X-Plane 12vs
ForeFlight
ForeFlight: Comprehensive flight planning and pilot briefing app
X-Plane 12
Professional flight simulation software
As of 30 August 2026, X-Plane 12 starts at $59.99/lifetime. X-Plane 12 is an advanced flight simulator featuring realistic physics, global scenery, and detailed aircraft models. Softwr lists it under Aviation. X-Plane 12 is made by Laminar Research, launched in 1995, available on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Overview
What X-Plane 12 does
X-Plane 12 is an advanced flight simulator featuring realistic physics, global scenery, and detailed aircraft models. Used by pilots for training, enthusiasts for realistic flying, and professionals for aircraft research. Known for scientific accuracy and extensive customization capabilities through plugins and third-party add-ons.
What people use it for
- Flight simulation for private pilots and enthusiasts
- Procedure practice and aircraft familiarisation
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about X-Plane 12.
- Commercial and professional use requires a separate licence at $1,000, against $59.99 for the personal digital download
- The personal edition therefore cannot be used for paid training or commercial simulation
- The professional edition is a distinct product rather than an upgrade path
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of X-Plane 12
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- X-Plane 12vsGarmin Pilot
Garmin Pilot: All-in-one flight planning and navigation app
- X-Plane 12vsSkyDemon
SkyDemon: VFR flight planning for European pilots
- X-Plane 12vsAMOS
AMOS: Aviation maintenance and engineering management software
Pricing
What X-Plane 12 costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
X-Plane 12
$59.99 /lifetime
- Full simulator
- Global scenery
- Realistic physics
- VR support
- Unlimited use
Capabilities
Features
Flight physics
Global scenery
Realistic aircraft
Weather simulation
ATC system
Plugins
Integration with Plugins
Add-ons
Integration with Add-ons
VR headsets
Integration with VR headsets
Controllers
Integration with Controllers
Hardware
Integration with Hardware
License activation
License activation security feature
Online flying
Online flying for team collaboration
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
How much does X-Plane 12 Personal Edition cost?
X-Plane 12 Personal Edition is priced at $59.99 for digital download, the same price on Steam, or $99.99 for the DVD set.
SourceWhat is the pricing difference for professional use of X-Plane 12?
Professional-use versions are significantly more expensive, ranging from $1,000 for digital downloads to $1,250 for USB keys.
SourceHow do I activate X-Plane 12 after purchasing the digital download?
When you purchase the digital download edition, you will receive an email confirmation with instructions on how to use and activate X-Plane 12.
SourceBehind it
Who makes X-Plane 12
- Company
- Laminar Research
- Based in
- Tampa, FL
Keep looking
Where to go from X-Plane 12
- X-Plane 12 alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- X-Plane 12 pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- X-Plane 12 badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Aviation softwareThe full category
- Best Aviation softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Aviation software for
Compare X-Plane 12 with
- Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
- ForeFlight
- SkyDemon
- AMOS
- Garmin Pilot
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
- CAE Flight Training
- Prepar3D Professional
- FlightSafety International Training
- Safelog Pilot Logbook
- AviaSIM Pro
- PFPX Flight Planning
- Lido Flight Planning
- LogTen Pro
- NAVBLUE N-Flight Planning
- NavLog
- Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
- PFPX Flight Planning
Other Aviation software
Professional-grade flight simulation and training platform
From $9.99/mo11 researched notesHyper-realistic cloud-based flight simulation
From $9.99/mo8 researched notesAdvanced flight crew training and certification
8 researched notesProfessional flight simulation and pilot training platform
From $179/session10 researched notesReal-world flight simulation flight planning
From $79.99/lifetime5 researched notesProfessional-grade flight simulation and training platform
From $9.99/mo11 researched notesReal-world flight simulation flight planning
From $79.99/lifetime5 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for X-Plane 12, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on X-Plane 12
X-Plane 12 alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
X-Plane 12 pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare X-Plane 12
Put it head to head with anything we hold
X-Plane 12 badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
Best Aviation software alternatives
Subscription flight tracking for iOS with predictive delay alerts
Per user per month or one-time purchase
Real-time flight operations and dispatch platform
