# X vs Airline Commander

The clearest difference is rating: Airline Commander at 4.6 against X's 4.0. Airline Commander also leads on ratings volume (82K vs 25K). X's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. X sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Airline Commander sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Airline Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25K and 82K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of X's written reviews are positive against 52% of Airline Commander's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | X | Airline Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-plane-flight-simulator/id566661426/reviews) | **[4.6 (82K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airline-commander-flight-game/id1333476679/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25K | **82K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.2% of reviews** | 51.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.0 GB | 1.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laminar Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/290619948) | [RORTOS SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/454802333) |

## What reviewers say

### X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-plane-flight-simulator/id566661426)

Experience a highly realistic flight simulator with accurate physics and detailed 3D cockpits. Explore numerous airports and terrain, with options to expand scenery and aircraft through subscription and in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Realistic flight model, Interactive 3D cockpits, Detailed 3D airports, Free tutorials, Massive multiplayer, System failure simulation, Emergency scenarios

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| X-Plane Mobile Basic | $4.99 | per month |
| X-Plane Mobile Professional | $5.99 | per month |
| Piper SuperCub | $0.99 | one-time |
| Baron B58 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sikorsky S76 | $2.99 | one-time |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-80 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Airbus A320 | $4.99 | one-time |
| F-22 Raptor | $4.99 | one-time |
| Boeing 777-200ER | $4.99 | one-time |
| Boeing 747-400 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Boeing B737-800 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic flight physics
- 👍 Highly interactive cockpits
- 🤠 Great for flight enthusiasts
- 💡 Potential to be used for flight training

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive planes and subscription
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in some planes
- 🌍 Limited free global scenery
- 🎮 Challenging controls for beginners

**Reported bugs**

- Altitude hold issues in the MD-80
- Inconsistent cockpit quality across different planes
- Unexpected plane behavior during takeoff and landing

**Requested features**

- More free planes, especially commercial airliners
- Larger free flight area and more airports
- Improved autopilot and flight planning features
- Addition of ground services like pushback and jetways
- More realistic weather, lighting, and environmental effects


### Airline Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airline-commander-flight-game/id1333476679)

Experience the next generation of flight simulation. Take off, navigate, and land a variety of aircraft in realistic conditions. Build and manage your own airline fleet while facing challenging scenarios and dynamic weather.

**Highlights:** Dozens of airliners, Realistic airports and runways, Real-time aircraft traffic, Simplified and advanced flight systems, Realistic takeoff and landing procedures, Competition mode, Customizable airline livery

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AC Credits small | $1.99 | one-time |
| Offer Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Offer Pack 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| AC Credits medium | $4.99 | one-time |
| Flight Pass Premium | $4.99 | one-time |
| AC Credits large | $9.99 | one-time |
| Flight Pass Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| Offer pack 12 | $11.99 | one-time |
| Flight Pass Premium | $12.99 | one-time |
| Flight Pass Premium | $19.99 | one-time |
| Offer pack 20 | $19.99 | one-time |
| AC Credits huge | $29.99 | one-time |
| AC Credits mega | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great flight simulation
- ✈️ Realistic aircraft models
- 📚 Teaches aviation mechanics
- 🎮 Engaging gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Slow progression and long wait times
- 🛑 Repetitive takeoff and landing tasks
- 🤖 Questionable AI behavior
- 🔍 Lack of free flight mode

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and app instability
- Unrealistic engine failure scenarios
- Inconsistent landing gear behavior
- Navigation issues and incorrect waypoints

**Requested features**

- Full flight mode from takeoff to landing
- More varied challenges and scenarios
- Multiplayer co-pilot feature
- Improved graphics and visual effects


## Frequently asked questions

### Is X free?

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

### Is Airline Commander free?

Airline Commander is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, X or Airline Commander?

Airline Commander is rated higher. X averages 4.0 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Airline Commander averages 4.6 from 82K ratings.

### Do X or Airline Commander have ads?

Airline Commander shows ads; X does not.

### Which is updated more often, X or Airline Commander?

X ships an update fortnightly, and Airline Commander fortnightly. Most recently, X was updated on September 24, 2026 and Airline Commander 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.*