The best turbulence apps in 2026, compared honestly

Key facts

• From 2009 through 2018, turbulence was involved in 111 US airline accidents, 37.6% of all Part 121 accidents, and none of them substantially damaged the airplane. [1]
• Of the 123 people seriously injured in those accidents, 97 (78.9%) were flight attendants, and only 1 was documented as wearing a seat belt. [1]
• Thunderstorm (convective) turbulence was present in 57.7% of those accidents and clear-air turbulence in 28.8%, so a good app looks at storms as well as wind. [1]
• SIGMETs, the official warnings that cover severe or extreme turbulence, are valid for up to 4 hours. [1]
• Paid plans in this guide run from $4.99 a month (Turbli+) to $95.00 a year (Flight Buddy's top plan) on the US App Store, checked November 13, 2026. [2] [3]
• Flying Calmly has the most ratings of the apps here: 4.8 stars from 836 ratings. [4]

How we compared them

On November 13, 2026, we opened each app's US App Store page and, where there is one, its website. We looked at the forecast's data, storms and pilot reports, what works in the air, the privacy label and the price. We didn't test the other apps' accuracy, and none of the store pages we read cite an independent test. We did check our own forecast against 3,083 US pilot reports, and published the method and the score in how accurate turbulence forecasts are.

Sorapuff is our app; we've held it to the same kind of facts and said where others do more.

The apps at a glance

What's inside each one

Privacy labels are written by each developer and not verified by Apple.

Each app in a few lines

Turbulence Forecast

Good at: a world turbulence map, automated forecasts for your flight, and forecasts written by experienced forecasters and sent by email. It also has a pilot reports map and widgets, with 4.6 stars from 213 ratings. [5] Its website offers forecasts up to 5 days (120 hours) ahead, in a browser or in its iPhone and Android apps. [6]

Keep in mind: the pricing is a menu of plans, credit packs and ad removal, and the privacy label links your contact info and usage data to you. [5]

Turbli and Turbli+

Good at: Turbli's website is free and forecasts the ride between your departure and destination airports from NOAA and UK Met Office weather models. [7] The Turbli+ app for iPhone and iPad adds saved flights you can open offline, statistics on turbulence and thunderstorm levels across your flights, and custom forecasts. [2]

Keep in mind: Turbli+ needs an account and a paid subscription, and it's in English only. [2] Our Sorapuff vs Turbli comparison sets the two side by side.

Flying Calmly

Good at: look up your flight by date and number, save it, and get a turbulence report shortly before departure. Plus follows live schedule and route changes, so the forecast keeps up with delays and the route actually flown. It's in 9 languages and has the most ratings here. [4] It's on Android too. [8]

Keep in mind: its page doesn't mention airplane-mode use, and the label links your email and search history to you. [4]

Turbulence Forecast – Flight+

Good at: detail. It forecasts between two airports up to 3 days out on four levels, from smooth to severe, with a breakdown by altitude, live pilot reports, a map of jet stream and storm activity, flight-number search, connecting flights and a best-seat guide. It's in 9 languages. [9]

Keep in mind: it has only 10 ratings so far, and a weekly plan kept for a whole year would cost over $300. [9]

Sky Guru

Good at: keeping you company in the air. Besides a forecast for zones along your route, it explains flight phases, noises and maneuvers in real time, detects phases with your phone's sensors, and has an offline AI chat, an 11-lesson video course and breathing exercises. [10]

Keep in mind: pricing mixes per-flight packs and plans, and the label lists identifiers used to track you. [10]

Flight Buddy

Good at: putting a turbulence tracker inside a wider fear-of-flying program, with a 30-plus-question assessment, audio explanations of common "what if" worries and a video course. It has 4.6 stars from 129 ratings. [3]

Keep in mind: it's iPhone only, in English and Russian. [3] For anxiety help, see our fear-of-flying app roundup.

FlyBud

Good at: being a full flight tracker with a turbulence forecast inside. It shows live gates, terminals, delays, cancellations and baggage belts, and a route-wide forecast by altitude that explains the likely cause (jet stream, mountains, storms or afternoon heat), with nearby thunderstorms and pilot reports checked against it. The free tier includes unlimited flight tracking and per-flight forecasts; Pro adds a turbulence map, flight alerts and Live Activities. It has a breathing guide that works in airplane mode and comes in 21 languages. [14]

Keep in mind: it's new, first released on September 30, 2026, with 5.0 stars from 17 ratings so far; it runs on iPhone and Apple-silicon Macs but not iPad; a weekly plan kept for a whole year would cost over $300; and the privacy label links your name, email address and usage data to you. [14] Our Sorapuff vs FlyBud comparison goes into more detail.

aviationweather.gov

Good at: being the source. The US Aviation Weather Center's Graphical Forecasts for Aviation include a turbulence layer from Graphical Turbulence Guidance (GTG) and turbulence AIRMETs. [11] GTG maps an aircraft-independent turbulence measure, the eddy dissipation rate (EDR), over the US, southern Canada and Mexico. [12]

Keep in mind: it's built for pilots, not passengers, and it isn't tied to your flight or your seat.

Sorapuff (ours)

Good at: before and during the flight. You enter two airports and a time; it reads the wind along your route from NOAA's GFS model, adds storm warnings and recent pilot reports, and shows a minute-by-minute timeline of smooth, light or moderate. "Severe" only ever comes from an official SIGMET. In the air, the bump meter works in airplane mode.

Keep in mind: it's iPhone and iPad only, shows no live delays or gates, has no human forecaster, and is new, so it has no track record of ratings yet.

How to choose

• If storms worry you most, pick an app that shows SIGMETs or storm activity, not just wind. Our guide to pilot reports and SIGMETs explains both.
• If you want help during the flight, check what works offline, and save your forecast before you board.
• If you fly a few times a year, compare the cost over a year, not a week.
• If privacy matters, read "Data linked to you" on the App Store page before you sign up.
• Whatever any app says, keep your seat belt fastened whenever you're seated: in the NTSB data, the seriously injured were almost never belted. [1] That's why turbulence is rarely dangerous for belted passengers.

We also checked MyFlight Forecast, an iPhone app with flight weather, airport delays and a turbulence forecast: free with a $6.99 turbulence purchase, last updated in September 2024. [13] FlyBud and Flight Buddy are different apps: FlyBud is the flight tracker above, Flight Buddy the fear-of-flying program.

How Sorapuff helps

Sorapuff's route turbulence forecast shows where bumps are likely along your flight, using NOAA wind data, storm warnings and pilot reports, and its bump meter puts each bump in perspective in airplane mode. The free version includes one full route forecast; Pro is $14.99 once for unlimited forecasts up to three days ahead, with no subscription. See how we compare.

FAQ

Is there an app that predicts turbulence?

Yes. Apps such as Turbulence Forecast, Flying Calmly, Turbli+ and Sorapuff estimate where bumps are likely on your route from weather models, storm warnings and pilot reports. That's a likelihood, not a certainty, so check again close to departure, keep your seat belt fastened whenever you're seated, and follow your crew.

What is the most accurate turbulence app?

Nobody can say for sure: none of the App Store pages we read cite an independent accuracy test, and each app uses its own mix of data. Choose one that names its data sources, includes storms and pilot reports, explains its levels plainly and says how it was checked. Our guide to turbulence levels shows what light, moderate and severe mean.

Is there a free turbulence forecast?

Yes. Turbli's website is free, aviationweather.gov shows the official turbulence guidance pilots use at no charge, Flying Calmly's basic forecast is free, and FlyBud's free tier includes per-flight forecasts. Sorapuff's free version includes one full route forecast. Paid tiers add extras such as longer horizons, live route tracking or unlimited flights.

Do turbulence apps work in airplane mode?

Forecasts need a connection to download, so save yours before you board. Some apps keep working offline: Turbli+ keeps saved flights, Sky Guru detects flight phases with your phone's sensors, and Sorapuff's bump meter and tracker work in airplane mode. Live updates stop without Wi-Fi.

How far ahead can I get a turbulence forecast?

It depends on the app. Turbulence Forecast offers forecasts up to 5 days ahead, Flight+ up to 3 days, and Sorapuff Pro up to 3 days. The official SIGMET warnings are valid for up to 4 hours, so a quick check a few hours before departure is worth it.

Sources

1. Preventing Turbulence-Related Injuries in Air Carrier Operations Conducted Under Title 14 CFR Part 121 (SS-21-01), National Transportation Safety Board, 2021
2. Turbli+ on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
3. Flight Buddy: Calm Flying on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
4. Flying Calmly on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
5. Turbulence Forecast on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
6. Turbulence Forecast website, checked November 13, 2026
7. Worried about turbulence? This website gives you the forecast, The Star (dpa), March 22, 2024
8. Flying Calmly on Google Play, Google, checked November 13, 2026
9. Turbulence Forecast – Flight+ on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
10. Sky Guru: Fear of Flying Help on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
11. Graphical Forecasts for Aviation, Aviation Weather Center, National Weather Service
12. How Do You Interpret an Eddy Dissipation Rate?, FLYING Magazine, November 30, 2022
13. MyFlight Forecast on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026
14. FlyBud – Flight & Turbulence on the US App Store, Apple, prices checked November 13, 2026