# Sorapuff vs FlyBud: an honest comparison

**Short answer:** FlyBud is the better pick if you want a full flight tracker with live status, gates, delays and the plane's live position, on iPhone, Android or the web, with a turbulence forecast included. Sorapuff is the better pick if your fear peaks in the air: a bump meter in g, breathing with haptics and a calm button that work in airplane mode, with no account and one $14.99 payment instead of a weekly or yearly subscription.

We make Sorapuff, so read this with that in mind. Every FlyBud fact below comes from FlyBud's own website or its App Store listing, checked on November 13, 2026, and is linked under Sources.

## At a glance
| | FlyBud | Sorapuff |
|---|---|---|
| Price (US) | Free tier; FlyBud Pro $5.99 a week or $59.99 a year, auto-renewing [1] | Free version; Pro $14.99 once |
| Free trial | none: the free tier is the trial [2] | the free version never expires |
| Where it runs | iPhone (iOS 15.1 or later), Apple-silicon Macs [1], Android [3], web forecast pages [4] | iPhone and iPad (iOS 18 or later) |
| Available | App Store and Google Play now [1][3] | coming soon to the App Store |
| Live flight status: gates, delays, baggage belts | ✓ [1] | — |
| Live position of the plane | ✓ [2] | — a tracker from the schedule and your phone's sensors |
| Route turbulence forecast | ✓ about three days ahead; smooth, light, moderate, severe [4] | ✓ up to three days ahead; smooth, light, moderate; severe only from official SIGMETs |
| Forecast data | Two blended global weather models, plus pilot reports [4] | A clear-air turbulence index from NOAA GFS winds, plus SIGMETs and pilot reports |
| Route turbulence map | Pro [2] | Pro, with storms and pilot reports |
| Works in airplane mode | Forecast downloaded before takeoff; breathing guide [1][4] | Bump meter, tracker, breathing, calm button, music, saved forecast |
| Bump meter in the air (in g) | not described | ✓ |
| Flight phase detection | not described | ✓ |
| Calming tools | Breathing guide, calming sounds, offline games [1] | Breathing with haptics, calm button, calm music made on the phone |
| Live Activities | Pro [2] | Pro |
| Languages | English and 20 more [1] | 18 |
| Data linked to you (App Store label) | Purchases, contact info (name, email), identifiers, usage data, diagnostics [1] | none: no account, no analytics |
| Ad measurement | Reports installs, first flights and purchases to Meta to measure its own ads; never asks to track you on iPhone [5] | none |

## What FlyBud does better
- **It's a real flight tracker.** Live status with gates, terminals, delays, cancellations and baggage belts, the plane's live position, and where your inbound aircraft is (Pro) [1][2]. Sorapuff doesn't show any of that.
- **It runs everywhere.** iPhone, Mac, Android and turbulence forecast pages on the web, with no sign-up for the web tool [1][3][4].
- **It blends two weather models** and folds in recent pilot reports [4].
- **More languages:** English and 20 more on the App Store [1].
- **It's available today**, with a generous free tier: unlimited flight tracking and a turbulence forecast card [2]. Sorapuff isn't on the App Store yet.

## What Sorapuff does differently
- **Made for the fear itself.** The bump meter shows each bump in g next to the 2.5 g an airliner is built for, the tracker knows when you climb, cruise and descend, and Sora explains what's normal. All of it works in airplane mode.
- **Pay once.** $14.99 for Pro, with Family Sharing. FlyBud Pro is $59.99 a year or $5.99 a week, so three weeks of the weekly plan cost more than Sorapuff Pro does for good.
- **No account, no analytics, no ads.** Your flights stay on your phone, and nothing is reported to ad networks.
- **iPad too.** Sorapuff is made for iPhone and iPad.

## Which one should you choose?
- **You want gates, delays and the plane's live position:** FlyBud.
- **You're on Android, or want it in a browser:** FlyBud.
- **The bumps themselves scare you, and you want proof in numbers:** Sorapuff's bump meter.
- **You want calm tools that work offline, without a subscription or an account:** Sorapuff.
- **Both:** a flight tracker and a calm buddy do different jobs, and nothing stops you from keeping both on your phone.

## Looking for apps like FlyBud?
The [best turbulence apps](/guides/best-turbulence-apps) and [best fear of flying apps](/guides/best-fear-of-flying-apps) guides compare the main options on data, offline use, privacy and US prices.

## How we checked
We read FlyBud's App Store listing, its Pro page, its turbulence forecast page and its privacy policy on November 13, 2026. Prices are US App Store prices on that day; FlyBud shows local prices in the app, and apps change prices and features, so check before you buy. We haven't run an independent accuracy test of either forecast. FlyBud is a trademark of its owner; Sorapuff isn't affiliated with it.

## FAQ
### How much does FlyBud cost?
FlyBud is free to download with unlimited flight tracking. FlyBud Pro is an auto-renewing subscription: $5.99 a week or $59.99 a year on the US App Store [1]. FlyBud says it has no free trial, because the free tier is the trial [2].

### Does FlyBud have a turbulence forecast?
Yes. It forecasts about three days ahead on a four-level scale, from two blended weather models plus pilot reports, and downloads it before takeoff for airplane mode [4]. The route turbulence map is part of Pro [2].

### Does FlyBud need an account?
Not for its web forecast tool [4]. The app offers an account with your name and email address, or sign-in with Apple or Google [5], and its App Store label lists name and email as data linked to you [1]. Sorapuff has no account at all.

### Is Sorapuff a subscription?
No. Sorapuff is free to download, and Sorapuff Pro is a one-time purchase of $14.99 (US price), with Family Sharing included.

### Does Sorapuff show delays or gates?
No. Sorapuff's tracker follows your flight from the schedule and from what your phone feels, so it works in airplane mode, but it doesn't show live status. Use your airline's app or a tracker like FlyBud for that.

## Sources
1. [FlyBud – Flight & Turbulence on the App Store, Apple](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flybud-flight-turbulence/id6809173786)
2. [FlyBud Pro, FlyBud](https://flybud.app/pro/)
3. [FlyBud on Google Play, Google](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flybud.app)
4. [Turbulence forecast, FlyBud](https://flybud.app/turbulence-forecast/)
5. [Privacy policy (October 21, 2026), FlyBud](https://flybud.app/privacy)

## Related guides

- [Best Turbulence Apps 2026: 9 Forecast Tools Compared](https://sorapuff.app/guides/best-turbulence-apps): The best turbulence app depends on your phone, budget and fears. We compared 9 forecast tools on data, storms, offline use, privacy and US prices.
- [Best Fear of Flying Apps 2026: 8 Apps Compared Honestly](https://sorapuff.app/guides/best-fear-of-flying-apps): The best fear of flying app depends on what scares you. We compared 8 apps for courses, in-flight help, VR therapy and turbulence, with real US prices.
- [Turbulence Forecast for Your Flight: How It Works](https://sorapuff.app/guides/turbulence-forecast): A turbulence forecast shows where bumps are likely on your route, built from wind data, storm warnings and pilot reports. How to read one, and its limits.
- [How to Calm Anxiety on a Plane: Breathing and More](https://sorapuff.app/guides/calm-anxiety-on-a-plane): Calm flight anxiety with slow breathing, the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise and muscle relaxation. What to do in a panic attack, and what to tell the crew.