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DUATS vs Safelog Pilot Logbook

DUATS logo

DUATS

Software

FAA Direct User Access Terminal System for flight briefings

From
$9.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Safelog Pilot Logbook logo

Safelog Pilot Logbook

Software

Cross-platform electronic pilot logbook

From
$59/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DUATS service has been discontinued as of May 2018; Safelog Pilot Logbook full functionality requires a paid subscription sold in fixed multi-year blocks priced at $44.99 for 1 year, $139.99 for 3 years, $199.99 for 5 years and $349.99 for 10 years
  • They diverge on capability: DUATS covers Flight briefings, Safelog Pilot Logbook covers Flight logging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DUATS and Safelog Pilot Logbook actually diverge.

Attributes where DUATS and Safelog Pilot Logbook differ
AttributeDUATSSafelog Pilot Logbook
Starting price$9.95/month$59/year
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Macos, Ios, Android, Web
Founded19901998

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

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 planning
  • Flight filing
  • NOTAMs
  • FAA systems
  • Weather services
  • Chart databases

Only in Safelog Pilot Logbook

  • Flight logging
  • Currency tracking
  • Report generation
  • Cross-platform
  • Cloud sync
  • Schedule importers
  • FlightAware
  • CSV import

Both cover

  • Data encryption
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

DUATS

  • Flight briefingnot Safelog Pilot Logbook
  • Flight planningnot Safelog Pilot Logbook
  • Flight filingnot Safelog Pilot Logbook
  • Weather briefingnot Safelog Pilot Logbook

Safelog Pilot Logbook

  • Keeping a pilot logbook synchronised across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and web from one subscriptionnot DUATS
  • Producing PDF logbook reports in FAA, EASA, UK CAP 407 and Transport Canada formatsnot DUATS
  • Checking currency and flight time totals with built-in analyzersnot 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

Safelog Pilot Logbook

  • Full functionality requires a paid subscription sold in fixed multi-year blocks priced at $44.99 for 1 year, $139.99 for 3 years, $199.99 for 5 years and $349.99 for 10 years
  • The iOS app requires iOS 13.0 or later

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

Safelog Pilot Logbook

$59/year
  • Safelog$59/year
    • Cross-platform sync
    • Unlimited entries
    • Currency tracking
  • Safelog Pro$99/year
    • Everything in Safelog
    • Advanced reports
    • Schedule import

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 Safelog Pilot Logbook if

  • You need flight logging.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want currency tracking.
Safelog Pilot Logbook review

Questions people ask

Is DUATS or Safelog Pilot Logbook better?
Neither clearly leads. DUATS starts at $9.95/month and Safelog Pilot Logbook at $59/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DUATS or Safelog Pilot Logbook?
DUATS starts at $9.95/month and Safelog Pilot Logbook at $59/year.
Does DUATS or Safelog Pilot Logbook run on more platforms?
DUATS runs on Web, Ios, Android. Safelog Pilot Logbook runs on Windows, Macos, Ios, Android, Web.
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 Safelog Pilot Logbook is typically brought in for.
What can DUATS do that Safelog Pilot Logbook cannot?
DUATS covers Flight briefings, Weather data, Flight planning, Flight filing. Safelog Pilot Logbook covers Flight logging, Currency tracking, Report generation, Cross-platform. Both handle Data encryption, Ios support, Android 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
DUATS: Did DUATS cost money?

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

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
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