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FlightAware vs SpaceX Starlink Aviation

FlightAware logo

FlightAware

Software

Global flight tracking and aviation data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SpaceX Starlink Aviation logo

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

Software

High-speed satellite internet for aircraft

From
$12500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FlightAware has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: FlightAware covers Real-time tracking, SpaceX Starlink Aviation covers High-speed internet.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FlightAware and SpaceX Starlink Aviation actually diverge.

Attributes where FlightAware and SpaceX Starlink Aviation differ
AttributeFlightAwareSpaceX Starlink Aviation
Starting priceFree$12500/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidHardware
Founded20052002

Identical on both: 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 FlightAware

  • Real-time tracking
  • Flight status
  • Airport info
  • Delay tracking
  • Weather data
  • APIs
  • Third-party apps
  • Airlines

Only in SpaceX Starlink Aviation

  • High-speed internet
  • Low latency
  • Global coverage
  • Streaming capable
  • Multi-user support
  • Aircraft systems
  • IFE systems
  • Cabin management

What people use each for

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

FlightAware

  • Tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alertsnot SpaceX Starlink Aviation
  • Blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacynot SpaceX Starlink Aviation
  • Pulling live and historical flight positions and tracks into an application over a REST APInot SpaceX Starlink Aviation
  • Predicting arrival times with Foresight for airline and airport operationsnot SpaceX Starlink Aviation

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

  • Passenger connectivitynot FlightAware
  • Crew operationsnot FlightAware
  • Real-time datanot FlightAware
  • Entertainmentnot FlightAware
  • Business operationsnot FlightAware

Where each one falls short

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

FlightAware

  • FlightAware Global is sold per aircraft tail, with discounts applied only when multiple aircraft are tracked
  • Global satellite tracking through Aireon space-based ADS-B requires the Platinum plan at $295 per month or $3,540 per year
  • Secure flight sharing, flight leg unblocking and access management start at the Gold plan at $168 per month, not the $60 per month Silver plan
  • AeroAPI Standard carries a $100 monthly minimum and AeroAPI Premium a $1,000 monthly minimum regardless of usage
  • Historical flight data and flight alerting are excluded from the free AeroAPI Personal tier
  • AeroAPI Personal is rate limited to 10 result sets per minute against 5 per second on Standard
  • AeroAPI billing is metered per result set, for example $0.050 per result set for flight search, where one result set is 15 records
  • AeroAPI volume discounts begin only above $1,000 of monthly usage
  • Firehose, Foresight and FBO Toolbox carry no published price on the commercial products page

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

Nothing recorded yet. See the SpaceX Starlink Aviation review.

Pricing, plan by plan

FlightAware

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Flight tracking
    • Basic info
    • Mobile app
  • Subscription$9.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Premium tracking
    • Weather maps

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

$12500/month
  • Starlink Aviation$12500/month
    • Up to 350 Mbps
    • Global coverage
    • Low latency

Which should you pick?

Choose FlightAware if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want flight status.
FlightAware review

Choose SpaceX Starlink Aviation if

  • You need high-speed internet.
  • You work on Hardware.
  • You also want low latency.
SpaceX Starlink Aviation review

Questions people ask

Is FlightAware or SpaceX Starlink Aviation better?
Neither clearly leads. FlightAware starts at Free and SpaceX Starlink Aviation at $12500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FlightAware or SpaceX Starlink Aviation?
FlightAware has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FlightAware and $12500/month for SpaceX Starlink Aviation.
Does FlightAware or SpaceX Starlink Aviation run on more platforms?
FlightAware runs on Web, Ios, Android. SpaceX Starlink Aviation runs on Hardware.
Can I use FlightAware for free?
Yes. FlightAware has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SpaceX Starlink Aviation starts at $12500/month.
What is FlightAware best used for?
FlightAware is most often used for tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alerts, blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacy, pulling live and historical flight positions and tracks into an application over a rest api, predicting arrival times with foresight for airline and airport operations. Of those, tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alerts and blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacy are not what SpaceX Starlink Aviation is typically brought in for.
What can FlightAware do that SpaceX Starlink Aviation cannot?
FlightAware covers Real-time tracking, Flight status, Airport info, Delay tracking. SpaceX Starlink Aviation covers High-speed internet, Low latency, Global coverage, Streaming capable.
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