# OpenADSB vs ADSB Tracker Live

The clearest difference is price: ADSB Tracker Live at Free against OpenADSB's $10.99. ADSB Tracker Live also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). OpenADSB's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#13 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ADSB Tracker Live is free to download; OpenADSB costs $10.99 up front. ADSB Tracker Live sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. OpenADSB asks for nothing beyond the download.

ADSB Tracker Live holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 108 and 100 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of OpenADSB's written reviews are positive against 75% of ADSB Tracker Live's.

OpenADSB ships an update every 2 weeks, ADSB Tracker Live every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenADSB | ADSB Tracker Live |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $10.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (108 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openadsb/id1178703539/reviews) | **[4.8 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adsb-tracker-live/id6768640937/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **108** | 100 |
| Positive reviews | 68.6% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steve Kuo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1178703538) | [Vikorus, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780116957) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenADSB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openadsb/id1178703539)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Paid · Travel (US App Store)

This app provides a high-performance, native iOS interface for tracking aircraft. It connects to various air traffic data sources like dump1090 and Virtual Radar Server, offering detailed aircraft information and customizable display options for an enhanced user experience over web interfaces.

**Highlights:** Connects to dump1090, tar1090, and Virtual Radar Server, Preconfigured with ADS-B Exchange, Displays thousands of aircraft with history trails, Configurable filtering and highlights, Detailed aircraft information, Imperial or metric unit display, Supports Dark Mode and multitasking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive performance
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscription fees
- 🎖️ Displays military and blocked aircraft other apps censor
- 🔧 Highly customizable filters and settings
- 📊 Comprehensive ADS-B data from ADS-B Exchange

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎨 Generic plane icon for all aircraft types
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- ❌ App stops showing aircraft after updates
- 📉 Missing 'from-to' flight information display
- 🔍 Search functionality not easily accessible

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when moving map or accessing settings
- App refuses to update, requiring reinstallation
- App freezes and locks up iPhone
- No aircraft display despite proper configuration
- JSON response errors after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Aircraft-specific icons (like Flightradar24)
- Search button on main screen for N-number lookup
- Dark mode for nighttime use
- Notifications/alerts for tracked aircraft
- 3D map view like Google Earth


### ADSB Tracker Live

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adsb-tracker-live/id6768640937)

Track live air traffic worldwide with real-time aircraft data. See callsigns, types, altitude, speed, and more. Includes military aircraft and emergency squawks, with customizable filters and notifications.

**Highlights:** Live worldwide flight map, Detailed aircraft information, Military aircraft tracking, Emergency squawk alerts, Customizable filters, Tail number tracking and notifications, Aircraft type silhouettes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual | $7.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenADSB free?

OpenADSB costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ADSB Tracker Live free?

ADSB Tracker Live is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, OpenADSB or ADSB Tracker Live?

ADSB Tracker Live is rated higher. OpenADSB averages 4.4 out of 5 from 108 ratings, while ADSB Tracker Live averages 4.8 from 100 ratings.

### Do OpenADSB or ADSB Tracker Live have ads?

Neither OpenADSB nor ADSB Tracker Live shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OpenADSB or ADSB Tracker Live?

OpenADSB ships an update every 2 weeks, and ADSB Tracker Live every 4 days. Most recently, OpenADSB was updated on September 25, 2026 and ADSB Tracker Live on September 24, 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.*