# Airmate vs PilotDeck

The clearest difference is update cadence: PilotDeck at every 4 days against Airmate's every 6 weeks. PilotDeck also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Airmate's advantage is ratings volume (545 vs 5) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Airmate sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year and PilotDeck sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PilotDeck holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Airmate has 545 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Airmate's written reviews are positive against 100% of PilotDeck's.

Airmate ships an update every 6 weeks, PilotDeck every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Airmate | PilotDeck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (545 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airmate/id998181102/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotdeck/id6758884238/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **545** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 220 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Myriel Aviation SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/998181101) | [Flight Service SIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875512948) |

## What reviewers say

### Airmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airmate/id998181102)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airmate Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Photorealistic terrain display | $47.99 | per year |
| Flight plan filing token | $1.99 | one-time |
| Token for 1 year chart access | $3.99 | one-time |
| Support Airmate development! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Argentina Center VFR 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chile North VFR chart 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chile Santiago VFR chart 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Argentina/Chile South VFR 2022 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Support Airmate development! | $8.99 | one-time |
| Chart download token | $8.99 | one-time |
| Italy North Avioportolano 2022 | $11.99 | one-time |
| Support Airmate development! | $17.99 | one-time |
| Airmate Pro version | $22.99 | one-time |
| Tunisia VFR Air Million 2024 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Skyguide Swiss VFR Airport Plates (with one year updates) | $36.99 | one-time |
| Airmate Dispatcher | $44.99 | one-time |
| Avioportolano VFR Airfield Plates for Italy (one year subscription) | $46.99 | one-time |
| Airport Plates premium browser | $54.99 | one-time |
| UAE 2023 Rogers Data | $79.99 | one-time |
| UAE 2025 Rogers Data | $89.99 | one-time |


### PilotDeck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilotdeck/id6758884238)

Access decoded aeronautical weather, including METARs, TAFs, and civil forecasts. Get live NOTAMs and a comprehensive route briefing for any airport worldwide. Includes cognitive pre-flight checks and aviation training tools.

**Highlights:** Decoded METAR and TAF, Hour-by-hour forecasts, Live NOTAMs, Full route briefing, Smart push alerts, Cognitive pre-flight checks, Aviation training games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PilotDeck PRO (Monthly) | $5.99 | per month |
| PilotDeck PRO (Annual) | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Airmate free?

Airmate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PilotDeck free?

PilotDeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Airmate or PilotDeck?

PilotDeck is rated higher. Airmate averages 4.5 out of 5 from 545 ratings, while PilotDeck averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do Airmate or PilotDeck have ads?

Neither Airmate nor PilotDeck shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Airmate or PilotDeck?

Airmate ships an update every 6 weeks, and PilotDeck every 4 days. Most recently, Airmate was updated on October 9, 2026 and PilotDeck on October 4, 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.*