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Aviation · head to head

DUATS vs Flightradar24

DUATS logo

DUATS

Aviation

FAA Direct User Access Terminal System for flight briefings

From
$9.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flightradar24 logo

Flightradar24

Aviation

Real-time aircraft radar tracking worldwide

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Flightradar24 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DUATS service has been discontinued as of May 2018; Flightradar24 premium tiers as captured in 2022 ranged from Silver at $1.49/month (90 days of flight history) to Business at $49.99/month (business licensing, fleet view, extra weather layers) (archive capture is from 2022, over three years old, so treat exact figures as dated; the tier structure and history-window caps are the more durable facts)
  • They diverge on capability: DUATS covers Flight briefings, Flightradar24 covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DUATS and Flightradar24 actually diverge.

Attributes where DUATS and Flightradar24 differ
AttributeDUATSFlightradar24
Starting price$9.95/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded19902006

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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
  • Weather services
  • Chart databases

Only in Flightradar24

  • Real-time tracking
  • Radar map
  • Aircraft info
  • Flight history
  • 3D view
  • ADS-B receivers
  • MLAT network
  • API

Both cover

  • 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 Flightradar24
  • Flight planningnot Flightradar24
  • Flight filingnot Flightradar24
  • Weather briefingnot Flightradar24

Flightradar24

  • Flight trackingnot DUATS
  • Air traffic monitoringnot DUATS
  • Researchnot DUATS
  • Entertainmentnot DUATS
  • Professional trackingnot 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

Flightradar24

  • Premium tiers as captured in 2022 ranged from Silver at $1.49/month (90 days of flight history) to Business at $49.99/month (business licensing, fleet view, extra weather layers) (archive capture is from 2022, over three years old, so treat exact figures as dated; the tier structure and history-window caps are the more durable facts)

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

Flightradar24

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Flight tracking
    • Basic features
    • Mobile app
  • Silver$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • 30-day history
    • ADS-B coverage
  • Gold$7.99/month
    • Everything in Silver
    • Unlimited history
    • Advanced filters

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 Flightradar24 if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want radar map.
Flightradar24 review

Questions people ask

Is DUATS or Flightradar24 better?
Neither clearly leads. DUATS starts at $9.95/month and Flightradar24 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DUATS or Flightradar24?
Flightradar24 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.95/month for DUATS and Free for Flightradar24.
Does DUATS or Flightradar24 run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Flightradar24 for free?
Yes. Flightradar24 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DUATS starts at $9.95/month.
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 Flightradar24 is typically brought in for.
What can DUATS do that Flightradar24 cannot?
DUATS covers Flight briefings, Weather data, Flight planning, Flight filing. Flightradar24 covers Real-time tracking, Radar map, Aircraft info, Flight history. Both handle Data encryption, Web support, 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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