This article covers the following platforms
MSFS 2024
MSFS 2020
ATS
FSX
Prepar3D
Both editions include the Flow wheel, its built-in panels, and a set of ready-to-use widgets. The difference is what you can do beyond using and arranging that content.
Choose Essentials
Choose Essentials if you want to arrange the wheel, use the built-in Flow panels and Core Widgets, and keep your own frequently used widgets in My Toolbox without editing their code.
Choose Pro
Choose Pro if you also want to create or modify widgets, load community widget packages, export your work, use Otto, or manage complete Flow backups.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Flow Essentials | Flow Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Flow wheel and additional pages | Included | Included |
| Static and aircraft-specific wheel layouts | Included | Included |
| Built-in Portal, Position, Time, Weather, and Camera panels | Included | Included |
| Ready-to-use Core Widgets | Included | Included |
| Copy widgets into My Toolbox | Included | Included |
| Create a blank custom widget | Not included | Included |
| Edit widget JavaScript, HTML, and CSS | Not included | Included |
| Compile, run, and inspect custom widget output | Not included | Included |
| Load community widget packages | Not included | Included |
| Export widgets and wheel content | Not included | Included |
| Back up or restore the complete Flow configuration | Not included | Included |
| Otto search bar | Not included | Included |
| Twitch connection for compatible scripts | Not included | Included |
| Free Flight and startup automations | Not included | Included |
What both editions can customize
Essentials is not a fixed or read-only wheel. In both editions, you can:
- add, remove, copy, move, and rearrange tiles;
- create additional wheel pages;
- keep widgets in My Toolbox;
- maintain a general wheel and aircraft-specific layouts;
- use Flow’s built-in panels and the supplied Core Widgets;
- adjust shared settings such as wheel scale, auto-start, control assignment, nameplates, and the Active Pause fix.
Some supplied widgets are implemented as scripts internally. They still work in Essentials as ready-made widgets; Pro is required to open and change their JavaScript, HTML, or CSS.
What Pro adds
Widget authoring
Pro unlocks the Custom Script category and its editor. The editor supports separate JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, plus script metadata, templates, compiling and running scripts, a console, and a working-directory bridge for editing files on your PC.
Pro also includes extra templates for tasks such as controls and wind visualization, variable monitoring, search helpers, streaming overlays, and camera animation.
Sharing and recovery
Pro can load community widget packages and export selected widgets or wheel content through the Toolbox Manager. It also provides full-configuration backup and restore.
Otto and integrations
Otto is Pro’s searchable command interface. Pro also adds Twitch authentication for scripts that use the Twitch integration, plus startup conveniences such as skipping directly to Free Flight or skipping the Ready to Fly screen.
Install the edition you own
Flow Essentials and Flow Pro use separate package names and update channels. Use the download or installer labeled for both your edition and simulator; the folder name alone does not change an edition’s features.
See Install Flow in MSFS for simulator-specific installation steps. If you choose Pro for custom widgets, continue with Flow Pro scripting.