# FlightAware Flight Tracker vs CSN

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CSN at none against FlightAware Flight Tracker's 6. CSN also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). FlightAware Flight Tracker's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (382K vs 2). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FlightAware Flight Tracker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. CSN asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for FlightAware Flight Tracker against 5.0 for CSN. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FlightAware Flight Tracker has 382K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

FlightAware Flight Tracker ships an update every 4 weeks, CSN every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FlightAware Flight Tracker | CSN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (382K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flightaware-flight-tracker/id316793974/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csntracker-for-china-southern/id1107540702/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **382K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 73.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#31** | — |
| Size | 90 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FlightAware](https://appshunter.io/developer/316793977) | [fikret urgan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713710233) |

## What reviewers say

### FlightAware Flight Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flightaware-flight-tracker/id316793974)

**Currently charting:** #31 Top Grossing · Travel, #117 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Track airplanes in real-time globally, monitor flight statuses, and receive delay notifications. Access weather radar and save favorite aircraft and airports. Offers free flight status alerts for departures, arrivals, cancellations, and gate changes.

**Highlights:** Real-time global plane tracking, Free flight status alerts, Weather radar integration, Save favorite aircraft and airports, Check flight delays, Inbound aircraft delay checks

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad Remove - Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Ad Remove - Yearly | $8.99 | per year |
| Aviator - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Aviator+ - Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Aviator - Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Aviator+ - Yearly | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Detailed flight information
- 👍 Accurate and up-to-date data
- 📍 Ability to track flights and aircraft
- 🔍 Useful for airport pickups and drop-offs
- ⏱️ Timely alerts and notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable ETA predictions
- 🔀 Confusing interface changes
- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific flights
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 💻 Compatibility issues with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Flights disappearing from the app
- Inconsistent data between app and website
- Settings and preferences not saving properly
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Separate direct flights from layover flights
- Customizable color schemes and themes
- More detailed flight history and analytics
- Improved accessibility features
- Automatic updates without manual prompts


### CSN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csntracker-for-china-southern/id1107540702)

Track China Southern Airlines flights in real-time with live air traffic radar and detailed flight information. View flight paths, airport delays, and receive alerts for flights worldwide. Available for free on iOS devices.

**Highlights:** Live air traffic radar, Real-time flight tracking, Airport delay updates, Flight path visualization, Flight alerts, Global flight data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FlightAware Flight Tracker free?

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

### Is CSN free?

CSN is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FlightAware Flight Tracker or CSN?

CSN is rated higher. FlightAware Flight Tracker averages 4.9 out of 5 from 382K ratings, while CSN averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do FlightAware Flight Tracker or CSN have ads?

Both FlightAware Flight Tracker and CSN show ads.

### Which is updated more often, FlightAware Flight Tracker or CSN?

FlightAware Flight Tracker ships an update every 4 weeks, and CSN every 11 months. Most recently, FlightAware Flight Tracker was updated on September 25, 2026 and CSN on June 9, 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.*