# Airport vs Hello Tower

The clearest difference is price: Airport at Free against Hello Tower's $2.99. Airport also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (438 vs 66). Hello Tower's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 months). On in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Airport is free to download; Hello Tower costs $2.99 up front. Airport sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hello Tower sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Airport holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Airport has 438 ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Airport's written reviews are positive against 71% of Hello Tower's.

Airport ships an update every 5 months, Hello Tower every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Airport | Hello Tower |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (438 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-control/id1291766350/reviews)** | [4.4 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-tower/id1572719445/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **438** | 66 |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 70.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 412 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [mukesh patel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1291766349) | [Sascha Trachsel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1572719447) |

## What reviewers say

### Airport

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-control/id1291766350)

Take on the role of an airport manager and control air traffic by drawing paths for planes. Successfully land and depart aircraft to earn money, upgrade your airport, and unlock new stations. This game tests your multitasking skills and offers various levels and modes.

**Highlights:** Control airport traffic by drawing paths, Guide airplanes for landing and departure, Earn money to upgrade and open new stations, Multiple levels with increasing difficulty, Endless mode with leaderboards and achievements, Day-night cycle with weather effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airport Control adFree | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Highly addictive and fun gameplay
- ⏱️ Excellent time management mechanics
- 🧠 Great for stress relief and mental stimulation
- 📱 Works offline without internet required
- 🎮 Simple yet engaging mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Level 32 is broken/endless
- 📢 Forced ads after every level
- 🔇 Mutes background music automatically
- 💰 Limited content without paying
- 🎮 Unclear level objectives/instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Level 32 never ends - planes keep spawning infinitely
- Level 11 doesn't award stars despite meeting criteria
- Ghost plane appears and crashes into boarding bays
- Game crashes immediately on app startup
- Planes can land/takeoff from locked runways

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Different airport variations
- Boat/port management version
- Additional terminal features (plane washing, etc.)
- Customizable terminal layout


### Hello Tower

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-tower/id1572719445)

Experience realistic airport ground control with this simulation app. Manage aircraft movements, issue clearances, and handle emergencies across over 40 diverse airports. Progress from simple single-runway operations to complex hub airports.

**Highlights:** Airport ground maneuvering simulation, Over 40 different airports, Simplified and real-size airport versions, Pushback, taxi, and take-off clearances, Emergency handling, Level-based progression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hello Tower Test | $0.99 | one-time |
| Airport Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sandbox test | $0.99 | one-time |
| Airport Pack | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Realistic simulation
- 👍 Challenging gameplay
- 👍 Good graphics
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Addictive and fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Unintuitive UI
- 🐛 Steep learning curve
- 🐛 Frequent game over on small mistakes
- 🐛 Lack of tutorial

**Reported bugs**

- Flight freezing on runway holding and turns
- Aircraft getting stuck and blocking routes
- 30-second departure timer disappearing
- Aircraft crashing with held aircraft on taxiway
- Levels not unlocking

**Requested features**

- Add more airports (US, European, Asian, Indian cities)
- Add an endless/sandbox mode
- Add AI voice recognition and ATC dialogues
- Implement a tutorial or walk-through
- Add a 'continue game' or save progress option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Airport free?

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

### Is Hello Tower free?

Hello Tower costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Airport or Hello Tower?

Airport is rated higher. Airport averages 4.7 out of 5 from 438 ratings, while Hello Tower averages 4.4 from 66 ratings.

### Do Airport or Hello Tower have ads?

Airport shows ads; Hello Tower does not.

### Which is updated more often, Airport or Hello Tower?

Airport ships an update every 5 months, and Hello Tower every 9 days. Most recently, Airport was updated on October 29, 2026 and Hello Tower on October 30, 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.*