Comparison

FirstFIDS vs Blackhawk Install

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

Head to head
About

FirstFIDS

Features
Read full description

With over 3 billion passengers travelling on over 1 million commercial flights every year, airports and airlines are constantly seeking innovative ways of sharing information to enhance the overall experience of their customers whilst optimising resources and reducing cost. Zafire have created a low-cost, simple, yet powerful flight information display system (FIDS) designed to enhance communication between ground handlers and ramp managers whilst on the move, thereby enhancing the passenger experience and improving service levels. FirstFIDS is a cloud-based solution sharing data across the globe and providing instant access to key flight and operational information. Using a simple, secure app we can distribute all arrival, departure, terminal and airport information across multiple staff devices including smartphones and tablets from anywhere in the world.

About

Blackhawk Install

Features
Read full description

Blackhawk Link is a world-leading remote safety and communications platform. Connect your vehicles to the cloud to enhance staff safety, communications, and asset security, no matter how remote. The Blackhawk Install smartphone app enables users to go through the process of installing and connecting new hardware to the platform. Disclaimer: If allowed the app will use the phones GPS to get the location of the installation site where the app is being used. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. We use location services for user location so we can save where an installation job has taken place.

Screenshots

Blackhawk Install4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Blackhawk Install at every 2 weeks against FirstFIDS's every 13 months. Blackhawk Install also leads on device support (3 vs 1). FirstFIDS's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FirstFIDS ships an update every 13 months, Blackhawk Install every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
FirstFIDS versus Blackhawk Install: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirstFIDSBlackhawk Install
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 2 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS13.0 โ€” better15.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size6 MB104 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZafire LimitedPowered by Blackhawk

In-app purchases

None

FirstFIDS

No in-app purchases

None

Blackhawk Install

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FirstFIDS free?
FirstFIDS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Blackhawk Install free?
Blackhawk Install is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FirstFIDS or Blackhawk Install have ads?
Neither FirstFIDS nor Blackhawk Install shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FirstFIDS or Blackhawk Install?
FirstFIDS ships an update every 13 months, and Blackhawk Install every 2 weeks. Most recently, FirstFIDS was updated on September 9, 2026 and Blackhawk Install on September 22, 2026.

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