Comparison

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool vs VFR Weather Basic

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

Head to head
About

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool

This app provides skydivers with crucial weather information, including winds aloft and surface winds, along with a satellite map of dropzones. It helps determine the best exit area and recommended parachute patterns based on current wind conditions. Advanced features for canopy range, jump runs, and cutaway location tracking are available via in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Satellite dropzone maps
  • Current wind data (surface & aloft)
  • Parachute range display
  • Recommended jump patterns
  • Cutaway canopy location tracking
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Shows skydivers current weather, winds, the best exit area and pattern in current wind conditions. A tool for parachute pilots. Skydiving. Paragliding. As long as you depend on skydiving weather - you must have Spot Assist. Whats does it do: 1. Displays a satellite map of dropzones world wide. 2. Shows current windaloft and surface winds world wide. 3. Displays a range of your parachute and a safe jump run exit area. (In-App purchase required) 4. When zoomed in to the pattern - displays recommended pattern for your parachute. (In-App purchase required) 5. Helps to find your cutaway canopy: mark cutaway location and app will use windsaloft to calculate where it has landed.(In-App purchase required for past wind data) Cutaway Data Subscription length is 1(one month) and is auto-renewable, which means the following -Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase -Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period -Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period – Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase – Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable – Cost of the renewal is the same as original subscription. http://www.spotassist.com/spotassist-terms-of-use/

About

VFR Weather Basic

Read full description

VFR Weather Basic is a limited version of VFR Weather. It allows you to get the current METAR of an airport (user input of any US airport ICAO code). It will then show the latest METAR report gathered from aviationweather.gov This free version has limitations that the paid VFR Weather app does not: - Only allows METAR, no TAF or Runway information. - Only one airport vs departure, multiple en-route and destinations airports. - Show me button does not show satellite view of airport with wind sock and wind information. - Runway selection for report is disabled (does not show runway details in report page). - Winds Aloft button is disabled.

Screenshots

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool4 screens
VFR Weather Basic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VFR Weather Basic at none against Spot Assist Skydiving Tool's 10. Spot Assist Skydiving Tool's advantage is chart position (#189 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.6). On price, 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. Spot Assist Skydiving Tool sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. VFR Weather Basic asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Spot Assist Skydiving Tool versus VFR Weather Basic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpot Assist Skydiving ToolVFR Weather Basic
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (142 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews81.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings142 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#189 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrey KanJeff Bieren

Bugs and requests

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • App repeatedly crashes on opening
  • App unusable after version 2.3.0
  • Wind direction inaccurate in real time
  • Background colors and lettering hard to read
  • Pattern direction stopped working
Show 11 more
  • App does not keep home DZ
  • App adds paid features to existing customers
  • App won't open after last update
  • App continues to crash after restoring purchases
  • App no longer turns on or works after recent update
  • App keeps shutting down
  • Error connecting to iTunes Store for purchases
  • Email us button opens wrong client
  • Features lost after getting a new phone
  • App crashes upon startup (iPhone 6)
  • App crashes when changing open by/canopy type

Requested features

7 requests
  • PC or Mac version
  • More canopy selection
  • Ability to edit/delete canopies
  • Set exit altitude
  • Set canopy deployment altitude
Show 2 more
  • Reset target pad to default
  • Calculate exit spot module

VFR Weather Basic

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Spot Assist Skydiving Tool

Subscriptions5
  • Cutaway Data Subscription$0.991 Month
  • Ncep NAM Data Subscription$1.991 Month
  • Ncep GFS Data Subscription$2.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Ncep All Models Data Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Ncep Two Models Data Subscription$3.991 Month
One-time5
  • Exit Area Feature for life$3.99
  • Pattern Feature for life$4.99
  • All Features for one month$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Forecast Feature for life$4.99
  • One Month Cutaway Data$5.99
None

VFR Weather Basic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spot Assist Skydiving Tool free?
Spot Assist Skydiving Tool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VFR Weather Basic free?
VFR Weather Basic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Spot Assist Skydiving Tool or VFR Weather Basic have ads?
Neither Spot Assist Skydiving Tool nor VFR Weather Basic shows ads.

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