How Much Does a Flight Tracker Display Cost?
Ready-made LED flight trackers, a dev kit and a DIY build side by side, plus the costs that aren’t on the price tag: subscriptions, API keys, shipping, duties, returns and power supplies.
The desk-sized LED flight trackers here all cost under $400
The ready-made LED displays in this guide run from £124.99 (NearestPlane, sold in the UK) and $175 (FlightWall Mini) to $399 (the maple Mach 2), with the wall-length FlightWall Widescreen at $499. The Mach 2 Lite is $249.99. A DIY build starts at about $65 in core parts before power, a case and flight data. None of the ready-made displays here needs a subscription for live aircraft.
Price table
Flight tracker displays
and what they cost
Prices are from each maker’s own site. We list what each maker publishes and leave out what they don’t.
| Display | Price | Format and size | Setup | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlightWall Mini | $175 | LED display, 320 × 160 × 40 mm; wall hooks or desk stand | TheFlightWall mobile app | Free shipping, per TheFlightWall; ships to the US, Canada, UK, EU/EEA, Australia and New Zealand |
| FlightWall Widescreen | $499 | Wall display, 1280 × 320 × 45 mm | TheFlightWall mobile app | US only |
| NearestPlane | £124.99 | 64 × 32 LED matrix, 27 × 13.5 × 3.5 cm; wall plug not included | Its own Wi-Fi hotspot and a browser | Free UK delivery; ships from the UK |
| Mach 2 Lite | $249.99 | 64 × 32 full-color LED (192 × 96 mm panel) in a matte black case | Its own Wi-Fi hotspot from your phone, no app | Free in the US; flat $60 to 27 countries |
| Mach 2 | $399 | The same display in handmade solid maple | Its own Wi-Fi hotspot from your phone, no app | Free in the US; flat $60 to 27 countries |
| FlightTrackerLED Dev Kit | $199 | Assembled 64 × 32 LED and ESP32-S3 kit with open firmware | Its own setup hotspot, then a browser Console | Free in the US |
| DIY from parts | About $65 in core parts | Usually a 64 × 32 panel and an ESP32-S3 board or a Raspberry Pi | You build it | Depends on each parts seller |
Sources: TheFlightWall FAQ and store listings, NearestPlane (shown as a new lower price, down from £139.99), and Adafruit list prices for the DIY parts, all checked October 25, 2026. Prices, taxes and shipping change; confirm at each checkout. Our own live prices are on the Mach 2 Lite and Mach 2 pages.
The costs people miss
Live aircraft are included.
None of the ready-made LED displays here needs a subscription for live aircraft. Some extras use outside data: the Mach 2 Departure Board uses an API key you add yourself, and provider charges may apply. A DIY build that polls a paid flight-data API pays per request.
Check where it ships from.
TheFlightWall advertises free shipping. NearestPlane ships from the UK. FlightTrackerLED ships free in the US and for a flat $60 to 27 countries, with duties collected at checkout for most destinations.
Read the window.
TheFlightWall offers 20-day standard returns (a $10 restocking fee may apply), 30 days for defects and a 6-month limited warranty. Mach 2 and Mach 2 Lite have a 30-day return window. The Dev Kit is final sale.
Look in the box.
NearestPlane’s 5 V wall plug isn’t included. The FlightWall Mini and Mach 2 come with a power supply. Wall models need a spot near an outlet; desk models need a shelf with a view.
What the extra money buys
Materials and finish. A solid hardwood case takes more time and material than a standard enclosure. That is the whole difference between the $249.99 Mach 2 Lite and the $399 maple Mach 2. The display, controller and firmware are the same.
Modes and data. Some displays show only what’s overhead. Others also follow a single flight or run an airport-style departure board. Route labels (origin and destination) need data beyond ADS-B, which is why some displays and most DIY builds show only a callsign.
Setup and support. An app, a browser page or a code editor, and who answers when your Wi-Fi changes.
Region. Currency, shipping origin and import duties can move the real price by more than the gap between two models.
Not every flight display is an LED matrix. JetClock makes a 2.1-inch round-screen desk clock on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W and doesn’t list prices on its model pages, so check jetclock.io for current pricing. Split-flap message boards cost far more; see our dated Vestaboard comparison. Free phone apps show the same aircraft on a screen you already own.
Flight tracker display price FAQ
The ready-made LED flight tracker displays we checked on October 25, 2026 cost £124.99 (NearestPlane), $175 (FlightWall Mini), $249.99 (Mach 2 Lite), $399 (Mach 2) and $499 (FlightWall Widescreen). A DIY build starts at about $65 in core parts before power, a case and flight data.
When we checked on October 25, 2026, TheFlightWall listed the FlightWall Mini at $175 and the FlightWall Widescreen at $499, with free shipping and no subscription. Check theflightwall.com for current prices.
None of the ready-made LED displays in this guide needs a subscription for live aircraft. Mach 2 and Mach 2 Lite include overhead tracking and firmware updates; their Departure Board uses an API key you add yourself, and provider charges may apply.
Building one is cheapest if you already have the tools and the time: about $65 for the panel and controller at list price. Among ready-made displays, NearestPlane (£124.99) and the FlightWall Mini ($175) cost the least. The Mach 2 Lite ($249.99) adds a Departure Board and phone setup with no app.
Compare the ones on your shortlist
Side-by-side pages for the most common matchups, and a guide to building your own.