# Flight Sim 18 vs Flight Simulator

The clearest difference is monetization model: Flight Simulator at free with in-app purchases against Flight Sim 18's subscription. Flight Sim 18's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (66% vs 39%). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flight Sim 18 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Flight Simulator sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Flight Sim 18 holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.4K and 761 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Flight Sim 18's written reviews are positive against 39% of Flight Simulator's.

Flight Sim 18 ships an update every 2 weeks, Flight Simulator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flight Sim 18 | Flight Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-sim-18/id1398956467/reviews)** | [4.1 (761 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-simulator-plane-games/id1464411012/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 761 |
| Positive reviews | **66.5% of reviews** | 39.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 582 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexandru Marusac](https://appshunter.io/developer/639579812) | [Supercode Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1539592590) |

## What reviewers say

### Flight Sim 18

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-sim-18/id1398956467)

Experience the thrill of piloting realistic jet airliners in an open-world environment. Explore a global map, master challenging landings, and enjoy immersive flight controls, day-night cycles, and dynamic weather.

**Highlights:** Realistic 3D model planes, Global open-world map, Day-night cycle, Realistic flight controls, Actual plane cockpits, Dynamic weather systems, Challenging landing scenarios

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Trainee Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Christmas Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Junior Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Second Officer Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| First Officer Pack | $15.99 | one-time |
| Buy All Planes | $32.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to control
- 🚀 Variety of planes
- 👍 Good graphics
- 👍 Realistic sound effects
- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Landing gear issues
- 🐛 Inaccurate flight physics
- 🐛 Buggy navigation and altitude indicators
- 💰 Expensive plane prices

**Reported bugs**

- Planes not retaining purchased upgrades
- Incorrect directional guidance during flights
- Altitude and speed indicators not functioning properly
- Freezing and crashing issues during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Add more airports and cities
- Implement more realistic flight mechanics
- Improve graphics and details of cities/environments
- Introduce emergency situations and challenges
- Add customization options for airlines and liveries


### Flight Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-simulator-plane-games/id1464411012)

Experience the thrill of aviation with a realistic flight simulator. Engage in diverse missions, fly various aircraft, and master challenging flight scenarios. Offers customizable controls for an immersive piloting experience.

**Highlights:** Realistic flight scenarios, Exciting missions (takeoffs, landings, cargo, rescue), Diverse aircraft selection, Customizable controls (joystick/button), Multiple game modes

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $14.99 | per 7 days |
| Handful of Cash | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All The Missions | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Cash | $4.99 | one-time |
| Briefcase of Cash | $9.99 | one-time |
| RemoveAds | $9.99 | one-time |
| Vault of Cash | $14.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All The Aircrafts | $14.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all Levels | $14.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Everything | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive controls
- 👍 Great graphics
- 🚀 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Easy to learn

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 💰 Excessive ads
- 💰 In-app purchases required
- 🐛 Poor controls and physics

**Reported bugs**

- Glitching audio
- Frequent crashes
- Unresponsive controls
- Incorrect plane behavior (e.g., banking issues)

**Requested features**

- More aircraft and mission variety
- Free flight mode
- Improved physics and controls
- Reduced ads or paid ad-free option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flight Sim 18 free?

Flight Sim 18 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Flight Simulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Flight Sim 18 or Flight Simulator?

Flight Sim 18 is rated higher. Flight Sim 18 averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while Flight Simulator averages 4.1 from 761 ratings.

### Do Flight Sim 18 or Flight Simulator have ads?

Flight Simulator shows ads; Flight Sim 18 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Flight Sim 18 or Flight Simulator?

Flight Sim 18 ships an update every 2 weeks, and Flight Simulator every 2 months. Most recently, Flight Sim 18 was updated on October 19, 2026 and Flight Simulator on October 22, 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.*