What are currently the best EFBs for Android?

Ed Haywood said:
I loved iFly until it froze in flight. Twice. At bad times, when I needed it to work. Once on Android, once on Apple.
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I guess YMMV. I've been using iFly since the original 700, and have used it in the plane for dozens (hundreds?) of flights on a Nexus 7 (2013), Samsung Tab S2, Asus ZenPad 3S 10, and Samsung Tab S6. I've seen a couple of hiccups with iFly over those years, but very rarely, and no more so than I've seen hiccups with other apps.

But in general, if you "need it to work", you probably shouldn't be relying on a consumer tablet device in the first place.
 
TCABM said:
Is there feature parity yet between the droid and iOS versions of Garmin Pilot?
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Negative. Layout is different, android version can't do approaches or holds in the flight plan. I'm sure there's more, but those are the ones I was looking at earlier today. New features are usually about six months behind. In reality though, the Android version isn't lacking any of the features I actually use. It's mainly stability and load time that are an issue for me. Some of that could be this tablet, but it's only a couple years old so I hate to buy another one without any guarantee it would be any better.
 
As a new VFR pilot using Garmin Pilot on a Galaxy Tab A8 the only feature I've noticed missing that Apple supposedly has is the documents folder. I am using it on a new if lower tier tablet (the S8 is supposed to be leagues better) and I have not noticed any performance issues once I had it set up properly. The only thing it doesn't seem to like is to run the high detail settings but to be honest I can't tell the difference in the "detail" and the performance is waaay better with out it. I have had no hiccups, freezes, overheating, or crashes etc. I have GP, Spotify, Netflix, YouTube, and Libby (library app for e-books) plus the stock things like email and doc readers etc so no real clutter or junk apps (currently using 32gb of 128gb storage) ruining performance. Battery performance is good, I usually get the whole day on a charge if I'm using it "heavily" but not continuously, and it will go like a week on stand-by with minimal uses. Oh and unlike Apple products I can always stick a SD(micro?) card in it if I need to expand the storage.
 
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I don't mind fltplan go crashing and occasionally not updating the version on my throwaway lenovo 8" tablets. But that's because I pay zero for georeferenced plates when the thing works, which is most of the time. But if I'm gonna pay a yearly subscription for such a low yearly use? yeah that thing better be solid like FF on a iCrap. Thankfully I got the work tablet (FF on a mini 6) for weekend use as the backup. I would not be a happy camper with a paid GP if it crashed on the regular. I can do that for free with fltplanGo. :D
 
Jim_R said:
Uh, you have that backwards. The A8 is a budget tablet. The S-series tablets are the higher-end devices. There is a range of S-series devices, but even the lowest model S8 should outperform the highest model A8.

https://www.xda-developers.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-vs-samsung-galaxy-tab-a8/
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There fixed it for you. Even if my memory failed and misremembered the A for the S the point still stands. The Galaxy S and A Tablets are bloody great and serve well with Garmin Pilot at least for a new VFR pilot like myself. They are certainly for more cost effective than apple and frankly performs as well or better ... better especially if we consider apples overheating issues. Throw in the fact that they are far less expensive and far more flexible and expandable and won't have apples forced obsolescence they are the win in my humble opinion.
 
Anyone have any experience with Airmate? Was thinking of using them instead of Seattle Avionics for charts on the Dynon and they have an efb for iOS as well as Android. Had never heard of them before last week.
 
Reject F Flight and Apple because ones doesn’t want to be cemented to one large company that precludes using other systems. And Garmin is open and friendly ??

I guess just pick your favorite poison.
 
WDD said:
Reject F Flight and Apple because ones doesn’t want to be cemented to one large company that precludes using other systems. And Garmin is open and friendly ??

I guess just pick your favorite poison.
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If your post is in response to Dana's right above yours...I think maybe you missed the tongue-in-cheek bit....
 
It was in response to who he was tongue and cheeking.

yes - it looks much worse on the screen than when it was in my head.
 
Not quite a necro thread. I didn't want to start anew one just to post a picture of part the Aviation homescreen page on my Galaxy S10 :D

upload_2023-6-22_10-49-6.png
 
I agree with @chemgeek that Droid EFB is one of my favorites. I've used it for 10 years, since before it was called Avilution. It's simple and intuitive to use and has worked seamlessly on every device I've owned over the years, including with the Stratux I built for ADS-B In with GPS. Another benefit of Droid EFB is that it is light & small, efficient code, so it has fast response and the device battery lasts longer than any other app I use. Also, Droid EFB stores your routes, waypoints & tracks on their server, so they automatically sync across your devices.

Another good one is Avilution. It has crisper graphics than Droid EFB, but it has some limitations, like it doesn't show winds from ADS-B and it zooms in "steps" to preset levels. Also it doesn't sync your waypoints and routes across devices. However, it does have terrain, navaids & airports for Canada (though not charts), which Droid EFB does not.

A dis-recommendation is FlightPlan Go. On all my devices, it is a steaming pile of bloat-ware, super slow, crashes frequently, essentially unusable. That's a shame because it's the only Android app I've found that has Canadian charts.

Overall, Droid EFB is my primary and Naviator is my backup. I subscribe to both.
 
The current Garmin Pilot system recommendations (20240411) are for less than 4 years old, Android 10 or higher, and 128GB of storage. As regional flyer I assume I would use less since I would likely only load about 10 states worth of info. Anyone using an A9 or A9+ with 64GB of built in storage? Can you put the GP data on an installed micro SD card?
 
WDD said:
Reject F Flight and Apple because ones doesn’t want to be cemented to one large company that precludes using other systems. And Garmin is open and friendly ??

I guess just pick your favorite poison.
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The overall Apple experience is so good, it invites captor-captive syndrome. Why anyone would not be in their ecosystem, have no idea. Seamless across iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Everything just works. I guess if you are "gamer" (other than Xplane12) you might need some Windows/Android solution, but why if a pilot?

In the same vein, the standard EFB is ForeFlight on an iPad. One and done, go fly. Just works. Plans go up to the navigator, plans come down to the iPad (connexion). A small box adds weather and traffic. A used iPad Mini5 (this is the best form factor IMHO) w/cellular (needed for internal GPS) is $276 on Amazon. It will absolutely run the current FF no problem, do it daily. As will the Mini6 of course.
 
Steamflyer said:
In the same vein, the standard EFB is ForeFlight on an iPad. One and done, go fly. Just works.
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No, it doesn't. The iPad screen is too dim in a bright cockpit, and iPads are notorious for overheating in the cockpit. Plus, FF's buttonology is awkward and the buttons are too small when bouncing around in rough air. And FF customer support, which was once responsive and good, has been declining for several years.
 
yea - I use F Flight on the ground, but use I Fly on a high Nit daylight readable tablet.
 
Half Fast said:
No, it doesn't. The iPad screen is too dim in a bright cockpit, and iPads are notorious for overheating in the cockpit. Plus, FF's buttonology is awkward and the buttons are too small when bouncing around in rough air. And FF customer support, which was once responsive and good, has been declining for several years.
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Guess that's why YMMV. Do use a ventilated mount, but after 3000 hours with iPad/FF, seems good enough. Don't look at the screen constantly and admit that with darkest glasses it might be a tiny bit dimmer than ideal, but works well enough. Years ago used to give customer support feedback and they incorporated some, but have had no need for them for years and years.
 
Steamflyer said:
Guess that's why YMMV. Do use a ventilated mount, but after 3000 hours with iPad/FF, seems good enough. Don't look at the screen constantly and admit that with darkest glasses it might be a tiny bit dimmer than ideal, but works well enough. Years ago used to give customer support feedback and they incorporated some, but have had no need for them for years and years.
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I've had a variety of Android tablets for EFB use, and they are usually much less expensive than iPads, almost all come with integrated GPS standard, and for those who are already in the Google ecosystem by choice or because of employment (Google Workspace), an Android (Google-based) solution makes sense. And I've never had a Samsung, Motorola, or Google tablet or phone overheat and shut down. My Android EFBs work on my aviation-dedicated tablet, personal tablet, and personal phone, so when I'm flying I have several backups available in the event of a hardware failure. A phone is actually a usable in-flight device for iFly EFB or DroidEFB.
 
Half Fast said:
No, it doesn't. The iPad screen is too dim in a bright cockpit, and iPads are notorious for overheating in the cockpit. Plus, FF's buttonology is awkward and the buttons are too small when bouncing around in rough air. And FF customer support, which was once responsive and good, has been declining for several years.
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Notorious for overheating? Really? Been using FF and iPad since 2010 or 2011 in the hot Texas Sun. I use a slight amount of common sense and if I think about it, keep it out of the direct sunlight at fuel stops and such. Never experienced an overheat.

How many overheats with one have you experienced and in what conditions.

Suggestion: don’t consider a few complaints as acceptable data. Hearsay is anecdotal.
 
Half Fast said:
Yes, I did. If the iPad "just worked" I wouldn't have to augment it with another piece of equipment. I gave up on it a few years ago.
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Just so you know, there is a brightness setting. I never mess with it, but my iPad is as bright is any screen in the cabin, and my two previous IPads were also completely adequate.
 
MBDiagMan said:
Notorious for overheating? Really? Been using FF and iPad since 2010 or 2011 in the hot Texas Sun. I use a slight amount of common sense and if I think about it, keep it out of the direct sunlight at fuel stops and such. Never experienced an overheat.

How many overheats with one have you experienced and in what conditions.

Suggestion: don’t consider a few complaints as acceptable data. Hearsay is anecdotal.
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I had several overheats but you will consider that anecdotal. I consider it personal experience which informed my personal decision. YMMV.
 
MBDiagMan said:
Just so you know, there is a brightness setting. I never mess with it, but my iPad is as bright is any screen in the cabin, and my two previous IPads were also completely adequate.
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Mine was on full bright and was marginally adequate. I don't like marginal. My 740b is much brighter.
 
Odd as this might seem - maybe what works for one person doesn’t work for another. A crazier idea is that if someone does something different it isn’t necessarily wrong. But hey - crazy talk here.
 
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Being retired from a career in technology, mostly the HMI software industry, the Ford/Chevy arguments in such areas can be quite entertaining. The religion people see for their side is amazing sometimes.

Been using Apple and FF for about 14 years now and it has been quite dependable and useful technology. Although it’s hard to imagine, there might be something out there as good if I wanted to start learning a new application, but what I use has proven reliable, adequate and well supported. It is obvious that other people find combinations that work for them and that’s great. Where it gets interesting is the comments made from the belief that theirs is best without ever tried another or based on hearsay from “they say.” WHO says? Bring a representative amount of data to support the claim and I’m all ears. My data is indeed anecdotal because it involves only my experience, so it’s possible that I’m the only one who has experienced 14 years of great experience with my combination, but given the success and acceptance of these technologies since inception, it appears that there must be at least a few other pilots who have found it adequate.
 
WDD said:
Odd aa this might seem - maybe what works for one person doesn’t work for another. A crazier idea is that if someone does something different it isn’t necessarily wrong. But hey - crazy talk here.
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Exactly.

In general, I absolutely do not like Apple's closed system approach. However, I keep an iPad around for two specific applications, one of which is Foreflight. It's annoying to have a separate device for just two apps, but those two work for me in iPad form.

Right horse for the course.....
 
Cheyenne Captain said:
As a CFI,I REALLY LIKE Aviator Assistant abd recommend it to my students.
You will like the price too!
Works in Android or Ipad.

Aviator Assistant - The Best Flight App For Pilots

www.aviatorassistant.com www.aviatorassistant.com
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I’m looking at it and it looks good. But I’m wondering about support, so I sent them a question (I do that often). Other than the automated “we got it” response, nothing yet. But I sent it Friday and it is the weekend.
 
WDD said:
Odd aa this might seem - maybe what works for one person doesn’t work for another. A crazier idea is that if someone does something different it isn’t necessarily wrong. But hey - crazy talk here.
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People (especially these days) tend to get very zealous about their choices, as though it’s a personal affront to them if someone else chooses a different path. As you may have noticed, this is not limited to choice of EFB platform.
 
midlifeflyer said:
People (especially these days) tend to get very zealous about their choices, as though it’s a personal affront to them if someone else chooses a different path. As you may have noticed, this is not limited to choice of EFB platform.
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My hypothesis is that it's a form of cognitive dissonance.

Suppose Alfred needs a new truck and buys a Ford. All is well and after a few weeks, Alfred discovers that Barbara has also purchased a brand new Ford truck. Barbara's purchase confirms Alfred's decision and Alfred feels validated. Some time later, Charlie buys a new Chevy truck. Charlie's truck represents a threat to Alfred's decision-making process. "Maybe I should have bought a Chevy", thinks Alfred and buyer's remorse starts to set in. As a mental defense mechanism, Alfred declares "Charlie's an idiot" and the decision to buy a Ford is once again validated.
 
asicer said:
My hypothesis is that it's a form of cognitive dissonance.

Suppose Alfred needs a new truck and buys a Ford. All is well and after a few weeks, Alfred discovers that Barbara has also purchased a brand new Ford truck. Barbara's purchase confirms Alfred's decision and Alfred feels validated. Some time later, Charlie buys a new Chevy truck. Charlie's truck represents a threat to Alfred's decision-making process. "Maybe I should have bought a Chevy", thinks Alfred and buyer's remorse starts to set in. As a mental defense mechanism, Alfred declares "Charlie's an idiot" and the decision to buy a Ford is once again validated.
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No! I'm right and you are an idiot!
Do I have to add a smilie? :D
 
The Android platform sacrifices some ease of development and use for greater flexibility. This is a common tradeoff in software platforms. My personal view is that open environments offer more capability for more people than walled gardens.
 
Jim_R said:
Yes, it is. Like when someone feels compelled to come into a thread explicitly about Android apps to go on and on about how great Apple stuff is for some reason. :rolleyes:
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If you’re talking to me, I am only stating facts about my own experience and made it clear that others may have equally acceptable results with their own choice. I don’t understand why people get so brand loyal to the point of religion. I believe that if something is working for you, why change?
 
The choices one makes for aviation or other software often revolves not around what is objectively or subjectively "best", but rather what makes sense for interoperability with other aspects of one's software life. For those, like me, who are tied into the Google ecosystem for work or for other reasons, it may not make sense to invest in the Apple ecosystem as well.

Fortunately, there are some very good, well-supported Android choices for EFB software for those who are invested in the Google app ecosystem and want to keep everything compatible.
 
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