Comparison

Airmate vs fDeck

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

Head to head
About

Airmate

This app provides pilots with comprehensive flight planning tools, including weather forecasts, airport data, and navigation charts. It enhances situational awareness with a moving map, traffic displays, and terrain elevation views. Pilots can also file flight plans and record their flights.

Highlights
  • Flight planning and weather forecasts
  • Airport data and aviation maps
  • Moving map with aircraft location
  • Traffic and terrain elevation display
  • Flight plan filing and management
  • Flight recording and replay
  • ADS-B traffic and weather reception
Features
Read full description

Airmate is a free and easy to use flight planning and weather app for pilots, improving situational awareness and providing instant access to airport data and aviation maps, up to date weather and NOTAMs, traffic around. IFR and VFR airport plates are freely available in US (FAA charts), Europe, and more than 200 other countries. Many of them are georeferenced and could be overlaid on the aviation chart. A powerful Plate Manager allows to download in advance all airport plates in a country, they could be easily printed and viewed. During the flight, the moving map will display the aircraft location along the route, show airports and aeronautical data details and traffic around, warn you if your planned route is crossing restricted areas. A profile view is available to display terrain elevation, crossed areas and forecasted weather across the route. Airmate can also display a backup aircraft attitude indicator and flight parameters in an EFIS-like view. In the whole world, Synthetic Vision displaying in the EFIS-like view the ups and downs of rolling terrain ahead is available. In selected countries, Airmate can display scenery if this option is purchased. Airmate includes a worldwide aeronautical database updated free of charge with airports, navigation beacons, waypoints, airways, obstacles, regulated and restricted areas. Topographic maps and elevation data for most countries may be downloaded free of charge, as well as additional aviation map overlays such US Sectionals. A procedure database provide details of departure (SID), arrival (STAR) and instrument approaches in the USA, and you could add those procedures to your planned flight route (the procedure database includes all US airports, we are workding to add airports in other countries). Once loaded, the procedure path is displayed on the aeronautical map, including curved paths and racetracks. When coupled with a supported external ADS-B received, Airmate will display nearby traffic on the moving map, and receive FIS-B weather and NOTAM during the flight. To improve safety, Airmate can display neighbouring traffic received over mobile network. Such traffic include commercial airlines and transponder-equiped aircrafts, FLARM gliders, aircrafts whose pilots are using Airmate and other users using other safety broadcasting equipment. Airmate is able to transmit the flight plan data to supported avionics such Dynon SkyView. Thanks to the Auto Route feature, you could search and select the best route for your flight, and then file your VFR or IFR flight plan. Once filed, your flight plan could easily be managed, delayed or cancelled. Airmate will also record your flights and allow to replay them later or export the flight path in gpx format, you could take pictures from the app during flights. Pilot log entries are automatically computed from flown flights. A Satellite map display mode in flight planning or replay mode allows to familiarize with significant landmarks. Airmate will save planned and flown flights, user waypoints and user aircrafts in the cloud and sync them between your devices and Airmate web flight planning. Airmate brings numerous social features to the community. Pilots may leave ratings, tips and comments to share their experience with fellow pilots, and report fuel prices and landing fees. They could find friends, instructors, flight schools, aviation events and aircraft to rent near their home airport or any visited airport. Airmate may be connected to most flight simulators to keep flying skills sharp, and will manage also AHRS and simulated traffic data transmitted by the flight simulator. Planned flights and personal waypoints may be imported and exported. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

fDeck

This app provides a comprehensive flight deck with realistic instruments for aviation enthusiasts and pilots. It includes navigation tools, real-time weather, and traffic data, functioning as both a training aid and a supplementary instrument set.

Highlights
  • Realistic flight instruments (HSI, VOR, ADF, etc.)
  • Interactive aviation moving map
  • Live weather and ADS-B traffic data
  • Radio navigation training simulation
  • Worldwide aviation database
  • X-Plane flight simulator integration
Features
Read full description

fDeck turns your iPhone or iPad into a working aircraft instrument panel - a graphically beautiful flight deck for your pocket, with live weather, real ADS-B traffic, a flight planner and a powerful radio-navigation trainer. Trusted by 50,000+ pilots, student pilots and flight-sim enthusiasts worldwide. 100% ad-free. A FULL PANEL OF INSTRUMENTS Every instrument is hand-crafted to look and behave like the real thing - responsive, animated, and controlled with intuitive touch. Mix and match any combination to build your own flight deck: • Synthetic Vision (Vision PFD) • Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) • VOR receiver • Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) • Artificial Horizon • Altimeter (GPS/Baro) • Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) • Aircraft compass with heading bug • Groundspeed indicator • Chronometer with fuel totaliser • Live weather & wind, with TAF/METAR in raw or decoded form Every instrument has its own built-in video tutorial. LEARN TO NAVIGATE Pan your aircraft anywhere on the map and watch every instrument respond in real time. Tune any VOR, NDB or radio aid from a worldwide database - or build your own virtual navaids to practise tracking radials, intercepts and holds. The best radio-navigation trainer you can carry. PLAN YOUR FLIGHT Build a flight plan and slave any instrument to it. Waypoints transition automatically as you fly, so every needle keeps pointing exactly where it should - no re-tuning between legs. FLY WITH CONFIDENCE • Worldwide aviation database: 20,000+ airports and navaids, updated monthly • Aviation moving map with airspace, airports and navaids • Optional 5/10/20NM range rings and enhanced radial lines • Live ADS-B traffic with a built-in traffic avoidance (TCAS) system • Tag your own aircraft registration to silence alerts on yourself • Export your tracks as GPX or KML FOR YOUR HOME COCKPIT Drive the instruments straight from X-Plane or Microsoft Flight Simulator via the flight simulation connection, and turn any device into a secondary instrument panel. PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST No ads. No tracking across other apps. We never sell your data and collect only what is needed to run the app. NEW IN VERSION 3.0 • Vision: a brand-new synthetic vision PFD (early access - 2D now, 3D coming soon) • Now 100% ad-free • Microsoft Flight Simulator support, alongside X-Plane FDECK PREMIUM fDeck is free to download and use. Become a Premium member to unlock: • Premium and Early Access instruments (including Vision) • Unlimited user navigation stations • Monthly navigation database updates • Map weather overlays & live virtual radar • Live ADS-B traffic with TCAS alerting • Live TAF & METAR reports • Unlimited X-Plane & MSFS flight simulation connection • Crazy fast support from the dev! Premium is available as a monthly or annual subscription, or as a one-time lifetime purchase. • Payment is charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase • Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends • Manage or cancel anytime in your account settings IMPORTANT fDeck is a training aid and a supplementary/backup instrument. It is not a certified instrument and must not be used as a primary means of navigation. Questions or ideas? I read every email personally - just use "Contact the developer" in the app, or the contact page on my website: https://fdeck.app/support/#contact Full details of our Terms of Service and Privacy policy can be found at the following URLs: Terms of Use: https://fdeck.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://fdeck.app/privacy/

Screenshots

Airmate4 screens
fDeck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: fDeck at 4.8 against Airmate's 4.5. fDeck also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 75%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Airmate's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Airmate sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year and fDeck sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

fDeck holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 545 and 328 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Airmate's written reviews are positive against 90% of fDeck's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Airmate ships an update every 6 weeks, fDeck every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Airmate versus fDeck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAirmatefDeck
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (545 ratings)4.8 (328 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews90.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings545 — better328
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size220 MB137 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMyriel Aviation SADarren Yeates

Customer experience

Airmate

All ratings545 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews412 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral9.5%
Negative15.5%

fDeck

All ratings328 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral2.7%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews70 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative7.1%

Bugs and requests

Airmate

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

fDeck

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Compass inverted display
  • Map pointer inverted
  • VOR OBS reverse sensing (TO/FROM indication incorrect)
  • Maps fail to load/display
  • X-Plane simulator connection unreliable
Show 4 more
  • VSI inaccuracy compared to actual aircraft instruments
  • App incompatible with iPhone SE screen format
  • Ads cannot be closed and require app restart
  • Weather pressure readings 1mb inaccurate

Requested features

9 requests
  • Compass horizontal configuration support (180 degrees)
  • CarPlay functionality for in-vehicle navigation
  • EFIS version for advanced glass cockpit simulation
  • Local NOTAM integration
  • CAA airspace overlay for UK users
Show 4 more
  • User-defined waypoints with latitude/longitude input
  • Primary flight display (PFD) for airliner-style instruments
  • Accurate elevation data for locations
  • iPad split-screen compatibility

In-app purchases

21 purchases

Airmate

Subscriptions2
  • Airmate Premium$24.991 Year
  • Photorealistic terrain display$47.991 Year
One-time19
  • Flight plan filing token$1.99
  • Token for 1 year chart access$3.99
  • Support Airmate development!$4.99
Show 16 more
  • Argentina Center VFR 2022$4.99
  • Chile North VFR chart 2022$4.99
  • Chile Santiago VFR chart 2022$4.99
  • Argentina/Chile South VFR 2022$4.99
  • Support Airmate development!$8.99
  • Chart download token$8.99
  • Italy North Avioportolano 2022$11.99
  • Support Airmate development!$17.99
  • Airmate Pro version$22.99
  • Tunisia VFR Air Million 2024$24.99
  • Skyguide Swiss VFR Airport Plates (with one year updates)$36.99
  • Airmate Dispatcher$44.99
  • Avioportolano VFR Airfield Plates for Italy (one year subscription)$46.99
  • Airport Plates premium browser$54.99
  • UAE 2023 Rogers Data$79.99
  • UAE 2025 Rogers Data$89.99
3 purchases

fDeck

Subscriptions2
  • fDeck monthly lounge access$1.991 Month
  • fDeck annual lounge access$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • fDeck lifetime lounge access$29.99

Questions

Is Airmate free?
Airmate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is fDeck free?
fDeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Airmate or fDeck?
fDeck is rated higher. Airmate averages 4.5 out of 5 from 545 ratings, while fDeck averages 4.8 from 328 ratings.
Do Airmate or fDeck have ads?
Neither Airmate nor fDeck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Airmate or fDeck?
Airmate ships an update every 6 weeks, and fDeck every 3 weeks. Most recently, Airmate was updated on September 24, 2026 and fDeck on September 23, 2026.

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