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Aviation · head to head

Flighty vs simBrief

Flighty logo

Flighty

Aviation

Subscription flight tracking for iOS with predictive delay alerts

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
simBrief logo

simBrief

Aviation

Free online flight planning for flight simulators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only simBrief has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Flighty it is iOS-only, so a mixed-platform household or an Android user cannot use it at all.; simBrief the free version uses a navigation database the vendor describes as slightly outdated by default
  • They diverge on capability: Flighty covers Delay prediction, simBrief covers Flight planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flighty and simBrief actually diverge.

Attributes where Flighty and simBrief differ
AttributeFlightysimBrief
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer user per month or one-time purchasefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOSWeb
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: 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 Flighty

  • Delay prediction
  • Gate and baggage alerts
  • Auto flight import
  • Taxi and weather context
  • Trip statistics
  • Family sharing

Only in simBrief

  • Flight planning
  • Weather integration
  • NOTAM analysis
  • Fuel calculation
  • Briefing generation
  • Real weather
  • NOTAM data
  • Aircraft database

What people use each for

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

Flighty

  • A frequent business flyer who wants a delay warning before the gate agent announces itnot simBrief
  • An iPhone user willing to pay for a single well-maintained app instead of a free ad-supported onenot simBrief
  • A family wanting to see at a glance where a travelling relative currently isnot simBrief
  • A traveller who wants automatic flight import from confirmation emails without manual entrynot simBrief

simBrief

  • Generating realistic flight plans and briefing packs for flight simulationnot Flighty
  • Calculating fuel, routing and weight and balance for simulated flightsnot Flighty

Where each one falls short

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

Flighty

  • It is iOS-only, so a mixed-platform household or an Android user cannot use it at all.
  • The free tier tracks very few flights, so anyone who flies more than occasionally is pushed toward the subscription almost immediately.
  • Delay predictions are a probability model, not a guarantee, and can be wrong in either direction.
  • It depends on the same underlying ADS-B and airline feeds as free trackers, so the raw position data is not exclusive to Flighty.
  • A lifetime purchase is expensive relative to a year or two of the annual plan, so it only pays off for someone certain they will use it for years.

simBrief

  • The free version uses a navigation database the vendor describes as slightly outdated by default
  • Current navigation data updated every 28 days requires a separate Navigraph subscription
  • Jeppesen IFR and VFR charts require the higher Navigraph Unlimited subscription
  • Neither subscription price is stated on the SimBrief site, since both are sold by Navigraph

Pricing, plan by plan

Flighty

On request
  • Flighty Plus$9.99/month
    • Unlimited tracked flights
    • Delay prediction alerts
    • Gate, baggage and taxi data
  • Flighty Plus Annual$49/year
    • Same features billed yearly
  • Flighty Lifetime$299/one-time
    • One-time purchase, no renewal

simBrief

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Flight planning
    • Weather analysis
    • Fuel planning

Which should you pick?

Choose Flighty if

  • You need delay prediction.
  • You work on iOS.
  • You also want gate and baggage alerts.
Flighty review

Choose simBrief if

  • You need flight planning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want weather integration.
simBrief review

Questions people ask

Is Flighty or simBrief better?
Neither clearly leads. Flighty starts at On request and simBrief at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flighty or simBrief?
simBrief has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Flighty and Free for simBrief.
Does Flighty or simBrief run on more platforms?
Flighty runs on iOS. simBrief runs on Web.
Can I use simBrief for free?
Yes. simBrief has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Flighty starts at On request.
What is Flighty best used for?
Flighty is most often used for a frequent business flyer who wants a delay warning before the gate agent announces it, an iphone user willing to pay for a single well-maintained app instead of a free ad-supported one, a family wanting to see at a glance where a travelling relative currently is, a traveller who wants automatic flight import from confirmation emails without manual entry. Of those, a frequent business flyer who wants a delay warning before the gate agent announces it and an iphone user willing to pay for a single well-maintained app instead of a free ad-supported one are not what simBrief is typically brought in for.
What can Flighty do that simBrief cannot?
Flighty covers Delay prediction, Gate and baggage alerts, Auto flight import, Taxi and weather context. simBrief covers Flight planning, Weather integration, NOTAM analysis, Fuel calculation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Flighty: Is there an Android version?

No. Flighty has only ever shipped for iOS.

simBrief: Is SimBrief free to use?

Yes, SimBrief is free to use. It is a free flight planning service provided by Navigraph for Flight Simulation enthusiasts. Creating a Navigraph account is free, quick, and easy.

Source
Flighty: Can I use it for free?

A limited free tier exists but tracks very few flights; regular use requires the Plus subscription or the lifetime purchase.

simBrief: What does SimBrief provide for flight planning?

SimBrief is a web-based dispatching system that generates in-depth flight plan packages featuring detailed fuel planning, weather forecasts, current NOTAMs, ETOPS calculations, and much more in seconds.

Source
Flighty: How is it different from Flightradar24 or FlightAware?

Those are free-first, cross-platform trackers with ads; Flighty is a paid iOS-only app that adds predictive delay alerts.

simBrief: Can I upgrade SimBrief for better features?

SimBrief is free by default and uses a slightly outdated navigation database. You can purchase a Navigraph subscription after registering to access the latest navigation database and additional features.

Source
simBrief: How do I access SimBrief?

To access SimBrief, you need to sign in using a Navigraph account. You can create a free Navigraph account from the SimBrief website.

Source
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