TopView Sightseeing vs HeliNY
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TopView Sightseeing
Redeem tickets, access a fleet of double-decker buses stopping at major NYC attractions, and check live bus arrival status. Explore the city at your own pace with convenient sightseeing.
- Ticket redemption
- Double-decker bus access
- Major NYC attraction stops
- Live bus arrival status
- Reservation making
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Our app lets you redeem your TopView® tickets, access our large fleet of double decker buses which stop at major NYC attractions, check live bus arrival status, and make reservations. At TopView®, our mission is to provide the best sightseeing activities and help create the most unforgettable experience for NYC visitors. We strive to make it convenient for customers to explore the city at their own pace.
HeliNY
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HeliNY is one of New York City’s most established, largest, and successful premier helicopter sightseeing tour companies. We have been operating helicopter tours since 1994, with one of the largest fleets of Bell helicopters, highly skilled experienced pilots, and a highly dedicated staff. We provide the best, most thrilling, and safest helicopter flight experience to our customers without compromise. In addition to our New York City sightseeing tours, HeliNY provides: Custom Charter Services – for privately chartered flights Specialized Destination Tours – providing specialized destination experiences Medical Logistics and Organ Transport – (FAA Approval Pending) Bespoke Commercial Services – a variety of commercial helicopter services. HeliNY operates services from two primary locations – The Downtown Manhattan Heliport (NYC) and Linden Municipal Airport (Linden, NJ). Our sightseeing tours provide an exciting and exhilarating experience while relaxing in spacious cabins with unparalleled views. HeliNY has flown 15,000 flights and serviced over 78,000 customers annually, all in a comfortable modern aircraft with extended high-visibility windows and Bose noise-cancelling headsets – at the most competitive prices. We fly over 200 tours weekly, 7 days a week at several locations throughout the year. Our tour and other flight services are provided by a pilot crew that has over 80,000 hours of combined flying experience, providing best-in-class service and experience in the industry. Our charter flights provide a safe and faster transportation alternative for our clients to reach their destinations by significantly reducing travel times. We provide custom charters, catering to our clients’ busy schedules and need for short travel and convenience, during highly congested periods.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TopView Sightseeing at fortnightly against HeliNY's monthly. HeliNY's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
TopView Sightseeing ships an update fortnightly, HeliNY monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TopView Sightseeing | HeliNY |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.4 (31 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 10.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 31 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 132 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TopView Sightseeing | Hornblower Cruises & Events |
In-app purchases
TopView Sightseeing
No in-app purchases
HeliNY
No in-app purchases









