Comparison

TruAirspeed vs xWind

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

Head to head
About

TruAirspeed

This utility calculates true airspeed, pressure altitude, density altitude, and Mach number. It accounts for compressibility effects and offers unit choices and keypad styles. Users can also input a correction factor for their airspeed indicator.

Highlights
  • True airspeed calculation
  • Pressure and density altitude calculation
  • Mach number calculation
  • Compressibility effects accounted for
  • Choice of input/result units
  • Calculator or telephone keypad options
  • Airspeed indicator correction factor
Features
Read full description

TruAirspeed is a True Airspeed Calculator for the iPhone and iPad. It's a bit different from other true airspeed calculators, in which the pressure altitude is an input. This requires resetting the altimeter to the standard sea level pressure of 29.92"Hg to read the pressure altitude. With TruAirspeed, you input the indicated altitude and the Kollsman window's pressure setting — the app then calculates the pressure altitude, density altitude, true airspeed and mach number for you. The calculations involved take full account of compressibility effects, but not shock waves, so it's limited to subsonic, non-transonic flight only. You have a choice of units for inputs and results, and you may choose either a calculator-style keypad (top row: 7-8-9) or a telephone-style keypad (top row: 1-2-3). You may also set a correction factor for your bird's airspeed indicator/pitot-static system, if you know it (mine is 0.95).

About

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.

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
Read full description

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

TruAirspeed4 screens
xWind4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: TruAirspeed at Free against xWind's $0.99. xWind's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 24 months). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

TruAirspeed is free to download; xWind costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

xWind holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xWind has 550 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of TruAirspeed's written reviews are positive against 75% of xWind's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TruAirspeed ships an update every 24 months, xWind fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TruAirspeed versus xWind: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTruAirspeedxWind
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.1 (8 ratings)4.6 (550 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8550 — better
Update frequencyEvery 24 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJames PettyJan Bloemendaal

Customer experience

TruAirspeed

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%

xWind

All ratings550 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

TruAirspeed

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

None

TruAirspeed

No in-app purchases

None

xWind

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TruAirspeed free?
TruAirspeed 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, TruAirspeed or xWind?
xWind is rated higher. TruAirspeed averages 4.1 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while xWind averages 4.6 from 550 ratings.
Do TruAirspeed or xWind have ads?
Neither TruAirspeed nor xWind shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TruAirspeed or xWind?
TruAirspeed ships an update every 24 months, and xWind fortnightly. Most recently, TruAirspeed was updated on June 2, 2026 and xWind on September 25, 2026.

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