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Aviation · head to head

Lido Flight Planning vs simBrief

L

Lido Flight Planning

Aviation

Professional airline flight planning solution

From
$40000/year
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: Lido Flight Planning pricing is by quote only, with no rate, minimum or named cost driver published on the product page; simBrief the free version uses a navigation database the vendor describes as slightly outdated by default
  • They diverge on capability: Lido Flight Planning covers Route optimization, simBrief covers Flight planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lido Flight Planning and simBrief actually diverge.

Attributes where Lido Flight Planning and simBrief differ
AttributeLido Flight PlanningsimBrief
Starting price$40000/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, WindowsWeb
Founded19872009

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 Lido Flight Planning

  • Route optimization
  • Fuel planning
  • Performance data
  • Weight & balance
  • Cost calculation
  • Weather services
  • Airline systems
  • Crew systems

Only in simBrief

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Lido Flight Planning

  • Generating optimal flight routes and profiles that Air Traffic Control will acceptnot simBrief
  • Automating airline flight planning against weather, NOTAMs, AIP, ATM restrictions and ATC chargesnot simBrief
  • Supporting pre-operational flight planning from a web applicationnot simBrief

simBrief

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lido Flight Planning

  • Pricing is by quote only, with no rate, minimum or named cost driver published on the product page
  • Pre-operational planning is a separately named application, Lido Flight 4D Pre-Planning, rather than part of the core flight planning product

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

Lido Flight Planning

$40000/year
  • Standard$40000/year
    • Route planning
    • Performance data
    • Weather integration
  • Enterprise$80000/year
    • Multi-fleet
    • Advanced optimization
    • Custom integration

simBrief

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Lido Flight Planning if

  • You need route optimization.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want fuel planning.
Lido Flight Planning 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 Lido Flight Planning or simBrief better?
Neither clearly leads. Lido Flight Planning starts at $40000/year and simBrief at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lido Flight Planning or simBrief?
simBrief has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $40000/year for Lido Flight Planning and Free for simBrief.
Does Lido Flight Planning or simBrief run on more platforms?
Lido Flight Planning runs on Web, Windows. simBrief runs on Web.
Can I use simBrief for free?
Yes. simBrief has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lido Flight Planning starts at $40000/year.
What is Lido Flight Planning best used for?
Lido Flight Planning is most often used for generating optimal flight routes and profiles that air traffic control will accept, automating airline flight planning against weather, notams, aip, atm restrictions and atc charges, supporting pre-operational flight planning from a web application. Of those, generating optimal flight routes and profiles that air traffic control will accept and automating airline flight planning against weather, notams, aip, atm restrictions and atc charges are not what simBrief is typically brought in for.
What can Lido Flight Planning do that simBrief cannot?
Lido Flight Planning covers Route optimization, Fuel planning, Performance data, Weight & balance. simBrief covers Flight planning, Weather integration, NOTAM analysis, Fuel calculation. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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