Cheapest thing about flying
The cheapest thing about flying is the pilot.
I started RV flying back in September 1997. Back then EFB was either out of reach cost wise for the general aviation RV aircraft or did not exist.
Because I was flying just about anywhere with only a day or two advance planning, I had a subscription to WAC maps for the lower 48-states. I also used "the little brown book" published by Airguide for info on airports and had a subscription for the three volumes that covered the lower 48-states. Before Airguide went out of business, they increased the number of books needed and raised the price.
Fast forward to iPad and ForeFlight. Although I worked in the aerospace industry and used a lot of new technology, I was always reluctant to adopt the latest technology. After seeing and flying with a friend with the iPad 1 and ForeFlight, I started to do a little research on COST. The cost of ForeFlight for one year was a lot less than than what I paid for current WAC maps and the "little brown book" flight guides. Over three years, I paid less for a new iPad and ForeFlight subscription for 3 years than I did for the WAC subscription. When you add in the cost of local area IFR charts and plates, ForeFlight and iPad cost over two years was less than paper.
iPad 2 was released. I purchased one and a ForeFlight subscription. The cost of a new iPad and ForeFlight with IFR charts and plates was less than what I was paying for paper in 24-months. In other words, a new iPad every two years with a ForeFlight subscription was less money than the paper it replaced was every two years.
The cost of a new iPad every two years plus an EFB with all the info needed is in my aircraft budget as it is a lower cost than the paper it replaces. It is one of the things that I have in the basic cost of flying like medical, ELT maintenance, Pitot / Static Transponder test, insurance, and condition inspection. 91.103 requirements are easy to meet with a recently produced iPad or Android Tablet and most of the EFB programs that are on the market. An added benefit of ForeFlight (many of the others have it also) will be fuel prices. This helps keep flying costs down so that I do not plan a stop at an airport that has $1 / gallon higher priced fuel. 5 or 10 cent difference per gallon is only $2 or $3 delta on fill up cost but $1 / gallon higher price can be $20 or $30 higher fuel bill.
For me, a new iPad every 2-years is part of the cost of owning an airplane and flying. Yes I may get 3-years out of an iPad but I will get a new one when I start having iPad battery or other issues. New iPad every two years with two years of EFB subscription is less money than current VFR charts for the entire US over a two year period plus I have IFR plates / charts for the entire country with fuel prices.
I have tried most of the other EFB programs out there including a Samsung Android Tablet. I like ForeFlight and iPad the best. As long as Boeing does not raise the price of ForeFlight, I will stick with it. WHEN Boeing raises the price of ForeFlight above that of Garmin Pilot and FlyQ, I will most likely switch to FlyQ but will look at Garmin Pilot again before finalizing my choice.