# X vs Aviateur

The clearest difference is rating: Aviateur at 4.7 against X's 4.0. Aviateur also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 58%). X's advantage is ratings volume (25K vs 106) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Aviateur holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: X has 25K ratings behind it against 106, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of X's written reviews are positive against 87% of Aviateur's.

X ships an update fortnightly, Aviateur every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | X | Aviateur |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-plane-flight-simulator/id566661426/reviews) | **[4.7 (106 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aviateur-flight-simulation/id6444638830/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 106 |
| Positive reviews | 58.2% of reviews | **86.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.0 GB | 793 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laminar Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/290619948) | [Rajatdeep Bakshi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655806172) |

## 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


### Aviateur

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aviateur-flight-simulation/id6444638830)

Experience realistic flight simulation with a variety of aircraft and diverse, accurate real-world locations. Engage in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, master challenging landings, and customize weather conditions for an immersive adventure.

**Highlights:** Multiple aircraft types, Geographically accurate locations, Air combat (WWII and Modern), Dynamic weather system, Challenging landings, Customizable flight dynamics, Day/Night cycle

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fishbed | $0.49 | one-time |
| Lightning II Carrier Variant | $0.49 | one-time |
| Blackbird | $0.49 | one-time |
| MH-6E | $0.49 | one-time |
| Mi-28N | $0.49 | one-time |
| Airbus A380 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Boeing 787 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Chinook | $0.49 | one-time |
| Concorde | $0.49 | one-time |
| Douglas DC-3 | $0.49 | one-time |
| F-16C | $0.49 | one-time |
| Extra 330sc | $0.49 | one-time |
| SU-27S | $0.49 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Amazing flight simulator experience
- 🚫 No forced ads
- 🎮 Agile interface with many controls
- ✈️ Large variety of aircraft
- 🗺️ Evocative graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Most good planes cost money
- 💸 Pay to win aspect
- 🗺️ Limited maps
- 🛬 Landing on terrain can be difficult
- 💥 Unrealistic explosions on impact

**Reported bugs**

- Plane explodes when hitting a tree
- Enemy ground units lock on from too far
- Planes cannot be unlocked (network issue)
- Cannot purchase/restore plane purchases (internet connection required)
- Sun breaks the game (makes everything pink)

**Requested features**

- Add 747 400, 747 8, 777
- Add 747
- Add 777
- Add AH64 Apache
- Add cars that drive on the streets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is X free?

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

### Is Aviateur free?

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

### Which has better reviews, X or Aviateur?

Aviateur is rated higher. X averages 4.0 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Aviateur averages 4.7 from 106 ratings.

### Do X or Aviateur have ads?

Neither X nor Aviateur shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, X or Aviateur?

X ships an update fortnightly, and Aviateur every 2 months. Most recently, X was updated on September 25, 2026 and Aviateur on September 17, 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.*