VatScope vs Come On Back
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VatScope
This application provides real-time information for the VATSIM network, allowing users to view pilot and controller data, track friends, and access airport weather. It also integrates flight plan routes and VATSIM events.
- Real-time pilot and controller information
- Friend tracking
- Airport weather and weather map
- Flight plan route display
- VATSIM events integration
- VATSIM member certificate details
- Dark mode support
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VatScope is a tool to view online information of VATSIM network. Features: - Provide the latest pilots, controllers and airports information on VATSIM - Track yourself and your friends - Airport weather and weather map - Flight plan route display - VATSIM events integration - Certificate details for VATSIM members - Dark mode support - Fully ad-free
Come On Back
This utility app serves as a pager system for Air Traffic Controllers. It is designed for facilities that have adopted the specific Come On Back ATC Pager system.
- ATC Pager functionality
- Facility-specific implementation
- Designed for Air Traffic Controllers
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This app is intended for Air Traffic Controllers who work at facilities that have implemented Come On Back, the ATC Pager.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Come On Back at none against VatScope's 1. Come On Back also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). VatScope's advantage is ratings volume (1.4K vs 6) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. VatScope sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Come On Back asks for nothing beyond the download.
Come On Back holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VatScope has 1.4K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.
VatScope ships an update every 5 weeks, Come On Back every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VatScope | Come On Back |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.4K ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 文俊 周 | Amalgamated Bitpushers LLC |
Customer experience
VatScope
Come On Back
Bugs and requests
VatScope
Reported bugs
5 issues- Aircraft labels and route lines disappearing on zoom
- Search functionality for airports and callsigns removed
- App not opening on iPad after recent update
- Frequent refresh errors and data not updating
- ATIS/controller info display issues with line breaks
Requested features
6 requests- Ability to filter by aircraft type
- Bring back busiest airports feature
- Option to set custom refresh rate
- Compatibility with new Mac devices
- Notifications for new ATC sectors coming online
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- Display ATC sector boundaries on the map
Come On Back
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
VatScope
- Extension$4.99
Come On Back
No in-app purchases
