You run an aircraft partnership or European flying club and want flat pricing, automated PDF invoicing, per-pilot balances, calendar sync, and AI integration.
You run a US club where FAA currency enforcement matters, want the lowest entry-tier price, and are happy to pair scheduling with an external accounting tool.
As of May 2026. Always verify current pricing with each vendor. Visit Holdshort.com ↗
SOLO
1 aircraft, 1 pilotFree forever
BASIC
Flat — any number of aircraft€9/month
PRO
Flat — any number of aircraft€18/month
ULTRA
Flat — any number of aircraft€45/month
Trial
No permanent free tier60 days
Entry
Tiers up by fleet size; unlimited usersfrom $10/mo
Three operating scenarios at the same exchange rate (1 USD ≈ 0.92 EUR). Holdshort entry tier is $10/mo; higher tiers scale by fleet — confirm exact pricing on the Holdshort site.
| Club profile | Pilot-Next | Holdshort (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 aircraft, 1 pilot | SOLO — €0/yr | Entry — ~$120/yr (~€110) |
| 1 aircraft, 10 pilots (small club) | BASIC — €108/yr | Entry — ~$120/yr (~€110) |
| 4 aircraft, 12 pilots (mid-size club) | PRO — €216/yr | Higher tier — confirm on holdshort.com |
| 10 aircraft, 40 pilots (large club) | ULTRA — €540/yr | Top tier — confirm on holdshort.com |
Holdshort and Pilot-Next are roughly comparable at one airframe — Holdshort is slightly cheaper at the entry tier, Pilot-Next is free at SOLO. As the fleet grows, Pilot-Next's flat price stays put while Holdshort tiers up.
| Feature | Pilot-Next | Holdshort |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | SOLO — free forever | 60-day trial |
| Starting paid price | €9/month (flat) | $10/mo |
| Pricing model | Flat per company | Tiered by fleet size |
| Pricing transparency | publicly listed | publicly listed |
| Aircraft booking | 2-click | |
| Pilot balance management | full credit/debit tracking | |
| Automated invoicing | built-in PDF invoicing | |
| Maintenance tracking | included | |
| FAA certificate enforcement | ||
| Calendar sync | Google, Outlook, Apple | |
| Mobile-optimized | fully responsive PWA | basic mobile |
| AI / MCP integration | built-in MCP server | |
| European-native (EUR) | USD only | |
| Unlimited users per plan | ||
| Aircraft co-ownership model | built for co-owners | club-oriented |
Holdshort starts at $10 per month with unlimited users on every plan, and tiers up as fleet size grows. Pilot-Next charges a flat per-company fee regardless of fleet size. At one aircraft Holdshort is one of the cheapest options on the market; once you add airframes Pilot-Next overtakes it on price.
Holdshort can block a booking when a pilot's medical, flight review, or other FAA currency has lapsed. That's genuinely useful for US clubs running mixed instructor / member operations. Pilot-Next does not enforce FAA-specific currency rules — it focuses on partnership operations where currency is usually each pilot's individual responsibility.
Pilot-Next maintains a running balance for every pilot, auto-generates a PDF invoice on each flight settlement, and supports per-hour, per-booking, or manual rates. Holdshort handles scheduling and currency well but does not produce invoices or maintain pilot balances — clubs typically pair it with QuickBooks or a spreadsheet for money.
Pilot-Next is a fully responsive progressive web app — installable to a phone home screen, offline-capable for reading recent bookings, and identical features on phone, tablet, and desktop. Holdshort's mobile experience is basic; the desktop UI is its centre of gravity.
Pilot-Next is the only platform in this comparison with a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. Claude, ChatGPT, and other MCP-compatible AI assistants can book flights, check availability, and query pilot balances through natural language. Holdshort has no AI integration.
Find the row that matches your operation.
| Your situation | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| US flying club where FAA currency enforcement is non-negotiable | Holdshort | Can block bookings when medical or BFR is out of currency. Pilot-Next does not enforce FAA rules. |
| European partnership billing in EUR | Pilot-Next | EUR pricing, EU hosting, GDPR-friendly. Holdshort is USD only. |
| Single aircraft, lowest possible monthly fee | Holdshort | $10/mo entry tier with unlimited users — the cheapest paid option here. |
| Operating 3+ aircraft and watching the cost | Pilot-Next | Flat per-company pricing beats Holdshort's tiered model from the second airframe on. |
| Treasurer wants automated invoicing and pilot balance ledger | Pilot-Next | PDF invoices auto-generated on settlement; running balance per pilot. Holdshort lacks both. |
| Pilots book from their phone at the airfield | Pilot-Next | Fully responsive PWA installable to the home screen. Holdshort mobile is basic. |
| Club wants AI assistant integration for hands-free booking | Pilot-Next | Built-in MCP server — connect Claude or ChatGPT directly to the club. |
No credit card required. Start on the free SOLO tier and upgrade when you're ready.
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