Free ForeFlight Alternatives for VFR Pilots (Canada & US)

The best free alternatives to ForeFlight for VFR pilots are Avare on Android, AvareX on iOS, Android and desktop, and FltPlan Go on iPad and Android, plus the free official weather, NOTAM and flight plan tools from NAV CANADA in Canada and Leidos Flight Service in the US. In the US you can also download the FAA's digital VFR charts directly. None of the free apps matches ForeFlight's depth, and in Canada the gap is official VNC charts, which NAV CANADA sells rather than gives away.

I built ClearProp, which has a free plan and is included below, so weigh my view accordingly. Every other fact here comes from each vendor's or agency's own website or official app store listing, linked inline, as of October 2026. There are no affiliate links in this post.

What counts as free

We only list options with a genuinely free way to use them: a fully free app, or a free plan with no time limit. A 30-day trial is not free, so trial-only apps get their own section at the end. Prices and terms change, so check each official page before you rely on it.

Quick comparison

Option	Platforms	What is free	Regions	Offline
Avare	Android	Everything	US FAA charts; Canada topo maps only	Yes
AvareX	iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux	Core app; AI add-on is paid	US FAA charts; Canada not stated	Yes, after chart download
FltPlan Go	iPad, Android	The app	US, Canada, Caribbean, Central America	Yes, for registered users
SkyVector	Web	Not stated on the site	US and Canada views	Not stated
NAV CANADA CFPS	Web	Weather, NOTAMs and flight plan filing	Canada	No
FAA VFR raster charts	Download (GeoTIFF, PDF)	Download with no login	US	Yes, as files
Leidos Flight Service	Web and phone	The flight service	US	No
ClearProp Free	iPhone, Android (iOS and Android coming soon)	Navigation and flight logging	Canada, contiguous US, Alaska	Yes, for a planned route

Avare (Android)

Avare is a long-running free moving-map app from Apps4Av, and if you fly in the US with an Android device it's the obvious place to start. Its site says "Avare is for Android only" and "All the Avare apps and all features are free" (Apps4Av overview, as of October 2026). The Google Play listing is just as blunt: "All of this is Completely Free with no ads" (Avare on Google Play).

It works offline: "Ground planning and in-flight operations work offline, even in 'Airplane Mode'" (Apps4Av).

Charts are FAA charts for the US. Canadian pilots should read the next part carefully. The project page says "Canadian topo moving maps and unofficial airport info are also now available" (Avare on GitHub), which is not the same as NAV CANADA VNCs. A topo map and unofficial airport data won't stand in for a current VNC or VTA.

AvareX (iOS, Android and desktop)

AvareX is the newer, multi-platform app from the same team. Its site lists "iOS Android Windows macOS Linux Raspberry Pi" and says "The core AvareX electronic flight bag is free to download and fly" (AvareX, as of October 2026). "The only paid add-on is Flight Intelligence, an optional $5/month Pro" (AvareX, as of October 2026), so the flying part costs nothing.

Like Avare, it uses FAA charts for the US, and the site does not state Canadian coverage. Offline, "Core navigation works fully offline once you download the charts" (AvareX).

FltPlan Go (iPad and Android)

FltPlan.com describes "our free FltPlan Go app" (FltPlan.com, as of October 2026). It is the free in-flight companion to the FltPlan.com planning website, and it runs on "your iPad, Android tablet, or hi-res Android phone" (FltPlan Go info). The App Store listing shows it as free for iPad (FltPlan Go on the App Store).

Coverage is wider than the Avare apps. The App Store listing says "FltPlan covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean" and more (FltPlan Go on the App Store). FltPlan's info page also lists "Geo-referenced approach charts for U.S. and Canada" and the Canadian Flight Supplement (FltPlan Go info). That page looks older, though, and we could not confirm on a current official page which Canadian charts are included today. Check in the app before you count on it for a Canadian trip.

Registered users get "offline and in-flight access to NavLogs, Approach Plates, Weather Briefings" (FltPlan Go info).

SkyVector (web)

SkyVector is a web flight planning site with chart views for US and Canadian airports (SkyVector). We could not find an official statement of its pricing or offline support, so all we'll say is that you can open it in a browser. It's handy for looking at a route on a desktop the night before. It is not an in-flight app.

NAV CANADA's official tools (Canada)

For Canadian pilots, the official free tools are web-based rather than a moving-map app. Between them they cover the briefing and the filing; they don't cover the chart.

• Weather and NOTAMs: NAV CANADA says "NOTAMs and most weather tools are available through Collaborative Flight Planning Services" on a "Weather and NOTAM" tab "which does not require a login" (NAV CANADA flight planning and reporting, as of October 2026). The CFPS site is plan.navcanada.ca.
• Flight plans: "VFR and IFR flights plans can be filed, amended, delayed or cancelled using Collaborative Flight Planning Services", which needs an account (NAV CANADA).
• Phone briefing: "Within Canada, call 1-866-WX-BRIEF to reach your FIC" (NAV CANADA).
• Free references: Canadian Airport Charts and the Designated Airspace Handbook are free downloads (NAV CANADA operational guides).
• Not free: VNC paper charts are listed at $16.50 CAD each (NAV CANADA VNC shop, as of October 2026), and each regional electronic CFS volume is listed at $16.50 CAD on a 56-day cycle, sold by subscription (NAV CANADA eCFS shop, as of October 2026).

These are online tools, so print or save what you need before you lose a connection. And if you still have a bookmark for the old Aviation Weather Web Site, delete it: NAV CANADA says it "has been decommissioned, effective February 28, 2024" (NAV CANADA). Our Canadian VFR cross-country guide covers which of these you need before a trip.

FAA digital VFR charts (US)

The FAA publishes digital versions of its VFR charts for download. "An Aeronautical Raster Chart is a digital image of an FAA VFR Chart", provided "as a GeoTIFF" with PDF versions, on 56-day cycles (FAA VFR raster charts, as of October 2026). The download page shows no price and needs no login.

They are files, not an app. They work offline in any viewer that opens GeoTIFF or PDF, but you won't get a moving map unless your app supports them.

Leidos Flight Service (US)

Leidos Flight Service describes itself as "a federally funded, free, public service". Its FAQ says "Leidos Flight Service is free to all pilots" (1800wxbrief.com FAQ, as of October 2026), and the phone number is 800-WX-Brief (800-992-7433) (1800wxbrief.com). It is a website, not an app, and it needs an internet connection.

It also warns that "our international data may be inaccurate or incomplete" outside US airspace. Canadian pilots should use NAV CANADA's sources for Canada.

ClearProp (iPhone and Android)

ClearProp is our app, so here are its limits first. It is a supplemental VFR navigation and logging aid, not a certified EFB or primary navigation source, and it is not approved by Transport Canada or the FAA (aviation disclaimer). It has no weather, METARs, NOTAMs, official charts or airspace, and it does not file flight plans.

It runs on iPhone and Android (iOS and Android coming soon). The Free plan (forever) includes moving map navigation; automatic flight logging; logbook of your last 90 days; older flights kept safe, never deleted; and export your data anytime. Pro is $9.99/month or $79/year (ClearProp pricing, as of October 2026) and adds your full flight history and AI procedure drafting.

It covers Canada and the US, and offline maps cover Canada, the contiguous United States and Alaska. It works offline for a planned route once its maps are downloaded before departure. After the flight it gives you a logbook draft in Transport Canada or FAA format, which you review before saving.

Trial-only options (not free)

These are paid apps with a free trial, listed so you know where they stand:

• Garmin Pilot offers "30 Days Free Trial on initial download!" Its US App Store listing shows in-app subscriptions from US$109.99 (Garmin Pilot on the App Store, as of October 2026). We found no free tier.
• SkyDemon says "Try our software free for 30 days" and works on "iPad, Android, iPhone and PC" (SkyDemon, as of October 2026). Its coverage page lists the United States and "Canada (Experimental)" (SkyDemon coverage), and its store says it "is primarily intended for the European market" (SkyDemon store, as of October 2026).
• ForeFlight itself has a 30-day trial and then needs an annual subscription. See our ForeFlight vs ClearProp comparison for its plans and prices.

How to choose

On Android in the US, start with Avare or AvareX for free FAA charts, and use 1800wxbrief.com for briefings. On an iPad, try FltPlan Go or AvareX.

Canada is harder, because no free app solves the chart problem. Use NAV CANADA's CFPS for weather, NOTAMs and filing, buy current VNCs and the CFS from NAV CANADA, and add a free app such as FltPlan Go for moving-map use. If you want a simple route, navigation and logbook draft workflow on your phone, ClearProp's free plan is an option alongside those official sources.

Whatever you use, carry current official charts and publications, get a proper weather briefing and check NOTAMs. A free app is a supplement, not a substitute.

Trademark note

ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, SkyDemon, FltPlan Go, Avare, AvareX and SkyVector are trademarks of their respective owners. ClearProp is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them.

Sources

All checked in October 2026:

• Apps4Av: Avare overview, Apps4Av home, Avare on GitHub, Avare on Google Play
• AvareX
• FltPlan.com, FltPlan Go info, FltPlan Go on the App Store
• SkyVector
• NAV CANADA flight planning and reporting, NAV CANADA operational guides, NAV CANADA VNC shop, NAV CANADA eCFS shop
• FAA VFR raster charts
• Leidos Flight Service FAQ
• Garmin Pilot on the App Store
• SkyDemon, SkyDemon coverage, SkyDemon store
• ClearProp: home, pricing, aviation disclaimer