# Hello Tower vs Airport Tycoon

The clearest difference is price: Airport Tycoon at Free against Hello Tower's $2.99. Airport Tycoon also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). Hello Tower's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (71% vs 38%). On ratings volume, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Airport Tycoon is free to download; Hello Tower costs $2.99 up front. Hello Tower sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Airport Tycoon sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Airport Tycoon holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 65 and 172 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of Hello Tower's written reviews are positive against 38% of Airport Tycoon's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hello Tower ships an update every 9 days, Airport Tycoon every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hello Tower | Airport Tycoon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-tower/id1572719445/reviews) | **[4.8 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-tycoon-simulation/id6445859703/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 65 | **172** |
| Positive reviews | **70.7% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 412 MB | 357 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sascha Trachsel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1572719447) | [Fuzhou Lingyuan Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1553040624) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Airport Tycoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-tycoon-simulation/id6445859703)

Manage an airport, from maintaining aircraft and controlling air traffic to signing airline contracts and building your own fleet. Expand terminals and acquire special aircraft to become a global aviation tycoon.

**Highlights:** Realistic aircraft maintenance and painting, Air traffic control for arrivals and departures, Build and manage your own aircraft fleet, Expand airport terminals (domestic, international, cargo, VIP), Acquire special aircraft like Concorde and An225

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Couple of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Super Radar | $1.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Handful of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Pile of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| A Sack of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| A Box of Gems | $29.99 | one-time |
| A Crate of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hello Tower free?

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

### Is Airport Tycoon free?

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

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

Airport Tycoon is rated higher. Hello Tower averages 4.4 out of 5 from 65 ratings, while Airport Tycoon averages 4.8 from 172 ratings.

### Do Hello Tower or Airport Tycoon have ads?

Airport Tycoon shows ads; Hello Tower does not.

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

Hello Tower ships an update every 9 days, and Airport Tycoon every 4 days. Most recently, Hello Tower was updated on October 17, 2026 and Airport Tycoon on October 16, 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.*