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SpaceX Starlink Aviation vs FlightAware

SpaceX Starlink Aviation logo

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

Software

High-speed satellite internet for aircraft

From
$12500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FlightAware logo

FlightAware

Software

Global flight tracking and aviation data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FlightAware has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: SpaceX Starlink Aviation covers High-speed internet, FlightAware covers Real-time tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SpaceX Starlink Aviation and FlightAware actually diverge.

Attributes where SpaceX Starlink Aviation and FlightAware differ
AttributeSpaceX Starlink AviationFlightAware
Starting price$12500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsHardwareWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20022005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 SpaceX Starlink Aviation

  • High-speed internet
  • Low latency
  • Global coverage
  • Streaming capable
  • Multi-user support
  • Aircraft systems
  • IFE systems
  • Cabin management

Only in FlightAware

  • Real-time tracking
  • Flight status
  • Airport info
  • Delay tracking
  • Weather data
  • APIs
  • Third-party apps
  • Airlines

What people use each for

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

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

  • Passenger connectivitynot FlightAware
  • Crew operationsnot FlightAware
  • Real-time datanot FlightAware
  • Entertainmentnot FlightAware
  • Business operationsnot FlightAware

FlightAware

  • Tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alertsnot SpaceX Starlink Aviation
  • Blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacynot SpaceX Starlink Aviation
  • Pulling live and historical flight positions and tracks into an application over a REST APInot SpaceX Starlink Aviation
  • Predicting arrival times with Foresight for airline and airport operationsnot SpaceX Starlink Aviation

Where each one falls short

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

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

Nothing recorded yet. See the SpaceX Starlink Aviation review.

FlightAware

  • FlightAware Global is sold per aircraft tail, with discounts applied only when multiple aircraft are tracked
  • Global satellite tracking through Aireon space-based ADS-B requires the Platinum plan at $295 per month or $3,540 per year
  • Secure flight sharing, flight leg unblocking and access management start at the Gold plan at $168 per month, not the $60 per month Silver plan
  • AeroAPI Standard carries a $100 monthly minimum and AeroAPI Premium a $1,000 monthly minimum regardless of usage
  • Historical flight data and flight alerting are excluded from the free AeroAPI Personal tier
  • AeroAPI Personal is rate limited to 10 result sets per minute against 5 per second on Standard
  • AeroAPI billing is metered per result set, for example $0.050 per result set for flight search, where one result set is 15 records
  • AeroAPI volume discounts begin only above $1,000 of monthly usage
  • Firehose, Foresight and FBO Toolbox carry no published price on the commercial products page

Pricing, plan by plan

SpaceX Starlink Aviation

$12500/month
  • Starlink Aviation$12500/month
    • Up to 350 Mbps
    • Global coverage
    • Low latency

FlightAware

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Flight tracking
    • Basic info
    • Mobile app
  • Subscription$9.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Premium tracking
    • Weather maps

Which should you pick?

Choose SpaceX Starlink Aviation if

  • You need high-speed internet.
  • You work on Hardware.
  • You also want low latency.
SpaceX Starlink Aviation review

Choose FlightAware if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want flight status.
FlightAware review

Questions people ask

Is SpaceX Starlink Aviation or FlightAware better?
Neither clearly leads. SpaceX Starlink Aviation starts at $12500/month and FlightAware at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SpaceX Starlink Aviation or FlightAware?
FlightAware has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12500/month for SpaceX Starlink Aviation and Free for FlightAware.
Does SpaceX Starlink Aviation or FlightAware run on more platforms?
SpaceX Starlink Aviation runs on Hardware. FlightAware runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use FlightAware for free?
Yes. FlightAware has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SpaceX Starlink Aviation starts at $12500/month.
What is SpaceX Starlink Aviation best used for?
SpaceX Starlink Aviation is most often used for passenger connectivity, crew operations, real-time data, entertainment. Of those, passenger connectivity and crew operations are not what FlightAware is typically brought in for.
What can SpaceX Starlink Aviation do that FlightAware cannot?
SpaceX Starlink Aviation covers High-speed internet, Low latency, Global coverage, Streaming capable. FlightAware covers Real-time tracking, Flight status, Airport info, Delay tracking.
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Related pages

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More on FlightAware

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