# Helicopter Simulator 2016 vs Sea

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sea at none against Helicopter Simulator 2016's 10. Sea also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (56% vs 27%). Helicopter Simulator 2016's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 8 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Helicopter Simulator 2016 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Sea asks for nothing beyond the download.

Helicopter Simulator 2016 ships an update every 5 weeks, Sea every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Helicopter Simulator 2016 | Sea |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sea-plane-flight-simulator-3d/id1088830988/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 26.6% of reviews | **56.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 210 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **6.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thetis Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/339173067) | [Attribute](https://appshunter.io/developer/1413734661) |

## What reviewers say

### Helicopter Simulator 2016

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helicopter-simulator-2016/id1057686153)

Experience realistic helicopter flight with over 3000 missions across various categories like military, rescue, and transport. Pilot a diverse fleet of aircraft through challenging scenarios with dynamic weather and day/night cycles.

**Highlights:** 3000+ missions, 28 helicopters, 6 mission categories, Dynamic weather, Day/night flights, Real-life scenarios

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fuel | $1.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter Aero 635 Medical | $2.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter Belli 206 Jet Ranger | $2.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter Belli HU-1 Huey | $2.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter Euro AA-65 Dolphin | $3.99 | one-time |
| Coast Guard Pack Missions | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter Alien UFO | $4.99 | one-time |
| Blimp | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter HA-64 Apach | $5.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter HC-47 Chynow | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good joystick controls
- 🏞️ Beautiful environment
- 🗺️ Cute maps
- 👀 Great cockpit view
- 👍 Friendly game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Premium club is a scam
- 📉 Terrible graphics
- 🗑️ Garbage game
- 😒 Stupid game for four-year-olds
- 💥 Explodes when trying to land

**Reported bugs**

- Premium club subscription not unlocking
- Transaction issue with premium club
- Game crashes on takeoff
- Cannot land properly
- Level 8 impossible

**Requested features**

- More levels
- More gameplay
- More options


### Sea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sea-plane-flight-simulator-3d/id1088830988)

Pilot a 3D sea plane, pick up passengers, and deliver them to their destinations. Navigate through challenging environments like volcanoes and obstacles to showcase your flying skills.

**Highlights:** 3D sea plane simulation, Passenger delivery missions, Navigate obstacles, Fly between volcanoes, Pick-up and drop-off points

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great graphics
- 🚀 Fun flying experience
- 💡 Interesting features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sluggish controls
- 🔋 Frequent ads
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Difficulty taking off
- Trouble landing on finish line
- Game freezing issues

**Requested features**

- More responsive controls
- Reduce ads or offer ad-free version
- Improve stability and performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Helicopter Simulator 2016 free?

Helicopter Simulator 2016 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sea free?

Sea is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Helicopter Simulator 2016 or Sea have ads?

Helicopter Simulator 2016 shows ads; Sea does not.

### Which is updated more often, Helicopter Simulator 2016 or Sea?

Helicopter Simulator 2016 ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sea every 8 months. Most recently, Helicopter Simulator 2016 was updated on November 3, 2026 and Sea on November 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*