Choppy vs Logbook Pro & APDL:
an honest comparison.
NC Software has served US pilots for nearly three decades with two products: Logbook Pro, the Windows-desktop institution with mobile companion apps, and APDL, its iPhone logbook for US airline pilots with FAR 117 legality tracking. Choppy is the modern alternative: one low price, every platform, no desktop PC in the loop, roster import included. Here is the honest side-by-side, so you can decide in five minutes.
The short version
Choose Logbook Pro if you want a desktop-first logbook with a lifetime Windows license and don’t mind paying yearly add-ons for mobile sync and roster import. Choose APDL if you fly for a US airline and FAR 117 duty-legality tracking is worth $199.99/year to you. Choose Choppy if you want the day-to-day essentials — roster import, automatic night time, currency, weather — on any device with no Windows PC required, for about $25/year all-in, with your old logbook imported in minutes.
Side by side
| Choppy | Logbook Pro | APDL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99/month or $24.99/year, all features | $99.95–$199.95 one-time (Windows) + $69.99/year mobile & sync | $199.99/year |
| Free tier | First 100 flights free · 7-day trial | 30-day mobile trial | First 90 days free |
| Platforms | iPhone · iPad · Android · Web | Windows desktop · iOS & Android companion apps | iPhone & iPad only |
| Works without a PC | Yes — phone, tablet or browser | No — mobile app must pair with Logbook Pro Desktop | Yes |
| Airline roster import | Included — 80+ airlines, PDF/CSV/XML/TXT | Airline Schedule Importer add-on, $109.99/year | Included — 275+ formats |
| Import your old logbook | Any app, PDF or CSV — including Logbook Pro exports | Yes — CSV and others | Via Logbook Pro |
| Automatic night time | Yes — civil twilight, to the minute | Yes | Yes |
| FAR 117 duty legality | No | No | Yes — its signature feature |
| Weather & NOTAMs | METAR / TAF / NOTAM built in | No | No |
| Mac support | Web app + iPhone/iPad apps | Windows virtualization only | No desktop app |
When NC Software is the right call
Be fair to the veteran: Logbook Pro has nearly thirty years of refinement, a lifetime desktop license instead of a subscription, and deep report customisation on Windows. And APDL’s FAR 117 duty-legality tracking — rest requirements, lookback windows, pay tracking — is genuinely unique: if you fly under US FAR Part 121 rules and want the app to tell you whether your next assignment is legal, nothing else on this page does that. If that describes your flying and your budget, NC Software will serve you well.
When Choppy wins
- You don’t want a Windows PC in the loop. Logbook Pro’s mobile app must pair with the desktop edition; Choppy is native on phone, tablet and web — your logbook lives everywhere, no computer required.
- You want one all-in price. A Logbook Pro setup with mobile sync and roster import runs about $180/year plus the desktop license; APDL is $199.99/year. Choppy is about $25/year for everything.
- You fly outside the US. APDL is built around FAR 117 and US airline workflows. Choppy handles EASA-style logging — automatic civil-twilight night time, PIC/SIC splits, currency — wherever you fly.
- You want weather in the same app. METAR, TAF and NOTAMs are pinned to each flight in Choppy — no separate app before pushback.
Switching takes minutes, not a weekend
Export your logbook from Logbook Pro or APDL (CSV), drop it into Choppy, and the importer maps the columns, matches your aircraft, and preserves every remark. Review the preview, commit, done — most pilots are fully migrated in under ten minutes, with hours, crew and types intact. Your first 100 flights are free, so you can test the import before paying anything.
Try the import freeFrequently asked questions
Can Choppy import my Logbook Pro or APDL data?
Yes. Export your flights to CSV from Logbook Pro Desktop (or APDL via its Logbook Pro export), upload the file to Choppy, and the importer maps the columns automatically — flights, times, crew, aircraft and remarks. You review every row before anything is saved.
Is Choppy really cheaper than Logbook Pro?
Yes. Choppy is $2.99/month — or $24.99/year — with every feature included. Logbook Pro needs the Windows desktop license ($99.95–$199.95 one-time), the mobile + cloud-sync subscription ($69.99/year), and the Airline Schedule Importer ($109.99/year) if you want roster import. APDL is $199.99/year.
Does Logbook Pro work without a Windows PC?
Not fully — the desktop edition is Windows-only (Mac requires virtualization), and the mobile app is a companion that pairs with the desktop via cloud sync. Choppy needs no computer at all: it runs natively on iPhone, iPad, Android and any browser.
Does Choppy track FAR 117 duty legality like APDL?
No — honest answer. APDL’s FAR 117 legality engine is its signature feature, and if automated US duty-limit checking is essential to you, APDL is worth considering despite the price. Choppy covers logbook, currency and duty-relevant records at a fraction of the cost — and runs on Android and the web, which APDL does not.
Competitor pricing and features checked July 2026 — always confirm current details on the vendor’s own site.
