Picking between Dronelink and Litchi for automated drone flights feels like a feature fight, but it really starts with one blunt question: does the app even fly your DJI drone? We checked both companies' official supported-drone lists and pricing pages (as of June 2026) so you can decide before you spend a cent.
The single most important takeaway: compatibility, not features or price, decides this. If you fly a newer DJI drone, Litchi may not control it the way you expect, while Dronelink casts a wider net. Open your exact model on the Dronelink supported-drones page and the Litchi supported-models forum post before you buy anything.
The one decision that matters first: does the app support your drone?
For a waypoint app, compatibility is the make-or-break factor. A polished mission planner is useless if it cannot talk to your aircraft. DJI changed its mobile SDK and added native waypoint missions to its own DJI Fly app, and that quietly fragmented third-party support. The practical result in 2026 is that the same brand name, Litchi, now spans three different products that each cover a different slice of DJI's lineup.
Because both companies keep adjusting their lists as DJI ships new firmware, treat everything below as a snapshot. We state exactly what each official page says today, but you should re-check your specific model before purchasing. The links above are the primary sources, and they are the only lists that count.
Litchi in 2026: three products, not one
The classic Litchi for DJI Drones app is the one most people mean when they say "Litchi." It is a one-time purchase, listed at $24.99 on the Apple App Store with no subscription, and it runs on iOS, Android and a PC/Mac Mission Hub planner. Its feature set is mature: a full waypoint engine plus Focus mode, Virtual Reality (VR) mode, Track mode, Panorama, Orbit and Follow, with automatic flight-log upload to Airdata, per Litchi's home page. The catch is hardware: the classic app officially supports older models only, including the Mini 2, Mini SE (version 1), Air 2S, Mavic Mini 1, Mavic Air 2, Mavic 2, the original Mavic, Phantom 4 and 3 series, Inspire 1 and 2, and Spark, per the Litchi user guide.
For anything newer, Litchi points you to Litchi Pilot. Litchi states that owners of the Mini 3 and newer must use Litchi Pilot instead of the classic app (source). Per the official supported-models list, Litchi Pilot BETA covers the Mini 4 Pro, Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro, the Matrice 4 family (4E/4T/4D/4TD), Mavic 3 Enterprise (3E/3T/3M), Matrice 30, Matrice 300 and 350 RTK, and Matrice 400 (source). Litchi Pilot is an Android-only open beta and it is free. Litchi is explicit that iPhones and iPads are not supported, because DJI no longer supports iOS with its latest SDK (source). At this beta stage it handles waypoint flights plus Follow mode, with more modes promised, and on the Mini series it uses "Joystick mode" missions rather than true onboard missions.
The third path is Litchi Hub. The Mini 5 Pro, Air 3 and Air 3S, Mavic 3 / Classic / Pro, and Mavic 4 Pro are listed as "Supported in Litchi Hub (flying with DJI Fly)," meaning you plan the route in Litchi Hub but actually fly the mission through DJI's own Fly app, not a Litchi flight app (source). You get Litchi's planner, but not Litchi's in-air flight modes.
⚠️ The iPhone trap to watch for
If you own a 2023-or-newer DJI drone and an iPhone, Litchi may not fly it at all. The classic app is too old for your drone, and Litchi Pilot is Android only. In that case you either plan in Litchi Hub and fly via DJI Fly, or switch to an app that runs on iOS.
Dronelink in 2026: wider hardware net, two pricing routes
Dronelink runs on Web, iOS, Android and on remote controllers with screens, for both DJI and Autel drones, per its official site. On compatibility, its supported-drones page lists full support for the Mini 4 Pro, Mini 3 / Mini 3 Pro, Air 2S, the Mavic 2 series, the Mavic 3 Enterprise series and the Matrice 4 series, among others. Some popular drones get only "onboard only" support, namely the Mavic 3 / Classic / Pro, Mavic 4 Pro, Air 3 / Air 3S and Inspire 3, and a couple of models are simply not supported, including the DJI Mini 4 and the Mini 2 SE. It is not a universal solution, but the iOS plus newer-drone overlap is exactly where Litchi struggles.
Pricing splits into two routes. Hobbyists can pay once: Basic is $29.99, Premium $59.99 and Elite $119.99, all one-time, per the Hobbyist compare page. Commercial users move to subscriptions: Starter at $24/month, Growth at $49/month per user (both billed annually), and Enterprise starting at $10k/year, per the Professional compare page.
Head-to-head: the full comparison
| Feature | Dronelink | Litchi |
|---|---|---|
| Newer DJI (Mini 4 Pro, Mini 3/3 Pro) | Full support (Mini 4 Pro, Mini 3 / Mini 3 Pro) | Litchi Pilot BETA (Android only, free) |
| Latest DJI (Air 3/3S, Mavic 3/4, Mini 5 Pro) | Onboard-only (Mavic 3/Classic/Pro, Mavic 4 Pro, Air 3/3S, Inspire 3) | Plan in Litchi Hub, fly via DJI Fly (no Litchi flight app) |
| Older DJI (Mini 2, Air 2S, Mavic 2, Phantom, Spark) | Supported | Supported in classic Litchi for DJI Drones |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, RC with screen | Classic: iOS + Android + PC/Mac planner; Pilot: Android only |
| Pricing model | One-time Hobbyist tiers + Professional subscriptions | One-time purchase (classic); Litchi Pilot free beta |
| Exact price | Hobbyist $29.99 / $59.99 / $119.99; Pro $24/mo, $49/mo, Enterprise from $10k/yr | $24.99 one-time (App Store); Litchi Pilot free |
| Terrain follow / AGL | Yes (built in, plan feature) | Not an advertised feature of the classic app |
| Waypoints | Yes (core feature, all plans) | Yes (core feature; Pilot also does waypoints) |
| Orbit / POI | Yes (Orbit component + advanced orbits/spiral) | Yes (Orbit, POI; classic app) |
| Mapping / 3D | Yes (Grid/Crosshatch/Linear maps, 3D planner) | No dedicated mapping/3D survey tool |
| Offline flying | Yes (offline maps; plan on web, sync to app) | Yes (download mission offline once cached) |
| Web mission planner | Yes (full web app at app.dronelink.com) | Yes (Mission Hub / Litchi Hub web planner) |
| Last checked | Pricing & supported-drones pages, June 2026 | Classic Android 5.0.2 (Apr 7, 2026), iOS 2.15.9 (Apr 1, 2026) |
Head-to-head: pricing model
Litchi classic is the simplest spend in the category: a single $24.99 payment with no recurring fee. One thing to budget for is that the iOS and Android licenses are separate purchases, so flying across both platforms means buying twice. Dronelink hobbyists can also pay once, from $29.99 up to $119.99, but anyone doing commercial work needs a Professional subscription that starts at $24/month billed annually (source). Map this to your use case: a casual hobby pilot wants the cheapest one-time license, while a commercial mapping or inspection operator should expect a subscription. Dronelink also advertises a 14-day money-back guarantee, which takes some of the risk out of paying upfront.
Head-to-head: features that change the footage
The clearest functional gap is terrain follow (AGL). Dronelink builds this in: its mapping lets you "Customize and combine Grid, Crosshatch, or Linear Maps, easily enable terrain follow," and terrain follow is listed as a plan feature (source). That matters in hilly terrain and on inspection jobs, where holding a constant height above ground keeps your shots and your data consistent. The classic Litchi app does not advertise terrain follow.
Mapping and 3D are a similar story. Dronelink offers grid, crosshatch and linear mapping plus a 3D planner with mission previews, while Litchi has no dedicated mapping or survey tool. For cinematic work, though, both cover the basics: waypoints, orbit and points of interest, panorama and follow. Litchi's Focus mode and Virtual Reality mode are distinctive touches that some pilots prefer. And both let you plan on a computer and fly without a live data connection, which is one of the genuine strengths the two tools share.
Which should you pick?
🍃 Buy Litchi classic if
You fly an older supported DJI drone (Mini 2, Air 2S, Mavic 2, Phantom, Spark) and want a cheap, polished one-time waypoint app for $24.99.
🤖 Use Litchi Pilot if
You have a Mini 3 / Mini 3 Pro or Mini 4 Pro on Android and you accept the beta limitations, since it is free.
🗺️ Choose Dronelink if
You fly a newer drone, you are on iOS, or you need terrain follow and mapping for survey or inspection work.
✅ Always do this first
Re-check the official supported-drones page for your exact model, because both lists change with DJI firmware.
Bottom line: for complex survey or inspection flights, Dronelink's terrain follow and mapping give it the edge and its hardware list is broader. For simple cinematic waypoint paths on a drone the classic app supports, Litchi is hard to beat on value. Either way, confirm compatibility for your exact aircraft before paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Litchi support the DJI Mini 4 Pro or Mavic 3?
It depends which Litchi you mean. The classic "Litchi for DJI Drones" app does not support either; Litchi says owners of Mini 3 and newer drones must use Litchi Pilot instead. Per Litchi's official supported-drones list, the Mini 4 Pro is supported in Litchi Pilot BETA (Android only). The standard Mavic 3 / Classic / Pro is different: it is only "Supported in Litchi Hub (flying with DJI Fly)," so you plan the mission in Litchi Hub and fly it through DJI's own Fly app rather than a Litchi flight app. The Mavic 3 Enterprise versions (3E/3T/3M), however, are supported in Litchi Pilot.
Is Dronelink free?
No. Dronelink does not sell a fully free tier, but it offers one-time Hobbyist plans alongside subscriptions. According to its official pricing pages, the one-time Hobbyist plans are Basic $29.99, Premium $59.99 and Elite $119.99. Commercial work needs a Professional subscription: Starter $24/month (billed annually), Growth $49/month per user (billed annually), or Enterprise starting at $10k/year. Dronelink advertises a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Which app is better for waypoint missions?
Both are built around waypoint missions, so the honest answer is: whichever one actually flies your drone. If you own an older supported DJI drone, Litchi's classic app gives you a polished waypoint engine for a single $24.99 payment. If you fly a newer drone, need terrain follow, or want mapping and 3D planning, Dronelink is the more capable and more broadly compatible choice. For complex survey or inspection work, Dronelink's terrain follow (AGL) and mapping components give it the edge; for simple cinematic waypoint paths on a supported drone, Litchi is hard to beat on value.
Can I plan missions on a computer?
Yes, both let you plan on a desktop. Litchi has a web Mission Hub (also called Litchi Hub) plus a PC/Mac mission planner, and syncs missions across your devices. Dronelink is fully usable on the web at app.dronelink.com, where you can build and preview missions, including a 3D planner, then fly them from the mobile app. Computer planning is one of the genuine strengths shared by both tools.
Do Dronelink and Litchi work offline?
Largely yes, once a mission is prepared. Both apps are designed so you can plan ahead and then fly in areas without a data connection. With Litchi you sync or download the mission to the app first; with Dronelink you can plan on the web and have the mission available in the mobile app, with offline maps. As a practical tip, cache your maps and load the mission while you still have signal, because a live connection is only needed for planning and downloading map tiles, not for executing a stored waypoint flight.
Litchi is iOS, but my new drone needs Litchi Pilot. What now?
This is the trap to watch for in 2026. Litchi Pilot is Android only; Litchi states that iPhones and iPads are not supported because DJI no longer supports iOS with its latest SDK. So if you have a Mini 3/4 Pro and an iPhone, neither the classic Litchi app (too new a drone) nor Litchi Pilot (no iOS) will fly it. In that situation Dronelink, which runs on iOS and lists full support for the Mini 3/3 Pro and Mini 4 Pro, is the realistic option, or you can plan in Litchi Hub and fly via DJI Fly.