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Aviation · head to head

Garmin Pilot vs Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Garmin Pilot logo

Garmin Pilot

Aviation

All-in-one flight planning and navigation app

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D logo

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Aviation

Professional-grade flight simulation and training platform

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Garmin Pilot garmin Pilot's iPad app is offered on a 30-day free trial from initial download, after which the subscription plans described on Garmin's site apply; Lockheed Martin Prepar3D high system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • They diverge on capability: Garmin Pilot covers Flight planning, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Garmin Pilot and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D actually diverge.

Attributes where Garmin Pilot and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D differ
AttributeGarmin PilotLockheed Martin Prepar3D
Starting price$99/year$9.99/month
PlatformsIos, AndroidWindows, Vr
Founded19892010

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 Garmin Pilot

  • Flight planning
  • Aeronautical charts
  • Weather overlays
  • Panel sync
  • Traffic display
  • Garmin avionics
  • GTN series
  • G1000/G3000

Only in Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Flight simulation
  • Aircraft systems
  • Realistic physics
  • Training scenarios
  • Performance analysis
  • Hardware controllers
  • VR systems
  • Motion platforms

Both cover

  • Data encryption

What people use each for

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

Garmin Pilot

  • Flight planningnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Weather analysisnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • In-flight navigationnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Aircraft panel syncnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Chart viewingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Pilot trainingnot Garmin Pilot
  • Type rating trainingnot Garmin Pilot
  • Proficiency maintenancenot Garmin Pilot
  • Scenario trainingnot Garmin Pilot
  • Aircraft developmentnot Garmin Pilot

Where each one falls short

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

Garmin Pilot

  • Garmin Pilot's iPad app is offered on a 30-day free trial from initial download, after which the subscription plans described on Garmin's site apply

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • High system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • Expensive Professional and Professional Plus licenses for commercial and business use
  • Limited backward compatibility with older 32-bit aircraft modules
  • SimDirector scenario creation tool requires programming knowledge for advanced customization

Pricing, plan by plan

Garmin Pilot

$99/year
  • Premium$99/year
    • IFR/VFR charts
    • Weather radar
    • Flight planning
  • Premium + Global$199/year
    • Everything in Premium
    • Worldwide charts
    • International planning

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

$9.99/month
  • Standard$9.99/month
    • Flight simulation
    • Basic aircraft
    • Training tools
  • Professional$99.99/month
    • Advanced simulation
    • Full aircraft systems
    • Advanced training

Which should you pick?

Choose Garmin Pilot if

  • You need flight planning.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want aeronautical charts.
Garmin Pilot review

Choose Lockheed Martin Prepar3D if

  • You need flight simulation.
  • You work on Windows, Vr.
  • You also want aircraft systems.
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D review

Questions people ask

Is Garmin Pilot or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D better?
Neither clearly leads. Garmin Pilot starts at $99/year and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Garmin Pilot or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D?
Garmin Pilot starts at $99/year and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month.
Does Garmin Pilot or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D run on more platforms?
Garmin Pilot runs on Ios, Android. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D runs on Windows, Vr.
What is Garmin Pilot best used for?
Garmin Pilot is most often used for flight planning, weather analysis, in-flight navigation, aircraft panel sync. Of those, flight planning and weather analysis are not what Lockheed Martin Prepar3D is typically brought in for.
What can Garmin Pilot do that Lockheed Martin Prepar3D cannot?
Garmin Pilot covers Flight planning, Aeronautical charts, Weather overlays, Panel sync. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, Aircraft systems, Realistic physics, Training scenarios. Both handle Data encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: What are the license options for Prepar3D?

Prepar3D offers three license tiers: Personal ($59.95) for personal training and K-12 education, Professional ($350) for professional pilot training and commercial uses, and Professional Plus ($2,750) for businesses with advanced features. Developer monthly licenses are available at $9.99 and $50 for Professional and Professional Plus respectively.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: What are the system requirements?

Prepar3D v6 requires approximately 85 GB storage, 32 GB RAM or more for optimal performance, 8 GB or more VRAM, and a DX12-capable GPU with 64-bit architecture. Detailed scenery and aircraft add-ons can significantly increase storage and performance requirements.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: Can I create custom training scenarios?

Yes. Prepar3D includes SimDirector, a scenario generation tool that allows users to create training scenarios across aviation, maritime, and ground domains. Users can place world objects, define scenario logic, create missions, and provide instruction sessions, making it suitable for cockpit training, flight planning, and emergency response preparation.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: Is Prepar3D compatible with third-party add-ons?

Prepar3D v5 and v6 maintain compatibility with many Microsoft Flight Simulator X add-ons. However, 32-bit aircraft modules are not compatible with 64-bit Prepar3D versions, and third-party add-ons must be updated for the specific Prepar3D version being used.

Source
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