# C172 Performance vs xWind

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | C172 Performance | xWind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c172-performance/id741721884/reviews)** | [4.6 (550 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xwind/id1477120117/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 52 | **550** |
| Positive reviews | **90.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#92** |
| Size | 15 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [POH Performance L.L.C.](https://appshunter.io/developer/641403529) | [Jan Bloemendaal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477120116) |

## What reviewers say

### C172 Performance

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c172-performance/id741721884)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### xWind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xwind/id1477120117)

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and read
- 👍 Works well for its intended purpose
- 👍 Good interface
- 👍 Remembers settings
- 👍 Helpful for visualizing wind

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Numbers are unlabeled and ambiguous
- 🤔 Not intuitive
- 🤔 Difficult to understand
- 🤔 Instructions could be clearer
- 🤔 Old version was better

**Reported bugs**

- Speed toggle doesn't work, always shows MPS

**Requested features**

- Incorporate gust factors
- 3 customizable buttons for quick limit settings
- Different colored concentric rings inside the red limit ring


## Frequently asked questions

### Is C172 Performance free?

C172 Performance is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is xWind free?

xWind costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, C172 Performance or xWind?

C172 Performance is rated higher. C172 Performance averages 4.9 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while xWind averages 4.6 from 550 ratings.

### Do C172 Performance or xWind have ads?

C172 Performance shows ads; xWind does not.

### Which is updated more often, C172 Performance or xWind?

C172 Performance ships an update every 2 months, and xWind fortnightly. Most recently, C172 Performance was updated on September 18, 2026 and xWind on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*