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Aviation · head to head

ForeFlight vs Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

ForeFlight logo

ForeFlight

Aviation

Comprehensive flight planning and pilot briefing app

From
$130/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: ForeFlight device restrictions: 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 1 iPad and 2 iPhones per licence; Lockheed Martin Prepar3D high system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • They diverge on capability: ForeFlight 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 ForeFlight and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D actually diverge.

Attributes where ForeFlight and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D differ
AttributeForeFlightLockheed Martin Prepar3D
Starting price$130/year$9.99/month
PlatformsiPad, iPhoneWindows, Vr
Founded20072010

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 ForeFlight

  • Flight planning
  • Aeronautical charts
  • Weather briefings
  • Navigation
  • Weight & balance
  • Garmin avionics
  • Jeppesen charts
  • ADS-B receivers

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.

ForeFlight

  • Flight planning and navigation for pilotsnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Aviation weather and digital logbooknot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Airport information and terrain profilingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

ForeFlight

$130/year
  • Starter$130/year
    • Student pilots and infrequent flyers
    • Flight planning, weather, VFR/IFR charts
    • Airport information and digital logbook
  • Essential$260/year
    • Most popular option
    • Geo-referenced approaches, synthetic vision
    • Hazard advisor with automatic alerts
  • Premium$390/year
    • Aircraft performance profiles
    • Improved fuel calculations
    • 3D airport views and weather analysis layers

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 ForeFlight if

  • You need flight planning.
  • You work on iPad, iPhone.
  • You also want aeronautical charts.
ForeFlight 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 ForeFlight or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D better?
Neither clearly leads. ForeFlight starts at $130/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, ForeFlight or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D?
ForeFlight starts at $130/year and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month.
Does ForeFlight or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D run on more platforms?
ForeFlight runs on iPad, iPhone. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D runs on Windows, Vr.
What is ForeFlight best used for?
ForeFlight is most often used for flight planning and navigation for pilots, aviation weather and digital logbook, airport information and terrain profiling. Of those, flight planning and navigation for pilots and aviation weather and digital logbook are not what Lockheed Martin Prepar3D is typically brought in for.
What can ForeFlight do that Lockheed Martin Prepar3D cannot?
ForeFlight covers Flight planning, Aeronautical charts, Weather briefings, Navigation. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, Aircraft systems, Realistic physics, Training scenarios. Both handle Data encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ForeFlight: What is ForeFlight's pricing?

ForeFlight offers three annual subscription tiers: Starter at $130/year, Essential at $260/year (most popular), and Premium at $390/year. All plans are billed annually with no monthly option available.

Source
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
ForeFlight: How many devices can I use with one ForeFlight license?

One license covers usage on either 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 1 iPad and 2 iPhones. One geographic region is included with each plan license.

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
ForeFlight: What features does the Essential ForeFlight plan include?

The Essential plan ($260/year) is ForeFlight's most popular option. It adds geo-referenced approaches, synthetic vision, hazard advisor with automatic alerts, and terrain/airspace profile views to the Starter features for enhanced safety awareness.

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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