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Aviation · head to head

DUATS vs ForeFlight

DUATS logo

DUATS

Aviation

FAA Direct User Access Terminal System for flight briefings

From
$9.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ForeFlight logo

ForeFlight

Aviation

Comprehensive flight planning and pilot briefing app

From
$130/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DUATS service has been discontinued as of May 2018; ForeFlight device restrictions: 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 1 iPad and 2 iPhones per licence
  • They diverge on capability: DUATS covers Flight briefings, ForeFlight covers Aeronautical charts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DUATS and ForeFlight actually diverge.

Attributes where DUATS and ForeFlight differ
AttributeDUATSForeFlight
Starting price$9.95/month$130/year
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiPad, iPhone
Founded19902007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Aviation).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DUATS

  • Flight briefings
  • Weather data
  • Flight filing
  • NOTAMs
  • FAA systems
  • Weather services
  • Chart databases
  • ATC integration

Only in ForeFlight

  • Aeronautical charts
  • Weather briefings
  • Navigation
  • Weight & balance
  • Garmin avionics
  • Jeppesen charts
  • ADS-B receivers
  • ARINC Direct

Both cover

  • Flight planning
  • Data encryption
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DUATS

  • Flight briefingnot ForeFlight
  • Flight planningnot ForeFlight
  • Flight filingnot ForeFlight
  • Weather briefingnot ForeFlight

ForeFlight

  • Flight planning and navigation for pilotsnot DUATS
  • Aviation weather and digital logbooknot DUATS
  • Airport information and terrain profilingnot DUATS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DUATS

  • Service has been discontinued as of May 2018
  • No longer available for flight planning or briefing

ForeFlight

  • Device restrictions: 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 1 iPad and 2 iPhones per licence
  • Geographic region limited to one per subscription
  • Annual billing only, no monthly option
  • Starter plan lacks Synthetic Vision and advanced planning tools
  • Essential plan lacks pre-built aircraft profiles and fuel planning

Pricing, plan by plan

DUATS

$9.95/month
  • Basic$9.95/month
    • Flight briefings
    • Weather data
    • Flight planning
  • Premium$29.95/month
    • All Basic features
    • Advanced weather
    • Priority briefings

ForeFlight

$130/year
  • Starter$130/year
    • Student pilots and infrequent flyers
    • Flight planning, weather, VFR/IFR charts
    • Airport information and digital logbook
  • Essential$260/year
    • Most popular option
    • Geo-referenced approaches, synthetic vision
    • Hazard advisor with automatic alerts
  • Premium$390/year
    • Aircraft performance profiles
    • Improved fuel calculations
    • 3D airport views and weather analysis layers

Which should you pick?

Choose DUATS if

  • You need flight briefings.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want weather data.
DUATS review

Choose ForeFlight if

  • You need aeronautical charts.
  • You work on iPad, iPhone.
  • You also want weather briefings.
ForeFlight review

Questions people ask

Is DUATS or ForeFlight better?
Neither clearly leads. DUATS starts at $9.95/month and ForeFlight at $130/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DUATS or ForeFlight?
DUATS starts at $9.95/month and ForeFlight at $130/year.
Does DUATS or ForeFlight run on more platforms?
DUATS runs on Web, Ios, Android. ForeFlight runs on iPad, iPhone.
What is DUATS best used for?
DUATS is most often used for flight briefing, flight planning, flight filing, weather briefing. Of those, flight briefing and flight planning are not what ForeFlight is typically brought in for.
What can DUATS do that ForeFlight cannot?
DUATS covers Flight briefings, Weather data, Flight filing, NOTAMs. ForeFlight covers Aeronautical charts, Weather briefings, Navigation, Weight & balance. Both handle Flight planning, Data encryption, Web support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DUATS: Is DUATS still available?

No. The FAA discontinued the Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS II) on May 16, 2018.

Source
ForeFlight: What is ForeFlight's pricing?

ForeFlight offers three annual subscription tiers: Starter at $130/year, Essential at $260/year (most popular), and Premium at $390/year. All plans are billed annually with no monthly option available.

Source
DUATS: Did DUATS cost money?

No. DUATS was free to all registered U.S. pilots and student pilots holding a current medical certificate.

Source
ForeFlight: How many devices can I use with one ForeFlight license?

One license covers usage on either 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 1 iPad and 2 iPhones. One geographic region is included with each plan license.

Source
DUATS: What replaced DUATS?

Pilots now access internet-based weather, aeronautical information, and flight plan filing through the FAA flight service website at no charge.

Source
ForeFlight: What features does the Essential ForeFlight plan include?

The Essential plan ($260/year) is ForeFlight's most popular option. It adds geo-referenced approaches, synthetic vision, hazard advisor with automatic alerts, and terrain/airspace profile views to the Starter features for enhanced safety awareness.

Source
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