SkyText vs Flighty
Flighty is the gold standard. But not everyone needs a gold standard — or can use one.
By Tom Walsh
Try SkyTextLet's be honest: Flighty is the best flight tracking app on the market. The design is gorgeous. The data is incredibly detailed — it tracks your plane's inbound flight, estimates delays based on aircraft position, and sends notifications that are actually useful and timely. If you're a frequent flyer with an iPhone, Flighty is worth every penny.
But Flighty costs $49.99 per year (or $5.99/month). That's a great deal if you fly 30 times a year. It's a tough sell if you're tracking two flights — your parents' trip to Florida in February and their flight home. You don't need a year-round subscription for that.
There's also the platform problem. Flighty is iOS only. If you have an Android phone, you can't use it. Period. And if the person you want to share tracking with doesn't have an iPhone, the sharing features don't work for them either. Flighty's sharing is designed around both people having the app installed — which means both people need iPhones and at least one needs a paid subscription.
SkyText takes a completely different approach. It's $1.99 per flight, not per year. There's no app to install on either end — not on your phone, not on the recipient's phone. It works on iPhones, Androids, and flip phones. You enter a flight number, enter a phone number, and you get a text when the plane lands.
The trade-off is real: Flighty gives you a rich, detailed, beautiful experience with delay predictions and live aircraft tracking. SkyText gives you a text message. If you want the experience, Flighty is unmatched. If you want the outcome — knowing when they've landed — SkyText gets you there for $1.99 with zero friction.
A lot of Flighty users actually use SkyText too, for the people in their lives who don't have iPhones or don't want another app. You track the flight on Flighty because you love it. You set up SkyText so your mom gets a text because she loves that.
Comparison
How SkyText compares.
Other apps
SkyText
How it works
Three steps to peace of mind.
Enter the flight number
Type the flight number. No app to download.
Add your phone number
Enter the mobile number where you want to receive the alert.
Get a text when they land
We track the flight and send you an SMS. That's it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Is Flighty worth $50/year?
If you fly frequently and have an iPhone, absolutely. It's the best flight tracking app available. For occasional use, it's hard to justify.
Does Flighty work on Android?
No. Flighty is iOS only. SkyText works on any phone that receives text messages.
Can I share Flighty tracking with someone who doesn't have the app?
Flighty has a web-based sharing link, but the full experience requires the app. SkyText sends a text — no app needed on the recipient's end.
Which should I use for tracking my parents' flights?
If your parents have iPhones and you fly often, Flighty is great. If they have any other phone or you just want a simple text alert, SkyText is the easier choice.
Founder, SkyText
Aviation lover who built SkyText because families deserve to know when someone lands safely. Has tracked more flights than he'd like to admit.