# ATC Mania vs Planes Control!

The clearest difference is ads: ATC Mania at none against Planes Control!'s shown. ATC Mania also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). Planes Control!'s advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (6.8K vs 30). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ATC Mania sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Planes Control! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Planes Control! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planes Control! has 6.8K ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 87% of ATC Mania's written reviews are positive against 79% of Planes Control!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ATC Mania ships an update every 3 weeks, Planes Control! monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ATC Mania | Planes Control! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atc-mania/id452679821/reviews) | **[4.7 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planes-control/id1015114550/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 30 | **6.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.6% of reviews** | 79.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 62 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sprakelsoft GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/424478680) | [Antonio Calvino Esquer](https://appshunter.io/developer/995217234) |

## What reviewers say

### ATC Mania

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atc-mania/id452679821)

Test your air traffic control skills in this addictive line-drawing game. Guide planes safely to their destinations using intuitive controls and enjoy stunning HD graphics. Compete with others through Game Center integration.

**Highlights:** Line-draw air traffic control gameplay, Multiple maps, HD graphics with particle systems, Retina and full iPad support, 60 FPS framerates, Game Center integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Simple and easy-to-learn mechanics
- 🎮 Fun and entertaining time killer
- 🧠 Requires strategic thinking and concentration
- ⚡ Smooth performance and stability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Ads obstruct gameplay and cause crashes
- 🎮 Difficulty ramps up too quickly
- 📱 Small screen makes gameplay difficult on phones
- 🔄 Limited content and repetitive gameplay
- ⚠️ No pause functionality without crashing

**Reported bugs**

- Ads block aircraft and prevent control
- Game crashes when paused
- Freezes on iOS 5 compatibility
- Aircraft fly over runway instead of landing
- Simultaneous helicopter and airplane collisions not handled

**Requested features**

- More maps and airports
- Additional aircraft types and variety
- Ad-free premium version
- More difficulty levels or settings
- Pause functionality that works properly


### Planes Control!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planes-control/id1015114550)

Guide aircraft to safe landings while avoiding hazards like storms and enemy attacks. Control over 60 different planes and helicopters across 13 challenging levels. Engage in aerial combat, fight wildfires, and manage air traffic in this addictive simulation game.

**Highlights:** Draw flight paths for aircraft, Avoid collisions and environmental hazards, Pilot over 60 types of planes and helicopters, Engage in aerial combat, Fight wildfires with air tankers, Navigate diverse and challenging levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack of 5× Rescue Teams. | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all HD Levels | $0.99 | one-time |
| Classic levels | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock "Time Machine" levels! | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock "10th Anniversary" levels! | $0.99 | one-time |
| Three crashes per game. | $1.99 | one-time |
| Classic levels and no ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 20× Rescue Teams. | $2.99 | one-time |
| No Ads. | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 50× Rescue Teams. | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- 👍 Simple yet challenging
- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Good variety of levels
- 🚀 Responsive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🐛 Progress not saved
- 🐛 Collision detection issues
- 🐛 Planes spawning off-screen

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes on iOS 14
- High score not recorded correctly
- Planes colliding off-screen
- Notification bar interfering with gameplay

**Requested features**

- More level options and customization
- Ability to pause and resume games
- Improved tutorial and instructions
- Difficulty settings for each level
- Leaderboards and achievements


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ATC Mania free?

ATC Mania is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Planes Control! free?

Planes Control! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ATC Mania or Planes Control!?

Planes Control! is rated higher. ATC Mania averages 4.3 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Planes Control! averages 4.7 from 6.8K ratings.

### Do ATC Mania or Planes Control! have ads?

Planes Control! shows ads; ATC Mania does not.

### Which is updated more often, ATC Mania or Planes Control!?

ATC Mania ships an update every 3 weeks, and Planes Control! monthly. Most recently, ATC Mania was updated on September 3, 2026 and Planes Control! on September 24, 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.*