Comparison

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker vs AirwayControl

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

Head to head
About

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker

Track live air traffic with real-time flight data, including altitude, speed, and destination. Explore flights in 3D, use augmented reality to identify aircraft overhead, and get detailed airport information with weather reports. Set custom alerts for specific flights.

Highlights
  • Live global flight tracking
  • 3D flight tracking
  • Augmented reality mode
  • Live airport information
  • Custom flight alerts
  • Flight playback
  • Advanced filters
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Uncover the mysteries of live air traffic in one beautiful and easy to use app. Is it a bird? Is it a plane?! If it’s the latter, Plane Finder can tell you exactly which plane it is. Plane Finder is incredibly easy to use and utterly fascinating. It enables you to see live air traffic patterns with real-time tracking of almost any plane you’re interested in, and in addition to the aircraft’s location you can see its current altitude, its speed and where it’s heading. Get live information on flights - super handy when travelling. You can even be alerted when a particular flight is heading your way, which is useful if you’re trying to catch sight of rare birds such as the Airbus A380. Switch to incredible 3D flight tracking anytime from any aircraft, airport or location on the map seamlessly to view air traffic as never before. There’s a superb augmented-reality option that enables you to point your camera at the sky and see details of the aircraft that’s overhead, and with full support for iOS’s Dark Mode it’s just as handy for night flights as it is for daytime ones. It’s all great fun, but it’s also very practical: in addition to flight tracking there’s extensive airport information, which supplements live arrival and departures with live weather reports for hundreds of airports. Enjoy Plane Finder’s leading edge design as featured in Apple’s “The Power of Dark Mode” and “See it in Dark Mode” Collections 2019. Apple’s App of The Day – Jan 2020 and Top ranking since 2009. Plane Finder is also featured in Gizmodo, CNN, GMA, BBC, Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, CNET, Wired, GQ Magazine to name a few. Trusted by friends and families of travellers, enthusiasts, pilots, cabin crew and aviation professionals alike. Choose Plane Finder for: • Live Global Flight Tracking Quickly find and track flights live on a map and explore live status information • Switch to 3D Tracking Anytime Flip instantly to 3D from any aircraft, airport or location on the map • Live AR Mode Point your camera at a plane in the sky to instantly reveal live flight and aircraft information • Live Airport Information View real time airport arrival and departure boards plus terminal, gate, baggage and weather information • Comprehensive Technical Data Dig deeper into technical aircraft and flight data • Unlimited Custom Alerts Never miss a flight, create as many custom notifications as you like and stay informed • Unlimited Global Playback Replay interesting flights and watch fascinating air traffic patterns back to 2011 • Unlimited Filters Simplify your view with powerful filters • Custom Aircraft Labels Choose the position, color and content of aircraft labels inc. logo with text label • Leading Edge Dark Mode Adopt dark mode, a bold interface perfect for low light • Curated Map Styles Switch seamlessly between simple, detailed, hybrid and satellite maps Help and Support Plane Finder is regularly updated with innovative new features. Please email support@planefinder.net with any questions or queries, we are happy to help. How does Plane Finder work? Plane Finder receives real time ADS-B and MLAT signals sent by aircraft to transmit their positional data to land based receivers. This technology is faster than traditional radar and is used for air traffic control and navigation. You can check our worldwide flight tracking coverage for free at www.planefinder.net Disclaimer The use of the information presented using Plane Finder is strictly limited to pursuing enthusiast activities (i.e. for entertainment purposes), which specifically exclude any activities that might endanger yourself or the lives of others. Under no circumstances will the developer of this application be held responsible for incidents resulting from the use of the data or its interpretation or its use contrary to this agreement. Privacy Policy: https://planefinder.net/legal/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://planefinder.net/legal/terms-and-conditions

About

AirwayControl

Track flights in real-time with live radar, gate information, and delay notifications. Get assistance with flight disruptions, understand your rights, and easily file claims for issues like cancellations or lost baggage. Access baggage allowances and airport maps.

Highlights
  • Live flight radar worldwide
  • Real-time gate and status updates
  • Delay and cancellation notifications
  • Flight disruption rights guidance
  • Assistance with claims for delays/lost bags
  • Baggage allowance information
  • Airport maps with walking estimates
Features
Read full description

Your flight, from the moment you leave the house to the baggage belt at your destination. Every aircraft beautifully presented in the map. Avoid the constant hunt for info screens at the airport. Gate, times and changes are right on your phone, and the app tells you when something changes. At Avinor's airports in Norway, gate and baggage belt come from the same source as the screens in the hall. If something goes wrong, it keeps constant track of what you are entitled to, and guides you through claiming it with ease. MY FLIGHT • Search a flight number, a route or an airline, and add it as My Flight. • Gate, terminal, check-in desk and times on one card, with a Live Activity and a Lock Screen widget. • Notifications you choose: go to gate, gate change, delay, boarding, gate closing, cancellation and baggage on the belt. Worked out on your iPhone, with no account. • Leaving from a Norwegian airport: the expected security wait, and the reclaim belt when you land. WHEN THE FLIGHT GOES WRONG • Delayed or cancelled: what changed, and when the app last checked. • Your rights on that route, in plain language. EU261, UK261 and the national rules of 18 more countries, including Canada, the United States, Brazil, Türkiye and India. • A claim letter to the airline, filled in from what the app already knows. It opens in your own mail app and goes to the airline's own published address. We fill in the form. We are not a claims agency, and we take no fee and no cut. • Where to complain on that route, when the airline says no. • Damaged or delayed bag: the deadline that applies to you, the nearest service desk on the airport map, and every detail the airline's form asks for, ready to paste. BAGGAGE • Published allowances and fees for more than 100 airlines, by fare type: cabin bag, checked bags, extra pieces and overweight. • Allowances also depend on your ticket and status. The app says so, every time. AIRPORTS • Departures and arrivals for any airport you search or tap. • At Norwegian and Nordic airports: gate, belt, check-in desk and live status from Avinor's official feed. • Airport maps with surveyed gates and stands, and a walking estimate to your gate in distance and minutes. One tap hands over to Apple Maps. It is an estimate, not indoor turn-by-turn. LIVE RADAR • Live aircraft on a calm map, worldwide. • Tap a plane: a rendered aircraft in the airline's own colors where we have them, real photos credited to the photographer, the route, and schedule and gate. • Aircraft in view: every aircraft on screen as a list, with a page for each type. • Overhead: what is passing above you right now. • Live precipitation radar over the map. PRIVACY No ads. No account. No tracking. Your location centers the map and measures the walk to your gate. Your exact position never leaves your device. SUBSCRIPTION AirwayControl requires a subscription. One auto-renewable subscription unlocks the whole app. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial; after that it renews monthly at the price shown in the App Store for your country. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase, or when the free trial ends. The subscription renews automatically every month unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it in Settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://airwaycontrol.intelsystems.ai/privacy HONEST LIMITS Aircraft positions work worldwide; refresh rate depends on receiver coverage. Gate, belt, check-in desk and security wait are deepest at Nordic airports; elsewhere you get boards, gate and terminal where published, and the live map. Rights information is information, not legal advice. Live data needs a connection. CREDITS Full credits for data, maps and photos: airwaycontrol.intelsystems.ai/credits

Screenshots

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker4 screens
AirwayControl4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker at free with in-app purchases against AirwayControl's subscription. Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker also leads on ratings volume (61K vs 1) and chart position (#28 vs unranked). AirwayControl's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month and AirwayControl sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AirwayControl holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker has 61K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker's written reviews are positive against 100% of AirwayControl's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker ships an update every 10 days, AirwayControl every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker versus AirwayControl: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlane Finder ⁃ Flight TrackerAirwayControl
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (61K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings61K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#28 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size165 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerpinkfroot limitedChristopher Svendsen

Customer experience

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker

All ratings61,177 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews1,556 reviews
Positive64.3%
Neutral9.6%
Negative26.1%

AirwayControl

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Planes disappearing mid-flight
  • Incorrect flight information displayed
  • Subscription issues and billing problems
  • Crashes and freezing on certain devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode
  • More customization options
  • Better integration with iOS features (Dynamic Island, widgets, etc.)
  • Improved military flight tracking
  • Ability to save/bookmark flight histories

AirwayControl

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker

Subscriptions3
  • Plane Finder Premium - Monthly7 Days trial$3.491 Month
  • Plane Finder Premium - Annual7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Legacy Users3 Months trial$19.991 Year
1 purchases

AirwayControl

Subscriptions1
  • AirwayControl7 Days trial$1.991 Month

Questions

Is Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker free?
Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AirwayControl free?
AirwayControl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker or AirwayControl?
AirwayControl is rated higher. Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker averages 4.7 out of 5 from 61K ratings, while AirwayControl averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker or AirwayControl have ads?
Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker shows ads; AirwayControl does not.
Which is updated more often, Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker or AirwayControl?
Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker ships an update every 10 days, and AirwayControl every 5 days. Most recently, Plane Finder ⁃ Flight Tracker was updated on November 3, 2026 and AirwayControl on November 3, 2026.

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