How Much Does an EFB Cost in 2026?

TL;DR: In 2026 an EFB app costs anywhere from free (Avare, FltPlan Go) to $390 a year (ForeFlight Premium). The middle of the market sits between $75 and $140 a year, but headline prices are not the whole story: on several apps, IFR capability or synthetic vision costs extra. The only way to compare fairly is the all-in price for the features you will actually fly with.

All prices below were read from vendor pricing pages or official App Store listings on August 5, 2026.

Published EFB pricing at a glance

Every layer shown here is in the single Ascent plan.

The add-on math most comparisons skip

The entry price tells you what it costs to start, not what it costs to fly the way you intend to. Three patterns to watch:

Tiered plans. ForeFlight publishes three tiers, and per its own pricing page, capabilities like synthetic vision and geo-referenced approach plates sit above the $130 Starter plan. Garmin Pilot publishes Standard and Premium tiers at $109.99 and $209.99.

Paid add-ons. iFly prices IFR data at $55 on top of its $94.99 VFR plan. WingX sells Advanced IFR as a $74.99 add-on on top of its $74.99 base.

All-inclusive plans. SkyDemon and Ascent EFB publish one number that includes everything. Ascent is $89.99 a year, full stop: weather, geo-referenced charts, 3D terrain, offline downloads and automatic logbook are all in the single plan.

What should a VFR pilot expect to pay?

If you fly VFR and want a paid, full-featured app: $75 to $140 a year covers the realistic range. Free options are genuinely usable for planning, and every paid app in this list offers a 30-day free trial, so a careful buyer can fly three trials in a season before paying anyone.

What does IFR capability really cost?

Adding IFR to the picture changes the ranking: WingX lands at $149.98, iFly at $149.99, FlyQ at $199.99, Garmin Pilot Premium at $209.99, and ForeFlight depends on the tier your mission needs. Ascent EFB stays at $89.99 because it does not sell capability in tiers.

Frequently asked questions

Are free EFB apps good enough?

For planning and backup use, genuinely yes. FltPlan Go handles planning and filing, and Avare gives Android pilots free FAA charts. Most pilots flying regularly end up on a paid app for weather depth, geo-referenced plates, and support.

Is an EFB subscription worth it for a student pilot?

Flying with the same EFB you will use after your checkride builds habits early, and trials make it cheap to start. See how to choose an EFB for a student-focused checklist.

Why do EFB prices vary so much?

Mostly packaging. Some vendors sell a base app and price capability as tiers or add-ons; others sell one all-inclusive plan. Neither is wrong, but it means the sticker price and the comparable price are different numbers. Compare the all-in cost for your mission, not the entry price.

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Ascent is our product. Every competitor price above comes from the vendor's own published page, checked August 5, 2026; verify before you buy, since prices change. Related: The Best EFB Apps in 2026, Compared and ForeFlight Alternatives in 2026.