CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED
Contrail Digital Limited operates a curated e-commerce marketplace and Windows desktop application for Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons, aggregating 786+ products from 90+ third-party developers for the global flight simulation enthusiast community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED does
Contrail Digital Limited, founded in 2014 and headquartered in London, UK, operates a curated e-commerce marketplace dedicated exclusively to Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) add-ons. The Contrail Shop aggregates 786+ products from 90+ third-party developers across aircraft, airports, utilities, soundpacks, missions, and living world categories, with developer relationships spanning major studios such as Aerosoft, PMDG, Fenix, iniBuilds, JustFlight, MK Studios, and FlyTampa. The platform supports both MSFS 2020 and the newer MSFS 2024 catalog, with checkout available in 15+ fiat currencies and regional bundle configurations.
Revenue is generated primarily through marketplace commissions on one-time digital add-on purchases priced between approximately $5 and $85, with no subscription or recurring billing model in evidence. The company has begun vertical integration through self-developed content, most notably the FA50 (Falcon 50) aircraft, capturing additional unit economics beyond pure take-rate. A complementary Windows desktop application, Contrail App (currently at v2.4.5), unifies multiple developer webshops into a single add-on installation, update, and licensing interface, integrating with ecosystem services such as Navigraph, SimBrief, Hoppie CPDLC, ActiveSky FS, GSX, and VATSIM.
The company operates with a 1-10 employee team, is privately held with no disclosed external investors or funding rounds, and reaches its customer base of global flight simulation enthusiasts through Discord, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and email. The business model is asset-light, scales with marketplace GMV, and is structurally dependent on continued developer participation and Microsoft platform health.
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED
- Legal name
- CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED
- Website
- https://contrail.shop
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Contrail Digital Limited operates a curated e-commerce marketplace and Windows desktop application for Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons, aggregating 786+ products from 90+ third-party developers for the global flight simulation enthusiast community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Flight Simulation Add-Ons Marketplace
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hobby & Model Kits Distribution (RC, Scale Models, Miniatures) (CRAOAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
Keywords
Where CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Digital Add-On Sales Commission: Marketplace revenue from facilitating transactions between third-party developers and flight simulation enthusiasts. Products include aircraft, airports, utilities, soundpacks, missions, and living world add-ons. Prices range from free to $85+ for premium study-level aircraft.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual add-on pricing (one-time purchase) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Contrail Shop is a curated online marketplace that aggregates 786+ Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons from 90+ independent third-party developers into a single storefront for hobbyist flight simulation enthusiasts. The company complements the marketplace with the proprietary Contrail App (a Windows desktop application for unified add-on library and download management) and its own first-party aircraft product (FA50 Falcon 50), supporting both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 platforms.
Product overview
Contrail is a curated digital marketplace exclusively for Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) add-ons. The platform operates as a centralized shop aggregating products from over 70 third-party developers. The portfolio includes: aircraft add-ons (commercial airliners, business jets, helicopters, military, and general aviation), airport scenery (international hubs, regional, general aviation, and military airports), utilities (vRAAS runway safety system, REX Atmos CORE weather/atmosphere engine), Living World content (vessels, landmarks, traffic), soundpacks, missions, and curated bundles. Contrail also offers its own proprietary Contrail App (desktop application for add-on management) and self-developed products like the FA50 Falcon 50 aircraft. The platform supports both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Contrail Shop Marketplace Online marketplace where individual flight simulation enthusiasts browse, purchase, and download Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons including aircraft, airports, utilities, soundpacks, missions, living world content, bundles, and route maps from multiple third-party developers through a single storefront.
- Contrail App Proprietary Windows desktop application that combines the webshops of multiple MSFS add-on developers into a single interface for managing flight simulation add-on library, downloads, pause/resume, bandwidth limiting, and automatic updates.
- Contrail FA50 (Falcon 50) First-party Falcon 50 business jet add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, developed by Contrail, featuring advanced systems including weather radar, datalink weather, GSX compatibility, and animated passengers.
- Contrail Shop Gift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable for Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons on the Contrail Shop marketplace, intended as gifts for flight simulation enthusiasts.
- A340-600 Pro MSFS20/24 Advanced Airbus A340-600 study-level aircraft add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, developed by Aerosoft and ToLiss, featuring highly detailed aircraft systems, custom flight model, FMGS suite, Navigraph integration, SimBrief integration, and Hoppie CPDLC support.
- REX Atmos CORE MSFS24 Next-generation atmospheric engine add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 providing real-time atmospheric, weather, light, and color tuning control at the engine level, with ActiveSky FS compatibility for weather data integration.
- LSZH Zurich Airport MSFS Highly detailed Microsoft Flight Simulator airport scenery for Zurich International Airport (LSZH) developed by MK Studios, featuring concourse interiors, custom jetways, AI compatibility, and GSX profile integration.
- vRAAS (virtual Runway Awareness and Advisory System) Virtual Runway Awareness and Advisory System add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator developed by LAND3 Simulations, providing runway alerts and advisories compatible with all aircraft, all airports including GSX-enabled ones, and the VATSIM network for online flying.
- Falkor Too Expedition Pack MSFS20/24 Microsoft Flight Simulator scenery pack developed by Skylogic Labs featuring the Falkor Too ocean research vessel placed in 8 global locations including Alaska, Norway, Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Bora Bora, Patagonia, and New Caledonia.
Companies that use CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature1 record
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- AerosoftcoreMajor MSFS add-on developer selling aircraft and airport products through Contrail marketplace.
- PMDG (Performance Models Company)corePremium study-level aircraft developer known for 737 and 777 series, selling through Contrail.
- Fenix SimulationscoreStudy-level A320 developer selling through Contrail marketplace.
- iniBuildscoreDeveloper of A350 and other aircraft products available on Contrail.
- JustFlightcoreUK-based developer specializing in RAF aircraft, Fokker jets, and PA-28 series, available on Contrail.
- MK StudioscoreAirport scenery developer with major European airports (Rome Fiumicino, Zurich, Helsinki) on Contrail.
- FlyTampacoreScenery developer known for Copenhagen, Amsterdam Schiphol, and other European airports.
- REX SimulationsmajorWeather and atmospheric enhancement products (REX Atmos CORE, ActiveSky) sold through Contrail.
- LAND3 SimulationsmajorDeveloper of vRAAS (virtual Runway Awareness and Advisory System) sold on Contrail.
- ToLissmajorDeveloper of Airbus study-level aircraft (A340-600) in partnership with Aerosoft, sold on Contrail.
- TFDi DesignmajorDeveloper of MD-11 aircraft for MSFS available on Contrail.
- Digital AeronauticsminorDeveloper of MI-2 Hoplite helicopter available on Contrail.
- Black SquareminorDeveloper of Cessna Caravan Professional and Baron/Bonanza aircraft bundles.
- Drzewiecki DesignminorDeveloper of city landmarks and Polish airport sceneries available on Contrail.
- SoFlyminorDeveloper of Budapest Airport and weather/audio tools sold on Contrail.
- Dreamflight StudiosminorDeveloper of Teterboro Airport (KTEB) featured in weekly bestsellers.
- HiFi TechnologiesmajorDeveloper of Active Sky weather simulation product line available on Contrail.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PMDG: Premium study-level MSFS aircraft developer (737, 777) selling directly to consumers. Comparable as a high-end developer/retailer that competes with Contrail for direct customer relationships while also distributing through Contrail.
- Just Flight: Established UK-based MSFS and flight sim developer selling add-ons including the F70/F100 Professional series directly via its own store and through Contrail. Comparable as a developer with overlapping catalog and audience.
- iniBuilds: Premium MSFS aircraft developer (A350, A310) that distributes both through Contrail and via its own store. Directly comparable as a developer/retailer hybrid targeting the same enthusiast audience with overlapping catalog.
- X-Plane.org: Largest community and storefront dedicated to X-Plane add-ons. Comparable as a flight simulation marketplace serving an adjacent platform; represents both a peer and a potential expansion direction for Contrail beyond MSFS.
- SimMarket: Established online marketplace dedicated to flight simulation add-ons across MSFS, X-Plane, P3D and Prepar3D. Directly comparable as a multi-developer storefront aggregating payware add-ons with similar categories and pricing structure.
- flightsim.com: Long-standing flight simulation community and marketplace for freeware and payware add-ons. Comparable as a destination for MSFS enthusiasts to discover and purchase third-party add-ons.
- Orbx: Leading flight simulation scenery and aircraft developer with its own direct e-commerce storefront. Comparable because it operates both proprietary development and a curated marketplace/storefront serving the same MSFS/X-Plane enthusiast customer.
Broad incumbents
- Steam: Major general-purpose PC game marketplace that also distributes MSFS itself and a growing catalog of MSFS add-ons. Comparable as a broad incumbent marketplace with overlapping payment infrastructure, reach, and discovery, posing long-tail competition for flight sim add-on discovery.
- Aerosoft: Major MSFS and broader flight sim developer that sells both through Contrail and its own webshop. Comparable as a larger incumbent with overlapping developer relationships, broader sim support (including train sims and bus sim), and direct-to-consumer storefront.
Emerging players
- FlyByWire Simulations: Open-source MSFS aircraft developer (A380, A32NX) with strong community presence. Comparable as a developer whose add-ons are sold/distributed through multiple channels including Contrail, and as a community-led competitor shaping MSFS purchase behavior.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED social profiles
Digital presenceCONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED
What does CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED do?
Contrail Shop is a curated online marketplace that aggregates 786+ Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons from 90+ independent third-party developers into a single storefront for hobbyist flight simulation enthusiasts. The company complements the marketplace with the proprietary Contrail App (a Windows desktop application for unified add-on library and download management) and its own first-party aircraft product (FA50 Falcon 50), supporting both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 platforms.
Is CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED a public or private company?
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED founded?
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED based?
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED make money?
One revenue line is on record: digital Add-On Sales Commission.
Who are CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PMDG, Just Flight, iniBuilds, X-Plane.org, SimMarket, flightsim.com and Orbx. Broad incumbents are Steam and Aerosoft. FlyByWire Simulations is listed as an emerging player.
Does CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED have an API?
No public API is recorded for CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED.
What industry is CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED in?
CONTRAIL DIGITAL LIMITED's product category is Flight Simulation Add-Ons Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAMAD, Hobby & Model Kits Distribution (RC, Scale Models, Miniatures), with a secondary code of CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.