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Aviation & Aerospace · head to head

Flightradar24 vs ForeFlight

Flightradar24 logo

Flightradar24

Aviation & Aerospace

Real-time aircraft radar tracking worldwide

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ForeFlight logo

ForeFlight

Aviation & Aerospace

Comprehensive flight planning and pilot briefing app

From
$130/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Flightradar24 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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); ForeFlight device restrictions: 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 1 iPad and 2 iPhones per licence
  • They diverge on capability: Flightradar24 covers Real-time tracking, ForeFlight covers Flight planning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flightradar24 and ForeFlight actually diverge.

Attributes where Flightradar24 and ForeFlight differ
AttributeFlightradar24ForeFlight
Starting priceFree$130/year
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiPad, iPhone
Founded20062007

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Aviation & Aerospace).

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 Flightradar24

  • Real-time tracking
  • Radar map
  • Aircraft info
  • Flight history
  • 3D view
  • MLAT network
  • API
  • Mobile apps

Only in ForeFlight

  • Flight planning
  • Aeronautical charts
  • Weather briefings
  • Navigation
  • Weight & balance
  • Garmin avionics
  • Jeppesen charts
  • ARINC Direct

Both cover

  • ADS-B receivers
  • Data encryption
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Flightradar24

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

ForeFlight

  • Flight planning and navigation for pilotsnot Flightradar24
  • Aviation weather and digital logbooknot Flightradar24
  • Airport information and terrain profilingnot Flightradar24

Where each one falls short

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

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)

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

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

ForeFlight

$130/year

No published plan breakdown. See the ForeFlight review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose ForeFlight if

  • You need flight planning.
  • You work on iPad, iPhone.
  • You also want aeronautical charts.
ForeFlight review

Questions people ask

Is Flightradar24 or ForeFlight better?
Neither clearly leads. Flightradar24 starts at Free and ForeFlight at $130/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flightradar24 or ForeFlight?
Flightradar24 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flightradar24 and $130/year for ForeFlight.
Does Flightradar24 or ForeFlight run on more platforms?
Flightradar24 runs on Web, Ios, Android. ForeFlight runs on iPad, iPhone.
Can I use Flightradar24 for free?
Yes. Flightradar24 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ForeFlight starts at $130/year.
What is Flightradar24 best used for?
Flightradar24 is most often used for flight tracking, air traffic monitoring, research, entertainment. Of those, flight tracking and air traffic monitoring are not what ForeFlight is typically brought in for.
What can Flightradar24 do that ForeFlight cannot?
Flightradar24 covers Real-time tracking, Radar map, Aircraft info, Flight history. ForeFlight covers Flight planning, Aeronautical charts, Weather briefings, Navigation. Both handle ADS-B receivers, Data encryption, Web support, Ios support.
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