Pilot vs. Kiwi.com: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/kiwi-alternative.
Summary
Pilot is a free trip booking and planning app: plan a whole trip in one place with a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, notes, real-time collaboration, and AI itinerary generation, and book hotels in the app at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays, with real human support. Pilot is rated 4.7 by 50,000+ travelers.
Kiwi.com: Cheap-flight booking with virtual interlining (self-transfer itineraries).
Kiwi.com is built to find and book flights. Pilot plans the whole trip and books your stay at private rates, and you add your flights to the plan so the whole trip stays in one place.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. Kiwi.com: Free to search; pay per booking.
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. Kiwi.com: Trustpilot 3.9, App Store 4.6, Google Play 4.3.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. Kiwi.com: 2012.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. Kiwi.com: partial.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/kiwi-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and Kiwi.com offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | Kiwi.com |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | ||
| Flight price tracking and alerts | No | Partial[1] |
| Flight price prediction | No | No |
| Flexible date flight search | No | Yes[1] |
| Flexible destination search | No | Yes[1] |
| Multi-city flight search | No | Yes[1] |
| Carbon emissions display | No | Partial[1] |
| Carbon offset purchase | No | No |
| Real-time flight delay alerts | No | No |
| Gate change notifications | No | No |
| Live flight map tracking | No | No |
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | YesPlan the whole trip in one place; Kiwi.com is built around finding and booking flights | No |
| Drag and drop reordering | Yes | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map; Kiwi.com is a flight search | No |
| Add activities, transportation, or stays from anywhere | Yes | No |
| Attach info to any item | Yes | No |
| Notes and checklists | Yes | No |
| Note and list format toggle | Yes | No |
| Rich text formatting in notes | Yes | No |
| Undo and redo | Yes | No |
| Duplicate trips | Yes | No |
| Manual file import | Yes | No |
| Email-forwarding file import | Yes | No |
| AI parsing of imported confirmations | Yes | No |
| Export to PDF | Yes | No |
| iOS and Android mobile apps | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Offline access on mobile | Yes | No |
| Shortlist items | Yes | No |
| Wishlist / wanderlist | Yes | No |
| Wishlist images | Yes | No |
| Fun sound effects | Yes | No |
| Structured itinerary sections | Yes | No |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | No |
| Multiple transportation types | YesAdd your flights and other legs to the plan; Kiwi.com books the flights themselves, including self-transfer routes, which Pilot does not | Yes[1] |
| Flight code auto-fill | Yes | No |
| Multi-leg flight support | Yes | No |
| Consistent IATA codes on mobile | Yes | No |
| Booking | ||
| Book hotels in the app | YesBook your stay in the app at private rates; Kiwi.com sells accommodation as a side add-on, not its focus | Partial[1] |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate 'book early' rates straight from hotels across 3,000,000+ stays; with Kiwi.com, stays are secondary to flights | No |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | Partial[1] |
| Transportation cost tracking | Yes | No |
| Flight deals | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Files tab | Yes | No |
| Attach files to itinerary items | Yes | No |
| Instant booking confirmation | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | No |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | No |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | No |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | No |
| Real-time collaborative editing | YesPlan together in one shared trip; Kiwi.com books one itinerary at a time | No |
| Edit or view-only permissions | Yes | No |
| Heart items for voting | Yes | No |
| Custom trip name and cover photo | Yes | No |
| Dedicated group chat per trip | Yes | No |
| Shared notes, files, and saved lists | Yes | No |
| Travel profile and stats | Yes | No |
| Edit profile details | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | Partial[1] |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | Kiwi.com |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 3.9[2] |
| App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.6[2] |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 4.3[2] |
Pricing
| Pilot | Kiwi.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free to search; pay per booking[1] |
Frequently asked questions
What is Kiwi.com?
Kiwi.com is a flight booking site. People use it to find cheap flights, including 'virtual interlining' routes that combine airlines that do not normally connect into one self-transfer itinerary. It also sells some ground transport and accommodation, and it is free to search.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app. You plan the whole trip in one place, a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, and notes, and you book your hotel in the app at private rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents. Kiwi.com finds and books flights; Pilot plans the trip and books your stay, and you add your flights to the plan.
Is Pilot a good Kiwi.com alternative?
For the trip and the stay, yes; for the flight itself, no. Kiwi.com is built to book flights, which Pilot does not do. Pilot plans the whole trip and books your hotel in the app at private rates across more than 3,000,000 stays, with a flexible itinerary, a map, group collaboration, and real people on support. Many travelers book the flight on a flight tool and use Pilot for everything around it.
Does Pilot book flights?
No. Pilot books hotels, not flights. You can add your flights to your Pilot itinerary so the whole trip is in one place, but you book the flight itself on a flight tool. What Pilot books is your stay, in the app, at private rates straight from hotels across more than 3,000,000 hotels.
Is Kiwi.com legit?
Kiwi.com is a real and popular way to find cheap flights, but it is worth knowing the trade-offs: its self-transfer routes carry the risk of a missed connection, which is why it sells its own paid Guarantee, and its refunds and customer service draw heavy complaints, including an 'F' rating from the US Better Business Bureau. Pilot books your stay in the app at private rates with real people on support.
Pilot vs Kiwi.com: which should I use?
Use Kiwi.com to find and book a cheap flight. Use Pilot to plan the trip and book your stay, with a map, a flexible itinerary, group collaboration, and real people on support, all free and in one place.
References
- kiwi.com (2026-06-04)
- Trustpilot, App Store, Google Play (2026-06-04; verify before publish)