Comparison

C172 Performance vs Handy Pilot

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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.

About

Handy Pilot

This app offers a suite of aviation-specific calculation tools for pilots of all levels. It simplifies complex flight planning and in-flight adjustments with features like unit conversion, wind component calculation, and descent rate planning. Enhance your flight efficiency and safety with these essential tools.

Highlights
  • Unit Converter for flight operations
  • Time Calculator for flight planning
  • Turning Radius and STD Rate Turn calculations
  • Wind Component and Limitation calculators
  • Descent Rate and Path Angle calculators
  • ILS and PAPI indication calculations
  • Holding Entry Pattern and Load Factor calculations
Features
Read full description

"Handy Pilot" is designed to be used not only by trainees but also by professional pilots. It will become the best partner that can perform complex calculations on your behalf. With this app, your daily flight will definitely become smarter. Enjoy Handy Pilot and have a safe flight. Tools : "Unit Converter" - converts units used in everyday flight operations. "Time Calculator" - add, subtract, multiply, and divide time values. "Turning Radius" - calculates the turning radius based on speed and bank angle. "STD Rate Turn" - calculates the bank angle for making a standard rate turn. "Wind Component" - calculates the crosswind and headwind components. "Wind Limitation" - calculates the wind speed that can meet your limitation, in each wind direction. "Descent Rate" - calculates the descent rate required to maintain the desired path. "ILS Height Check" - calculates the passing altitude at the desired point based on the temperature at that time. "Path Calculator" - calculates the actual path angle based on the true altitude. "Descent Point" - calculates the starting point of descent to obtain the desired descent angle based on the true altitude. "PAPI" - calculates the altitude at which each PAPI indication can be obtained at the desired point. "ILS vs PAPI" - calculates the change in the PAPI indication during the ILS approach. "Entry Pattern" - calculates holding entry pattern based on heading. "Load Factor" - calculates the load factor based on the bank angle. It can also calculate the bank angle at which any load factor can be obtained. * Available on iOS 14.1 and later. * Purchase is required to use all the features.

Screenshots

C172 Performance4 screens
Handy Pilot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: C172 Performance at none against Handy Pilot's 1. C172 Performance also leads on ratings volume (52 vs 1). Handy Pilot's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, 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. Handy Pilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. C172 Performance asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for C172 Performance against 5.0 for Handy Pilot. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: C172 Performance has 52 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

C172 Performance ships an update every 2 months, Handy Pilot every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
C172 Performance versus Handy Pilot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterC172 PerformanceHandy Pilot
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (52 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings52 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.1
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPOH Performance L.L.C.Shin Nariai

Customer experience

C172 Performance

All ratings52 ratings
Positive98.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral3.3%
Negative6.7%

Handy Pilot

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

C172 Performance

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Handy Pilot

One-time1
  • Unlock All Features$2.99

Questions

Is C172 Performance free?
C172 Performance is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Handy Pilot free?
Handy Pilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, C172 Performance or Handy Pilot?
Handy Pilot is rated higher. C172 Performance averages 4.9 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Handy Pilot averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do C172 Performance or Handy Pilot have ads?
Both C172 Performance and Handy Pilot show ads.
Which is updated more often, C172 Performance or Handy Pilot?
C172 Performance ships an update every 2 months, and Handy Pilot every 3 days. Most recently, C172 Performance was updated on September 18, 2026 and Handy Pilot on September 9, 2026.

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