Softwr

Aviation · head to head

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D vs SkyDemon

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D logo

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Aviation

Professional-grade flight simulation and training platform

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SkyDemon logo

SkyDemon

Aviation

VFR flight planning for European pilots

From
£118/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lockheed Martin Prepar3D high system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended; SkyDemon monthly subscription pricing not specified on store page
  • They diverge on capability: Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, SkyDemon covers VFR planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Lockheed Martin Prepar3D and SkyDemon differ
AttributeLockheed Martin Prepar3DSkyDemon
Starting price$9.99/month£118/year
PlatformsWindows, VrIos, Android, Windows, Macos
Founded20102009

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 Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

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

Only in SkyDemon

  • VFR planning
  • Airspace display
  • Weather overlay
  • Navigation
  • Flight logging
  • Traffic receivers
  • FLARM
  • ADS-B

Both cover

  • Data encryption
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

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

SkyDemon

  • Flight planningnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Aviation navigationnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Personal leisure flyingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Commercial flight operationsnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Where each one falls short

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

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

SkyDemon

  • Monthly subscription pricing not specified on store page
  • Business licensing pricing not listed; requires contact

Pricing, plan by plan

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

SkyDemon

£118/year
  • Personal Annual$118/year
    • Two PCs access
    • Two mobile devices access
    • Personal leisure use
  • Personal Annual Renewal$90/year
    • Two PCs access
    • Two mobile devices access
    • Personal leisure use
  • Personal Monthly$null/month
    • Two PCs access
    • Two mobile devices access
    • Personal leisure use
  • Business Licensing$null/per device
    • Per-device pricing
    • Commercial use

Which should you pick?

Choose Lockheed Martin Prepar3D if

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

Choose SkyDemon if

  • You need vfr planning.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Windows, Macos.
  • You also want airspace display.
SkyDemon review

Questions people ask

Is Lockheed Martin Prepar3D or SkyDemon better?
Neither clearly leads. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D starts at $9.99/month and SkyDemon at £118/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D or SkyDemon?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D starts at $9.99/month and SkyDemon at £118/year.
Does Lockheed Martin Prepar3D or SkyDemon run on more platforms?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D runs on Windows, Vr. SkyDemon runs on Ios, Android, Windows, Macos.
What is Lockheed Martin Prepar3D best used for?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D is most often used for pilot training, type rating training, proficiency maintenance, scenario training. Of those, pilot training and type rating training are not what SkyDemon is typically brought in for.
What can Lockheed Martin Prepar3D do that SkyDemon cannot?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, Aircraft systems, Realistic physics, Training scenarios. SkyDemon covers VFR planning, Airspace display, Weather overlay, Navigation. Both handle Data encryption, Windows support.

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
SkyDemon: How much does SkyDemon cost?

SkyDemon's personal subscription costs GBP 118 per year for new subscribers, covering access to two PCs and two mobile devices for personal leisure use. Renewal for year two and beyond is GBP 90 per year. A monthly option is also available but specific pricing is not listed on the store page.

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
SkyDemon: What is the difference between SkyDemon personal and business subscriptions?

Personal subscriptions are for leisure flying and cover two PCs and two mobile devices at GBP 118 annually (GBP 90 for renewals). Business licensing is available per device for commercial flying, but specific business pricing is not listed on the store page and requires contact for details.

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
SkyDemon: Does SkyDemon include flightplan credits?

Yes, free flightplan credits are included with card purchases on personal subscriptions. Additional flightplan credits can be purchased separately, though specific pricing is not detailed on the store page.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

More on SkyDemon

Keep looking

Other head to heads