Pilot 9 vs Pixel Squadron
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pilot 9
Engage in aerial combat as a pilot of advanced jet and helicopter fighters to thwart global domination. Select diverse aircraft, pilots, and gear to complete challenging missions and earn rewards for future battles.
- Pilot jet and helicopter fighters
- Customizable vehicles with add-ons and skins
- Upgradeable pilots for increased XP
- Multiple levels and missions
- In-game lottery and daily rewards
- Multi-attribute vehicle rewards
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Pilot 9 puts you in the cockpit of today's advanced jet and helicopter fighters with the goal of stopping global domination by an aggressive enemy bent on taking over the world. In this vertical shooting game, you can select different aircraft and pilots as you attempt to complete levels and missions that contain different threats. Some levels reward you with epic rewards that will help you fight in the future. Are you ready to fly the unfriendly skies? Features: - Pilot a jet or helicopter! - Vehicles with different add-ons and skins - Gear with different add-ons and skins - Pilots that will increase in-game XP - Twelve different enemies - Different levels and missions - In-game lottery! - Multi-Attribute vehicle rewards - Daily rewards
Pixel Squadron
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Five neon jets cut through twenty stages of pixel-art bullet hell. Eagle rains spread shot. Viper unloads rapid bursts. Titan drops heavy cannon rounds. Phantom slices with a continuous laser beam. Omega locks on with homing missiles. Pick a jet, learn its rhythm, weave through the wall. TEN BOSSES, FIVE WORLDS Atmosphere. Ocean Storm. Deep Space. Mechanical Fortress. Chaos Void. Each world hides a mid-boss and a final boss — ten multi-phase fights, each pattern built to read your thumb's habits and punish them. WHAT IT FEELS LIKE Thumb sweat. Screen-filling neon. The split-second between two laser walls. The bomb you save for the third phase. The drone that finally lines up your blind spot. DEPTH WHEN YOU WANT IT • 20 stages across 5 worlds, plus Endless mode that scales by your survival time • 13 enemy types in three tiers — normal, enhanced, elite • Bomb gauge charges with kills — release to clear the screen • Permanent upgrades: damage, fire rate, speed, bomb charge, coin bonus, option drones • Every upgrade earned in-game. Watch an ad to revive or double your coin drop — never forced. No timer, no paywall. If Sky Force taught you what an arcade shooter feels like, you're in the right room. Questions or feedback: support@hsiangyu.dev
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Squadron at none against Pilot 9's 5. Pixel Squadron also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Pilot 9's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Pilot 9 sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Pixel Squadron asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pilot 9 ships an update every 6 weeks, Pixel Squadron monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pilot 9 | Pixel Squadron |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (14 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 505 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Craig Buck | HSIANG-YU HUANG |
In-app purchases
Pilot 9
- Coin Pile$0.99
- No Ads$0.99
- Cheddar$1.99
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- Tall Stacks!$2.99
- Mint$4.99
Pixel Squadron
No in-app purchases









