C172 Performance vs xWind
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
C172 Performance
This app calculates essential flight performance data for Cessna 172 and 150 aircraft. It covers takeoff, landing, climb, cruise, descent, instrument procedures, and emergencies, with additional tools for holds and glide calculations. Cloud sync ensures your flight plans are accessible across devices.
- Takeoff and landing calculations
- Climb, cruise, and descent performance
- Instrument procedure planning
- Emergency scenario calculations
- Interactive hold calculator
- Emergency glide distance calculator
- Cloud sync for flight plans
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C172 Performance computes all the useful performance numbers for flight planning for Cessna model 172 and 150 aircraft. It includes calculations for takeoff, landing, climb, cruise, descent, instrument procedures as well as emergencies. It also includes an interactive hold calculator, a risk analysis tool, and an emergency glide distance calculator that handles head and tailwinds. C172 Performance is also available on other mobile devices and as a WebApp (an App that runs in a browser) that runs on a variety of platforms (PC, Mac, tablets, phones). The cloud sync feature allows flight planning profiles entered on any device to be synchronized with your other devices when connected to the Internet. C172 Performance is a free, open-source development effort and has Apps and WebApps for other aircraft. See http://pohperformance.com for complete details.
xWind
This tool helps pilots quickly assess wind conditions relative to aircraft limitations. It displays essential wind data, including headwind, crosswind, and tailwind components, along with runway course and wind limits on a single screen for easy reference during flight.
- Headwind, crosswind, and tailwind calculation
- Displays current wind direction and speed
- Shows runway course
- Indicates applied wind limits
- Identifies 'forbidden' wind angles
- Provides maximum wind speed table
- Adjustable wind and runway settings
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xWind is an easy to use tool to assist pilots in evaluating wind conditions with respect to head, cross and tailwind limitations. Once setup, the xWind app provides all information in one single screen, requiring minimal user interaction during high workload phases of flight, displaying: - Current wind direction and speed - Runway course - Cross and head or tailwind components - Currently applied wind limits - 'Forbidden' wind angles based on the current wind speed - Maximum wind speed table based on current wind limits Reference wind, runway course, as well as wind limits, can all be adjusted on the main screen by either dragging the wind arrow, course rose or wind limit lines. A settings button at the bottom presents a popup screen where both the units for wind speed (Kts or Mps) and the default values for wind limits can be specified. In addition to the general setting for wind speed units, the user can select the alternative units for only the current wind, wind components and maximum winds table by double tapping the wind display at the top of the main screen. When operating from a Kts country into Mps territory, this option allows to set the current wind and see the maximum allowed winds in Mps, based on limits that are still set in Kts. Or vice versa.... xWinds supports iOS darkmode.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: C172 Performance at Free against xWind's $0.99. C172 Performance also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (90% vs 75%). xWind's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On in-app purchases, 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
C172 Performance is free to download; xWind costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
C172 Performance holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xWind has 550 ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of C172 Performance's written reviews are positive against 75% of xWind's.
C172 Performance ships an update every 2 months, xWind fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | C172 Performance | xWind |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $0.99 |
| Rating | 4.9 (52 ratings) — better | 4.6 (550 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 52 | 550 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #80 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | POH Performance L.L.C. | Jan Bloemendaal |
Customer experience
C172 Performance
xWind
Bugs and requests
C172 Performance
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
xWind
Reported bugs
1 issue- Speed toggle doesn't work, always shows MPS
Requested features
3 requests- Incorporate gust factors
- 3 customizable buttons for quick limit settings
- Different colored concentric rings inside the red limit ring
In-app purchases
C172 Performance
No in-app purchases
xWind
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is C172 Performance free?
Is xWind free?
Which has better reviews, C172 Performance or xWind?
Do C172 Performance or xWind have ads?
Which is updated more often, C172 Performance or xWind?
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