Whether you are a pilot who wants to have SiriusXM access, primarily plan to use with Foreflight, or are under a tight budget, there is an ADS-B receiver for you.
Best ADS-B Receivers
- Top Pick: Stratux ADS-B, “You’ll struggle to find a pilot who has a bad word to say about the Stratux ADS-B”
- Runner-Up: Garmin GDL 50, “Comes with more features than any other ADS-B receiver, including TerminalTraffic which is invaluable for safety”
- Budget Pick: Scout Dual-Band, “No GPS or backup attitude, but very compact, aircraft powered, and great for pilots on a budget”
- Best for SiriusXM: Garmin GDL 52, “If you want a receiver with SiriusXM, look no further than the Garmin GDL 52”
- Best for ForeFlight: Sentry ADS-B, “Designed specifically with the ForeFlight in mind, the Sentry has a 12-hour battery life, plenty of features and even a CO monitor”
Contents
5 Top-Rated ADS-B Receivers
Stratux ADS-B – Top Pick
A very popular receiver which is almost unanimously praised by pilots for everything from its reliability and features to the company's customer service
New: $389.99
You’ll struggle to find a pilot who has a bad word to say about the Stratux ADS-B Dual Band Receiver. It is one of the most inexpensive options but also manages to be one of the best for flying. Technical support is also unmatched in the unlikely event anything goes wrong or you simply have a few questions or need more information.
Optimized for 978 MHz and 1090 MHz, you are able to receive and display air-to-air traffic, data, and FIS-B weather including very easy to read animated regional and CONUS NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, AIR/SIGMETs, PIREPs, winds, and temps aloft, TFRs, NOTAMs, and SUA information.
It is compatible with pretty much everything out there, including ForeFlight, FlyQ EFB, Navigator, AvNav, WingX, Avare EFB, FltPlan Go, DroidEFB, AerovieReports, Avplan EFB, iFly GPS, DroidEFB, OzRunways EFB.
ADS-B traffic and weather information, and navigation GPS position using internal GPYes WAAS GPS receiver are all provided. Multiple devices are also supported when connected via WiFi, including iPhones, iPads, and Android tablets.
Why Buy the Stratux ADS-B?
- High-gain dmurray14 antennas optimized for 978 MHz and 1090 MHz
- Extensive EFB compatibility
- Wide Area Augmentation (WAAS) GPS, subscription-free ADS-B weather and air-to-air traffic
Garmin GDL 50 – Runner-Up
The GDL-50 is one of the more expensive options but comes with more features than any other ADS-B receiver
New: $799.00
Compatible with a wide range of apps, the Garmin GDL 50 is designed to let you access the subscription-free ADS-B weather and traffic services available in the U.S. — all while providing GPS position, speed, and altitude information as well as backup attitude reference. Pilots can display animated graphical weather plus METARs, TAFs, winds and temperatures aloft, PIREPs, NOTAMs.
The TerminalTraffic feature is a great addition and invaluable for safety that shows which aircraft trajectories are most likely to converge with your own. As is being able to receive ADS-B position reports directly from other aircraft in your vicinity. Traffic targets are announced both audibly and visually.
The GDL 50 uses a rechargeable built-in lithium-ion battery that provides up to 8 hours of continuous operation.
Why Buy the Garmin GDL-50?
- Receive subscription-free animated U.S. datalink weather
- TargetTrend and TerminalTraffic technology
- 8 hours of continuous operation
- Provides GPS position data, backup altitude
- Compatible with Garmin Pilot, Garmin GPSs, ForeFlight, FltPlan Go
Scout Dual-Band – Best Budget Pick
No GPS or backup attitude, but very compact, aircraft powered, and great for pilots on a budget
Check Amazon for Pricing
The Scout Dual-Band is the best budget ADS-B receiver. Due to its low price point, it does lack a couple of features. But if you’re looking to save some money and do not need GPS data nor backup attitude (AHRS), it’s a good choice.
You are able to receive and display ADS-B traffic and weather on the ForeFlight Mobile app, as well as FIS-B weather and data.
Contributing to its very compact size, there is no internal battery, so you will need to connect it to any external portable 5V USB battery or existing USB power source in your aircraft for operation.
Why Buy the Scout Dual-Band?
- Connects to any external portable 5V USB battery or existing USB power source in your aircraft
- Integrated Wi-Fi supports up to 4 iOS devices
- Very compact
Garmin GDL 52 – Best ADS-B Receiver With SiriusXM
If you want a receiver with SiriusXM, look no further than the Garmin GDL 52
New: $1,249.00
The main reason to choose the Garmin GDL 52 over the GDL 50 or any other receiver is down to its support of SiriusXM – something that many pilots just won’t go without while they’re in the sky.
Besides this, it has all the features one has come to love from the GDL 50, including the same reliability, unique safety features, and easy-to-read data at just a glance.
Why Buy the Garmin GDL 52?
- SiriusXM support
- TargetTrend and TerminalTraffic technology
- Provides GPS position data, backup altitude
- Compatible with Garmin Pilot, Garmin GPSs, ForeFlight, FltPlan Go
Sentry ADS-B – Best ADS-B Receiver With ForeFlight
Designed specifically with the ForeFlight in mind, the Sentry has a 12-hour battery life, plenty of features and even a CO monitor
Check Amazon for Pricing
Designed specifically for ForeFlight, the Sentry ADS-B Receiver packs a lot of punch for its size and price, allowing you to receive and display ADS-B traffic, weather, and flight information in the ForeFlight Mobile app.
It is compact – no larger than a deck of cards in fact, and a single charge provides 12 hours of continuous operation. The onboard memory can support up to 30 minutes of FIS-B data and saves important information such as animated radar and other weather data.
The built-in carbon monoxide sensor and the alarming system is a nice addition and certainly a unique feature in an ADS-B receiver. The LED indicator provides a visual indication of CO levels, and when hazardous levels are reached you are warned with an audio and in-app alert.
Why Buy the Sentry ADS-B?
- Integrated CO monitor and alarm
- 12 hours of continuous battery life
- Built-in WAAS GPS, Backup Altitude (AHRS), Barometer
- Weather replay and cockpit sharing
How We Picked the Best ADS-B Receivers
- EFB Compatibility: Some ADS-B receivers are specifically designed for ForeFlight, while others aren’t as limited and are compatible with a very wide of EFB’s. It’s, therefore, a good idea to know for sure the compatibility you will need. It is often better to start with compatibility in mind instead of working backward, especially as some receivers are designed specifically for use with a certain EFB.
- Battery Life: There are two factors to consider when it comes to batteries: mode of operation and battery life. If you would prefer to cut down on the number of wires in your cockpit or need a backup receiver, one that is powered by the aircraft is the right choice. If not, consider how many hours of continuous operation you want before having to recharge.
- Size: All ADS-B receivers are relatively compact, but if you want a truly lightweight pocket-sized device there are only a couple you should consider.
- Price: Just like aviation headsets, one of the largest factors in your decision will come down to price. The Stratux is an exceptional receiver for the money, and we don’t suggest you go much lower than this. Conversely, there isn’t necessarily always a lot to be gained if you spend into the thousands.
- Additional Features: Some receivers have more practical additional features like a carbon monoxide detector, while others are more focused on entertainment. The Sentry, for example, has the former while the Garmin GDL 52 has the latter with its SiriusXM support.
What You Should Know
Our aim is to be as transparent as possible, so you should know:
- We picked the best ads-b receivers based on a variety of factors and features, including EFB compatibility, battery life, price, size, and the importance and value of additional features.
- We have made our recommendations based on thousands of owner reviews, including a combination of testing and firsthand experience, and ads-b receiver reviews from other outlets.
Benjamin is a licensed pilot who has tested and reviewed countless aviation supplies and equipment over the years on his way to becoming certified.
Aspiring pilots know that the cost of becoming a pilot can be steep, especially when it comes to purchasing the necessary supplies and equipment. Luckily, Benjamin is here to help, sharing his product recommendations so that others can save time and money.
Whether you're in need of an aviation headset, handheld radio, ADS-B receiver, or any other product for the cockpit, Benjamin has the knowledge and experience to guide you in the right direction.
With Benjamin's guidance, aspiring pilots can feel confident in their equipment choices, and focus on their training to become licensed pilots.
Benjamin has been quoted or mentioned in major publications, including The Savvy Globetrotter.
You can email Benjamin at productreviews@executiveflyers.com
