# X vs AirFMC

The clearest difference is price: X at Free against AirFMC's $19.99. X also leads on ratings volume (25K vs 15) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). AirFMC's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and review sentiment (78% vs 58%). On rating, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

X is free to download; AirFMC costs $19.99 up front. X sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. AirFMC asks for nothing beyond the download.

AirFMC holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: X has 25K ratings behind it against 15, 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 78% of AirFMC's.

X ships an update fortnightly, AirFMC every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | X | AirFMC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-plane-flight-simulator/id566661426/reviews) | **[4.2 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airfmc/id773310905/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 58.2% of reviews | **77.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 1.0 GB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laminar Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/290619948) | [Joao Cabral](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823274975) |

## 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


### AirFMC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airfmc/id773310905)

Enhance your flight simulator experience with a portable, wireless CDU interface. Control your flight management system from your tablet, freeing up your main screen for scenic views. Supports a wide range of popular aircraft and FMC systems for X-Plane and MSFS 2020.

**Highlights:** Wireless CDU control, Portable tablet interface, Frees up main simulator screen, Supports X-Plane and MSFS 2020, Wide aircraft compatibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is X free?

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

### Is AirFMC free?

AirFMC costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

AirFMC is rated higher. X averages 4.0 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while AirFMC averages 4.2 from 15 ratings.

### Do X or AirFMC have ads?

Neither X nor AirFMC shows ads.

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

X ships an update fortnightly, and AirFMC every 6 weeks. Most recently, X was updated on October 26, 2026 and AirFMC on October 19, 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.*