FirstFIDS vs Blackhawk Install
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
FirstFIDS
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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.
Blackhawk Install
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
| Parameter | FirstFIDS | Blackhawk Install |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | Every 2 weeks โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 โ better | 15.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 104 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Zafire Limited | Powered by Blackhawk |
In-app purchases
FirstFIDS
No in-app purchases
Blackhawk Install
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FirstFIDS free?
Is Blackhawk Install free?
Do FirstFIDS or Blackhawk Install have ads?
Which is updated more often, FirstFIDS or Blackhawk Install?
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