stay focused on one review-safe manual planning job instead of a broad aviation suite Important: Results are planning and training references only. Always verify runway choice, performance, fuel reserves, and operational decisions with your POH or AFM, current conditions, and pilot judgment. This app is not FAA-approved avionics and does not provide navigation, live weather, charts, flight-plan filing, or aircraft integration.

About

beacons

Detects and maps surveillance devices broadcasting over WiFi and Bluetooth. It identifies cameras, trackers, and drones, offering a live view of nearby recording gear. Explore its features with sample data even without hardware.

Highlights
  • Detects WiFi and Bluetooth broadcasting devices
  • Live map display of detected gear
  • Identifies license-plate readers, cameras, and trackers
  • Open-source and privacy-focused design
  • Optional drive mode with lock screen counter
  • Community layer for known fixed sites
Features
Read full description

beacons is a free open-source companion app for the soyboi beacon detector. it finds the cameras, trackers, and other recording gear broadcasting around you and puts them on a live map on your phone. A lot of modern surveillance gear announces itself over WiFi and Bluetooth. beacons listens for those signals so you can see what's nearby. beacons pairs the pocket receiver that pairs with your phone over Bluetooth. No detector yet? Open the app and tap "See how it works" on the first screen to explore the whole app on sample data, with no hardware and no permissions required. WHAT IT FINDS - Automated license-plate readers: known fixed sites shown on a map, plus a live flag when nearby gear actually broadcasts over WiFi or Bluetooth (a bonus, not a guarantee, since many report home over cellular and stay silent) - Networked and WiFi cameras from known camera brands, professional and consumer (optional, off by default) - Bluetooth trackers like AirTags (optional, off by default, so everyday tags don't bury the rest) - Drones broadcasting Remote ID overhead - Body-worn and wearable cameras in range - Recording glasses, by the vendor IDs in their Bluetooth broadcasts - Anything you star: teach it your own category and it calls that device out every time it's near PRIVATE BY DESIGN - The detection side only listens. It never jams or spoofs, and can't track or affect any other device. The only thing the detector transmits is the Bluetooth link to your own phone. - No account, no cloud, no telemetry. Every detection stays on your device unless you explicitly export or send it. - The app and the firmware are fully open source, so you can read exactly what it does. HOW IT WORKS - Every detection lands on a live map with signal detail and history. - An optional Drive mode keeps a live counter on your lock screen while you travel. - An opt-in community layer also maps known fixed plate-reader sites near you, drawn from the DeFlock project and OpenStreetMap contributors, as a reference on top of live detection. - Free firmware updates install over Bluetooth, so it keeps recognizing new gear. - Spotted a device it mislabeled or missed? Share that capture from the app to help improve detection. It is manual and optional, and nothing leaves your phone unless you send it. HONEST ABOUT LIMITS It hears what announces itself over WiFi and Bluetooth, not what stays silent. Wired and purely optical systems won't show up, and neither will gear that reports home over its own cellular link, which some fixed plate readers do. A quiet screen means nothing spoke up, not that you're unwatched. beacons needs the beacons hardware for live detection. Learn more at soyboi.tech.

Screenshots

E6B Pilot Flight Computer3 screens
beacons4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: beacons at none against E6B Pilot Flight Computer's 1. On price, update cadence, ads 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. E6B Pilot Flight Computer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. beacons asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

E6B Pilot Flight Computer ships an update every 9 days, beacons every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
E6B Pilot Flight Computer versus beacons: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterE6B Pilot Flight Computerbeacons
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer光 杨Soyboi LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

E6B Pilot Flight Computer

One-time1
  • Unlock Nav-Log Cards$7.99
None

beacons

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is E6B Pilot Flight Computer free?
E6B Pilot Flight Computer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is beacons free?
beacons is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do E6B Pilot Flight Computer or beacons have ads?
Neither E6B Pilot Flight Computer nor beacons shows ads.
Which is updated more often, E6B Pilot Flight Computer or beacons?
E6B Pilot Flight Computer ships an update every 9 days, and beacons every 6 days. Most recently, E6B Pilot Flight Computer was updated on November 9, 2026 and beacons on November 10, 2026.

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