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Aviation · head to head

DUATS vs SkyDemon

DUATS logo

DUATS

Aviation

FAA Direct User Access Terminal System for flight briefings

From
$9.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SkyDemon logo

SkyDemon

Aviation

VFR flight planning for European pilots

From
£118/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DUATS service has been discontinued as of May 2018; SkyDemon monthly subscription pricing not specified on store page
  • They diverge on capability: DUATS covers Flight briefings, SkyDemon covers VFR planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DUATS and SkyDemon actually diverge.

Attributes where DUATS and SkyDemon differ
AttributeDUATSSkyDemon
Starting price$9.95/month£118/year
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidIos, Android, Windows, Macos
Founded19902009

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 planning
  • Flight filing
  • NOTAMs
  • FAA systems
  • Chart databases
  • ATC integration

Only in SkyDemon

  • VFR planning
  • Airspace display
  • Weather overlay
  • Navigation
  • Flight logging
  • Traffic receivers
  • FLARM
  • ADS-B

Both cover

  • Weather services
  • 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 SkyDemon
  • Flight planning
  • Flight filingnot SkyDemon
  • Weather briefingnot SkyDemon

SkyDemon

  • Flight planning
  • Aviation navigationnot DUATS
  • Personal leisure flyingnot DUATS
  • Commercial flight operationsnot DUATS

Both are used for flight planning, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

SkyDemon

  • Monthly subscription pricing not specified on store page
  • Business licensing pricing not listed; requires contact

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

SkyDemon

£118/year
  • Personal Annual$118/year
    • Two PCs access
    • Two mobile devices access
    • Personal leisure use
  • Personal Annual Renewal$90/year
    • Two PCs access
    • Two mobile devices access
    • Personal leisure use
  • Personal Monthly$null/month
    • Two PCs access
    • Two mobile devices access
    • Personal leisure use
  • Business Licensing$null/per device
    • Per-device pricing
    • Commercial use

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 SkyDemon if

  • You need vfr planning.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Windows, Macos.
  • You also want airspace display.
SkyDemon review

Questions people ask

Is DUATS or SkyDemon better?
Neither clearly leads. DUATS starts at $9.95/month and SkyDemon at £118/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DUATS or SkyDemon?
DUATS starts at $9.95/month and SkyDemon at £118/year.
Does DUATS or SkyDemon run on more platforms?
DUATS runs on Web, Ios, Android. SkyDemon runs on Ios, Android, Windows, Macos.
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 filing are not what SkyDemon is typically brought in for.
What can DUATS do that SkyDemon cannot?
DUATS covers Flight briefings, Weather data, Flight planning, Flight filing. SkyDemon covers VFR planning, Airspace display, Weather overlay, Navigation. Both handle Weather services, 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
SkyDemon: How much does SkyDemon cost?

SkyDemon's personal subscription costs GBP 118 per year for new subscribers, covering access to two PCs and two mobile devices for personal leisure use. Renewal for year two and beyond is GBP 90 per year. A monthly option is also available but specific pricing is not listed on the store page.

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
SkyDemon: What is the difference between SkyDemon personal and business subscriptions?

Personal subscriptions are for leisure flying and cover two PCs and two mobile devices at GBP 118 annually (GBP 90 for renewals). Business licensing is available per device for commercial flying, but specific business pricing is not listed on the store page and requires contact for details.

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
SkyDemon: Does SkyDemon include flightplan credits?

Yes, free flightplan credits are included with card purchases on personal subscriptions. Additional flightplan credits can be purchased separately, though specific pricing is not detailed on the store page.

Source
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