# HotStepper vs PlaneSpotting

HotStepper and PlaneSpotting both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of PlaneSpotting's written reviews are positive against 60% of HotStepper's. HotStepper's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PlaneSpotting sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.49 per year. HotStepper asks for nothing beyond the download.

PlaneSpotting holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of HotStepper's written reviews are positive against 100% of PlaneSpotting's.

HotStepper ships an update every 8 days, PlaneSpotting fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotStepper | PlaneSpotting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotstepper/id1287586495/reviews) | **[4.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planespotting/id1367589571/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 117 MB | 175 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nexus Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/473958675) | [Imagekings Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1194611028) |

## What reviewers say

### HotStepper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotstepper/id1287586495)

Navigate to any destination on Earth with an augmented reality companion. This app guides you visually by having a character walk you to your chosen location. Simply select a destination on the map and follow your AR sidekick.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality navigation, AR character guide, Destination selection on map, Visual walking directions, Uses cellular data for navigation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PlaneSpotting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planespotting/id1367589571)

Track civilian and military aircraft registered in the UK. Log sightings with details like location and photos, or record flight information. Export your data for analysis and bulk import.

**Highlights:** UK aircraft registration database, Log sightings with photos, Record flight details, Data export and import, Browse aircraft by type, Regular updates

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service Database | $5.49 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotStepper free?

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

### Is PlaneSpotting free?

PlaneSpotting is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HotStepper or PlaneSpotting?

PlaneSpotting is rated higher. HotStepper averages 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while PlaneSpotting averages 4.3 from 13 ratings.

### Do HotStepper or PlaneSpotting have ads?

Neither HotStepper nor PlaneSpotting shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HotStepper or PlaneSpotting?

HotStepper ships an update every 8 days, and PlaneSpotting fortnightly. Most recently, HotStepper was updated on October 24, 2026 and PlaneSpotting on October 29, 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.*