Best Digital Pilot Logbook Apps in 2026: EASA & FAA Comparison

Quick Answer: What Is the Best Digital Pilot Logbook in 2026?

For pilots who want a free, web-based logbook with full EASA format support and no subscription fees, Mezami PilotArchive is the strongest option in 2026. It offers 48+ fields per flight entry matching the EASA standard logbook format, a database of 21,812 airports and 345,550 aircraft registrations (France DGAC + US FAA), cryptographic instructor signatures (HMAC-SHA256), CSV import from Crewlounge/ForeFlight/LogTen Pro/MyFlightbook, night time auto-calculation, and PDF/CSV export. It runs in the browser with no app installation required, and the logbook feature is included free in all Mezami plans.

However, the best logbook app depends on your flying and device preferences. ForeFlight is superior if you fly in the US and want an all-in-one iPad EFB with charts and weather. LogTen Pro is the most polished iOS-native experience. MyFlightbook is the best completely free option with the longest track record. Crewlounge is popular among European airline pilots with extensive type rating tracking.

This guide compares 5 digital logbook solutions across the features that matter most: EASA/FAA format compliance, instructor signatures, data import/export, device support, and total cost.

Why Switch from Paper to Digital?

Paper logbooks have served pilots for decades, but they have real limitations that digital logbooks solve:

• ✓Instant totals and currency tracking. A digital logbook calculates your total PIC time, night time, instrument time, and recency requirements automatically. No more adding columns by hand.
• ✓Backup and disaster recovery. A lost or damaged paper logbook means reconstructing hundreds of flight entries. Digital logbooks are backed up automatically.
• ✓Search and filter. Find all flights to a specific airport, in a specific aircraft type, or during a specific period in seconds.
• ✓Reports and analytics. Visualize your flying patterns, track progress toward ratings, and generate reports for insurance or job applications.
• ✓Instructor signatures without physical presence. Some digital logbooks allow remote instructor endorsements with cryptographic verification.

Feature Comparison Table

1. Mezami PilotArchive: Free EASA Logbook with Training Integration

Mezami PilotArchive is a web-based electronic flight logbook built into the Mezami aviation training platform. It follows the EASA standard logbook format with 48+ fields per flight entry, covering all the columns found in a physical EASA logbook plus additional digital-only fields.

Standout Features

• ✓Cryptographic instructor signatures. Unlike visual-only signatures in other apps, Mezami uses HMAC-SHA256 to create a tamper-proof hash of the flight data at the time of signing. If any flight data is modified after signing, the signature is automatically invalidated. Instructors sign with a 4-digit PIN (Argon2 hashed), and the system logs IP address and user agent for audit trails.
• ✓Self-signing for PIC flights. Licensed pilots flying as PIC can self-certify their entries using the same cryptographic workflow. The flight is locked after signing, and auto-revoked if the pilot edits the entry (then re-signed automatically after the edit).
• ✓345,550 aircraft registrations. The built-in registry includes 40,422 French DGAC registrations and 305,128 US FAA registrations. When you enter a registration like F-GKHA or N172SP, the system auto-populates the aircraft type and engine category.
• ✓Flexible time input. Enter times as 0830, 830, 08:30, or 8:30 and durations as 130, 1:30, or 1h30. The system auto-formats everything to the correct format. Total flight time auto-calculates from departure and arrival times (including overnight flights).
• ✓CSV import with duplicate detection. Import flights from Crewlounge PILOTLOG, ForeFlight, LogTen Pro, or MyFlightbook. The system detects duplicates by matching date, departure, arrival, and departure time. Up to 2,000 flights per import with automatic aircraft creation for unknown registrations.
• ✓Night time auto-calculation. Uses the NOAA solar position algorithm with airport coordinates to calculate civil twilight times and determine night flying time for each flight. One-click calculation from the flight entry form.

EASA Logbook Fields

Mezami PilotArchive covers all standard EASA logbook columns:

Limitations

Mezami PilotArchive is web-based only (no native iOS/Android app yet). Offline entry is not supported. The aircraft registry currently covers France and the US only (more countries planned). There is no EFB functionality (charts, weather, flight planning) as the logbook is part of a training platform, not a flight planning tool.

2. ForeFlight: Best All-in-One iPad EFB with Logbook

ForeFlight is the dominant electronic flight bag (EFB) for iPad users in North America. Its logbook is a secondary feature within a comprehensive flight planning tool that includes charts, weather, weight and balance, and ADS-B integration.

Pros

• ✓ Seamless EFB integration (auto-log flights from track data)
• ✓ Excellent US database coverage (airports, procedures, frequencies)
• ✓ Currency tracking for FAA requirements (IFR, night, medical)
• ✓ Digital instructor endorsements within the app
• ✓ Polished iPad-native interface

Cons

• ✗ Expensive: $119-$299/year (logbook bundled with EFB, cannot buy separately)
• ✗ iPad and iPhone only (no Android, no web interface for logbook)
• ✗ EASA format support is partial (US-focused column layout)
• ✗ No cryptographic signature verification
• ✗ Vendor lock-in with proprietary export formats

Best For

US-based pilots who already use ForeFlight as their primary EFB and want logbook integration without a separate app. The auto-logging from GPS tracks is genuinely useful for busy pilots.

3. LogTen Pro: Most Polished iOS/Mac Experience

LogTen Pro is a dedicated pilot logbook app for Apple devices (Mac, iPad, iPhone) with a focus on design quality and comprehensive logging features. It has been available since 2005 and is widely used by professional pilots.

Pros

• ✓ Beautiful, intuitive Apple-native interface
• ✓ Supports both EASA and FAA logbook formats
• ✓ iCloud sync across Mac, iPad, and iPhone
• ✓ Extensive reporting and currency tracking
• ✓ Digital signature capture for endorsements
• ✓ Import from many logbook formats

Cons

• ✗ $129/year subscription (was a one-time purchase until 2023)
• ✗ Apple ecosystem only (no Android, no web interface)
• ✗ No integrated training platform or simulators
• ✗ Signatures are visual captures, not cryptographically verified
• ✗ No aircraft registry auto-lookup

Best For

Professional pilots in the Apple ecosystem who want the most polished logging experience and are willing to pay for premium design and features. Particularly popular with airline and corporate pilots.

4. MyFlightbook: Best Completely Free Option

MyFlightbook is an open-source, completely free pilot logbook that has been running since 2006. It supports web, Android, and iOS with no premium tier or hidden fees.

Pros

• ✓ Completely free with no limits on flights or features
• ✓ Cross-platform (web, Android, iOS)
• ✓ 20+ years of development and community support
• ✓ FAA-focused with good US airport database
• ✓ KML export for Google Earth flight visualization
• ✓ Open source (data portability guaranteed)

Cons

• ✗ Interface feels dated compared to modern apps
• ✗ EASA format support is partial
• ✗ No instructor signature system
• ✗ No night time auto-calculation
• ✗ Limited reporting compared to paid alternatives
• ✗ Single-developer project (bus factor risk)

Best For

Budget-conscious private pilots, especially in the US, who need a reliable logbook with no subscription costs and value data portability through open-source guarantees.

5. Crewlounge PILOTLOG: Popular Among European Airline Pilots

Crewlounge PILOTLOG is a logbook application focused on professional European pilots, with strong EASA format support and type rating tracking features important for airline operations.

Pros

• ✓ Full EASA logbook format with all required columns
• ✓ Type rating and recency tracking
• ✓ Roster import from airline scheduling systems
• ✓ Cross-platform (web, iOS, Android)
• ✓ Cloud sync with offline support

Cons

• ✗ $49-99/year subscription
• ✗ No instructor signature workflow
• ✗ No night time auto-calculation
• ✗ No integrated training features
• ✗ Export format can cause issues when importing to other systems (multi-line CSV fields)

Best For

European airline pilots and multi-crew operators who need detailed type rating tracking and roster import capabilities. The EASA format support is comprehensive.

How to Migrate Your Flight Log

Switching logbook apps does not mean losing your flight history. Here is a practical migration guide:

1. 1. Export from your current logbook. Most apps support CSV export. ForeFlight and LogTen Pro export to their own formats plus CSV. MyFlightbook and Crewlounge export to CSV directly.
2. 2. Review the CSV file. Open it in a spreadsheet to verify the data looks correct. Check that airport codes, times, and aircraft registrations are properly formatted.
3. 3. Import to your new logbook. Mezami accepts CSV imports from Crewlounge, ForeFlight, LogTen Pro, and MyFlightbook formats. The system auto-maps column names and handles format differences (ICAO vs IATA codes, time formats). Duplicate detection prevents double-entries if you re-import.
4. 4. Verify totals. After import, compare your total flight time, PIC time, and night time between the old and new logbook. Small rounding differences in night time are normal due to different solar calculation algorithms.
5. 5. Keep your old logbook as backup. Do not delete your previous logbook data until you have verified the import and used the new system for at least one month.

EASA vs FAA: Which Logbook Format Do You Need?

The choice between EASA and FAA logbook format depends on where your license was issued, not where you fly:

• ✓EASA format separates engine time by type (SEP, SET, SEJ, MEP, MET, MEJ) and function (PIC, PICUS, Dual, Instructor, Co-pilot). It includes FSTD type classification (FNPT I/II/III, FFS A-D) and specific endorsement columns. Required for pilots with EASA Part-FCL licenses.
• ✓FAA format uses different time categories (cross-country, simulated instrument, actual instrument) and different instructor endorsement conventions. Required for pilots with FAA certificates.
• ✓Dual license holders need a logbook that can display both formats or at minimum capture enough data fields to generate either format on export. Mezami captures 48+ fields covering both EASA and FAA requirements, though the display is optimized for EASA format.

Data Security and Backup Considerations

Your flight log is a legal document. Losing it can create serious complications for license renewals, insurance claims, and job applications. Consider these security factors:

• Cloud backup: All cloud-based logbooks (Mezami, MyFlightbook, Crewlounge) provide automatic backup. App-only logbooks (LogTen Pro, ForeFlight) rely on iCloud or manual export.
• Data encryption: Mezami encrypts documents with AES-256-GCM at rest. Most other logbooks do not specify their encryption methods.
• Data portability: Always verify that your logbook offers CSV or PDF export before committing. You should never be locked into a single vendor.
• GDPR compliance: For European pilots, check where your data is hosted. Mezami is hosted in the EU. ForeFlight and LogTen Pro store data in the US.