Comparison

Hello Tower vs Flatout ATC

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hello Tower

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
Read full description

Airport ground maneuvering simulation of more than 40 different airports including  London Heathrow LHR, Philadelphia PHL, Miami Intl. MIA, Singapore, New York JFK, Las Vegas LAS, São Paulo GRU, Montreal YUL, Boston BOS, and many more.  Different versions of airports included: - Play the simplified version, where the airport is scaled down to an easy playable experience. - Play the real thing. Here the whole airport is in real size displayed, where all your skills are required. Features - Give pushback, taxi, holding and take-off clearances.  - Handle emergencies and try to release all flights on time in order to release the next level. From an easy single-runway operation at the beginning to demanding hub airports with multiple active runways where all your skills are required.

About

Flatout ATC

Experience the thrill of air traffic control at real-world airports. Manage aircraft, sequence departures, and ensure safe landings. Features a new career campaign with seasons and live traffic simulation.

Highlights
  • Vector arrivals and departures
  • Clear approaches
  • Career campaign with seasons
  • Live traffic simulation
  • Real airport environments
  • Search and rescue missions
Features
Read full description

Flatout ATC puts you in the tower. Vector arrivals, sequence departures, clear approaches, and keep every aircraft safely separated across real airports from New York to Tokyo. NEW IN 3.0: THE WATCH A career campaign told in seasons. Step into the tower as a new controller and earn your place shift by shift, with a full cast, a story that carries across episodes, and a debrief after every shift. - Season 1: First Watch. Seven episodes. Your first solo, your first radio failure, your first engine-out. - Season 2: The Incident Desk. Seven episodes of search and rescue, including a cooperative multi-aircraft rescue. REAL CONTROL - Tap an aircraft to give it a heading, altitude, or speed. - Clear published approaches and issue crossing restrictions like a real controller. - Fly search and rescue: follow the signal, hold a steady hover to hoist, and beat the survival clock. LIVE TRAFFIC Work a shift against real aircraft flying right now over New York, London, Atlanta, Paris, and Tokyo, streamed from live ADS-B data. One free live shift every day. NO ADS Every advert was removed. No interruptions, no rewarded videos, just you and the airspace. A WHOLE WORLD Dozens of real airports with satellite-accurate runways, published procedures, 3D terrain and towers, weather you can fly around, helicopters, and a daily challenge. THE LOGBOOK Every level you clear writes a permanent record you can look back on. Already own the Full Game? You keep the base game and every season, free, forever.

Screenshots

Hello Tower4 screens
Flatout ATC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Flatout ATC at Free against Hello Tower's $2.99. Flatout ATC also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 days). Hello Tower's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.1). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Hello Tower against 4.4 for Flatout ATC. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 66 and 43 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Hello Tower's written reviews are positive against 69% of Flatout ATC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hello Tower ships an update every 9 days, Flatout ATC every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Hello Tower versus Flatout ATC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHello TowerFlatout ATC
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (66 ratings) — better4.4 (43 ratings)
Positive reviews70.7% of reviews — better69.2% of reviews
Number of ratings66 — better43
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.1
Further details — not scored
Size412 MB564 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSascha TrachselCraig Kennedy

Customer experience

Hello Tower

All ratings65 ratings
Positive86.2%
Neutral3.1%
Negative10.8%
Written reviews123 reviews
Positive70.7%
Neutral14.6%
Negative14.6%

Flatout ATC

All ratings43 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral2.3%
Negative11.6%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative23.1%

Bugs and requests

Hello Tower

Reported bugs

37 issues
  • 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
Show 32 more
  • Game freezes/crashes, especially at Heathrow
  • Separation logic errors
  • Aircraft not selectable
  • Game hangs/freezes after updates
  • New UI is confusing and unreadable
  • Sounds missing after update
  • Focus on aircraft and readability worsened
  • Aircraft symbols obscured by labels
  • Tapping messages only selects aircraft once
  • Parking spots shown as available when occupied
  • Planes crossing paths and getting stuck
  • Aircraft becoming 'ghosts' blocking routes
  • Runway timer resets to zero before 30 seconds
  • Departure separation timer sometimes fails to appear
  • Recent updates have made the game fiddly and difficult
  • UI is worse after recent updates
  • Levels changed after recent updates
  • Game becomes unplayable after updates
  • Aircraft roll with extreme speed
  • UI for iPhones is terrible
  • Previous version was better
  • Custom game mode is buggy
  • Some airport orientations are off
  • Ground radars not oriented to true north
  • Cannot make aircraft move
  • Cannot park landed aircraft
  • Game ends with blocked runway when it's not
  • Impossible timings leading to penalties
  • Aircraft launching in both directions on the same runway simultaneously
  • Departure slot timer bug
  • Aircraft on final approach not being able to be directed away
  • Aircraft on runway preventing others from crossing

Requested features

23 requests
  • 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
Show 18 more
  • Add more realistic separation rules and traffic patterns
  • Improve UI and controls (smaller buttons, better organization)
  • Add option to designate departure/arrival runways
  • Add rejected takeoffs, emergency vehicles, emergency inbounds
  • Add ability to call a go-around
  • Allow custom stop points
  • Add more sounds for aircraft
  • Add a smaller tutorial airport
  • Add day/night environment switching
  • Add towing/pushback option for stuck aircraft
  • Add Chinese language support
  • Add more content/levels, possibly a sequel
  • Improve graphics and aircraft dynamics
  • Add music and better menu
  • Add indication when flights actually depart
  • Add beacon lights to taxiway hotspots
  • Add more realistic taxi speeds and turnaround times
  • Add runway vacation instructions

Flatout ATC

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Hello Tower

One-time4
  • Hello Tower Test$0.99
  • Airport Pack$0.99
  • Sandbox test2 variants$0.99
Show 1 more
  • Airport Pack$1.99
4 purchases

Flatout ATC

One-time4
  • The Watch — Season One$2.99
  • Season 2: The Incident Desk$2.99
  • Season 3: The Crossing$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Base Game Unlock$4.99

Questions

Is Hello Tower free?
Hello Tower costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Flatout ATC free?
Flatout ATC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hello Tower or Flatout ATC?
Hello Tower is rated higher. Hello Tower averages 4.4 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Flatout ATC averages 4.4 from 43 ratings.
Do Hello Tower or Flatout ATC have ads?
Neither Hello Tower nor Flatout ATC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hello Tower or Flatout ATC?
Hello Tower ships an update every 9 days, and Flatout ATC every 3 days. Most recently, Hello Tower was updated on November 11, 2026 and Flatout ATC on November 12, 2026.

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