Comparison

Approach Control vs Flight Simulator

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

Head to head
About

Approach Control

Experience the thrill of managing air traffic in a realistic simulation. Guide passenger jets to safe landings by controlling their heading, speed, and altitude, adhering to strict separation rules. This app offers an authentic taste of air traffic control.

Highlights
  • Realistic radar simulation
  • Authentic pilot voices
  • Manage heading, speed, and altitude
  • Maintain aircraft separation
  • Simulates final approach procedures
  • Earn points for efficiency
Features
Read full description

Approach Control is a highly realistic air traffic control simulation, designed by real world air traffic controllers. It uses authentic pilot voices. This app is designed to give aviation enthusiasts a taste of the world's greatest job. The radar behavior in this app is identical to that of real-world air traffic control radar screens, utilizing a 3-second sweep that air traffic controllers are accustomed to. Much work has been done to make such a complex job fit inside the palm of your hand. You are the approach controller whose job is to manage arriving passenger jets at various busy airports. Establish arriving aircraft onto 'final approach' as safely and efficiently as possible. As in the real world of ATC, you must walk a very fine line between being cautious and being expeditious. A top notch air traffic controller knows how to bring planes in 'tight', without breaking the 'three mile rule'. Keep all aircraft at least THREE MILES apart or at least 1000 FEET VERTICALLY apart. That's your job in a nutshell! Earn extra points by establishing the planes onto final approach without extra wasted space. Air traffic controlling is achieved by assigning a mixture of three things: HEADING, SPEED, and ALTITUDE. Use these three tools to achieve safety and efficiency. A successful air traffic controller must remain CALM, COOL and COLLECTED, known as the 'three C's'. Who knows, you may one day use these skills and apply for a real ATC job! Find out why real-world air traffic controllers have nerves of steel.

About

Flight Simulator

Experience the thrill of aviation with a realistic flight simulator. Engage in diverse missions, fly various aircraft, and master challenging flight scenarios. Offers customizable controls for an immersive piloting experience.

Highlights
  • Realistic flight scenarios
  • Exciting missions (takeoffs, landings, cargo, rescue)
  • Diverse aircraft selection
  • Customizable controls (joystick/button)
  • Multiple game modes
Features
Read full description

Take to the skies with the most immersive flight simulator on the App Store. This isn't just one of many airplane games; it's a detailed plane simulator game that puts you in the cockpit of over 10 unique aircraft. Whether you're a casual gamer or an aspiring jet pilot, you can experience the thrill of real flying games for free, with full offline play available. BEGIN YOUR PILOT CAREER Start as a new flight pilot and master the art of aviation. This aeroplane simulation features intuitive, smooth controls and stunning HD graphics. Get familiar with the cockpit, learn from the tower, execute perfect takeoffs, and make safe landings at a variety of airports. Earn your virtual wings and build your own airline empire. YOUR AIRCRAFT FLEET AWAITS Command a diverse fleet of over 10 planes and jets with realistic physics. Pilot real-life aircraft from iconic Airbus and Boeing airliners to nimble Learjets, Turboprops, and powerful Supersonic Jets. You can also take control of military icons and air force fighter jets. This is the definitive realistic airplanes games experience. DIVERSE MISSIONS & REALISTIC CHALLENGES Test your flying skills with a variety of objectives in this aeroplane game: - Takeoff & Landing Mastery: Execute flawless flights and navigate busy airspace. - Emergency Scenarios: Can you handle a crisis? Face sensor failures, engine malfunctions, landing gear issues, and challenging weather like wind, turbulence, and fog. - Pilot Progression: Complete missions to earn your virtual pilot license and grow your airline. IMMERSIVE 3D WORLD Explore a detailed world with high-definition satellite imagery, realistic topography, and accurately modeled runways. From fully rendered 3D cockpits to responsive flight controls, this free flight pilot simulator game 3d offers a premium experience. CUSTOMIZE YOUR FLEET Make your aircraft stand out. This infinite flight simulator games experience lets you change the livery of every plane in your hangar. WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS FLIGHT SIM - 100% FREE & OFFLINE: Play anytime, anywhere. No Wi-Fi needed for this plane flying games experience. - MASSIVE PLANE VARIETY: From airliners to fighter jets, there's an aircraft for every mission. - AUTHENTIC SIMULATION: Experience the world of RFS and aerofly in a game that perfectly balances realism and fun. - FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS: Whether you're a veteran of jet pilot games or new to aero plane games, this is the perfect inflight pilot game. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS (VIP MEMBERSHIP) Upgrade to VIP Membership to enhance your flight experience with premium access. VIP Benefits Include: • No Forced Ads: Enjoy uninterrupted flight sessions. • All Planes Unlocked: Access the entire fleet, including Supersonic Jets, Airbus, and Military Fighters. Subscription Options: • Weekly Subscription: $14.99 (Includes a 3-Day Free Trial) Important Information Regarding Subscriptions: • Payment will be charged to your Apple ID Account upon confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the stated cost. • You can manage and cancel subscriptions at any time by going to your Account Settings in the App Store after purchase. • Free Trial Terms: Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy & Terms: We value your privacy. By using this app, you agree to the following policies: • Privacy Policy: https://supercodegames.com/policies/privacy-policy • Terms of Service (EULA): https://supercodegames.com/policies/terms-of-service Ready for Takeoff? Download Flight Simulator - Plane Games now and prove you have what it takes to be the best fighter jet pilot in the sky.

Screenshots

Approach Control4 screens
Flight Simulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Flight Simulator at 4.1 against Approach Control's 3.2. Flight Simulator also leads on ratings volume (760 vs 18). Approach Control's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Approach Control sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Flight Simulator sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flight Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flight Simulator has 760 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of Approach Control's written reviews are positive against 39% of Flight Simulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Approach Control ships an update every 2 weeks, Flight Simulator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Approach Control versus Flight Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterApproach ControlFlight Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (18 ratings)4.1 (760 ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.6% of reviews — better39.3% of reviews
Number of ratings18760 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS6.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB160 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBig Fat Simulations Inc.Supercode Games

Customer experience

Approach Control

All ratings18 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral11.1%
Negative38.9%
Written reviews73 reviews
Positive46.6%
Neutral15.1%
Negative38.4%

Flight Simulator

All ratings760 ratings
Positive78.9%
Neutral7.0%
Negative14.1%
Written reviews117 reviews
Positive39.3%
Neutral8.5%
Negative52.1%

User reviews

Approach Control

From 18 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Realistic feel
  • 👍 Good for passing time
  • 👍 Challenging gameplay
  • 👍 Addictive
  • 👍 Professional interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Game freezes
  • 🐛 Does not save progress
  • 🐛 Lacks realism in procedures
  • 🐛 Limited space for traffic

Flight Simulator

From 760 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Intuitive controls
  • 👍 Great graphics
  • 🚀 Fun and engaging gameplay
  • 👍 Easy to learn

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitches and crashes
  • 💰 Excessive ads
  • 💰 In-app purchases required
  • 🐛 Poor controls and physics

Bugs and requests

Approach Control

Reported bugs

60 issues
  • Game ends without user awareness
  • End game screen broken
  • Try again/replay button doesn't work
  • Game feels like crashing
  • Game is frozen
Show 55 more
  • Close app and re-launch needed
  • Loss of previous gameplay
  • Broke sep on aircraft over 30degrees
  • Diverting or paths won't intercept
  • Scores won't reset
  • Glitches
  • Crashes
  • Scores won't reset
  • Crashes a lot
  • Doesn't save the score
  • Crashes after playing for 10 mins or longer
  • Crashes on both iPad and iPhone
  • Doesn't save your game
  • Lose all your progress
  • 4x3 aspect ratio in a 16x9 world
  • Crashes regularly after prolonged play
  • Behaving funny on paid level
  • Basically unplayable on paid level
  • Game bugs
  • Frequently crashing when selecting a target
  • Issues with altitude
  • Errors aren't detected
  • Better ATC apps available
  • Crashes after 8-12 minutes of gameplay
  • Lose all my progress
  • Game over problem
  • Force quit the game after each game
  • Blank screens and nothing comes up
  • Stopped working following iOS8 upgrade
  • Doesn't work on iOS8
  • App stopped working following iOS8 upgrade
  • Deleted and reinstalled to no avail
  • Not working on iOS 8
  • Black screen on iPad Air running 8
  • App won't even open
  • Just a blank screen
  • Was a fun game back when it worked
  • Separated my planes over 1000' as stated yet it says that I haven't
  • Takes a life off me until the game ends
  • Deleted as a waste of time
  • Completely non-compatible with iOS multitasking
  • Once you switch to another app for more than a few minutes, the game would restart
  • All scores reset
  • Quite annoying
  • Game crashes and freezes continually
  • Have to start all over again
  • Stats aren't recorded
  • Start with 203 landings and 'n' number of strikes
  • Doesn't keep your game score
  • If you pause the game and turn off the phone you loose your game score
  • Effort of over an hour being wasted
  • No facility for your high scores to be saved and displayed
  • If you end a game by getting '3 strikes' and start a new one, you start with the previous games stats
  • Good but judgemental
  • Some times this man comes up and starts giving you tips and assigns blame

Requested features

33 requests
  • Random VFR traffic
  • Varying runway alignment
  • More traffic
  • Two runways or more
  • Departures
Show 28 more
  • Real airports (JFK, KLAX)
  • Clear for ILS only in localizer
  • Real airlines with callsigns
  • New scenarios
  • Adjust passage of time (faster/slower)
  • Dual airport
  • More variety of planes
  • Save option
  • Ability for time shifting
  • More interesting progression
  • More features (bigger map, real movements, traffic)
  • Choose different airports
  • Vectors to direct planes
  • Details about planes
  • More space to sequence
  • Basic aircraft data (light, medium, heavy)
  • Space according to wake turbulence
  • Divergence rules
  • Diverging courses
  • Different planes
  • Different approach categories
  • Dogleg right approaches
  • Save game
  • Spacing of 3 miles instead of 6 miles
  • Pause game and turn off phone
  • High scores saved and displayed
  • Voice option
  • Separation rings

Flight Simulator

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Glitching audio
  • Frequent crashes
  • Unresponsive controls
  • Incorrect plane behavior (e.g., banking issues)

Requested features

4 requests
  • More aircraft and mission variety
  • Free flight mode
  • Improved physics and controls
  • Reduced ads or paid ad-free option

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Approach Control

One-time5
  • Airport 2$1.99
  • Airport 3$1.99
  • Airport 4$1.99
Show 2 more
  • Level 5$1.99
  • Level 6$1.99
10 purchases

Flight Simulator

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Weekly$14.997 Days
One-time9
  • Handful of Cash$0.99
  • Unlock All The Missions$4.99
  • Bag of Cash$4.99
Show 6 more
  • Briefcase of Cash$9.99
  • RemoveAds$9.99
  • Vault of Cash$14.99
  • Unlock All The Aircrafts$14.99
  • Unlock all Levels$14.99
  • Unlock Everything$34.99

Questions

Is Approach Control free?
Approach Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flight Simulator free?
Flight Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Approach Control or Flight Simulator?
Flight Simulator is rated higher. Approach Control averages 3.2 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Flight Simulator averages 4.1 from 760 ratings.
Do Approach Control or Flight Simulator have ads?
Flight Simulator shows ads; Approach Control does not.
Which is updated more often, Approach Control or Flight Simulator?
Approach Control ships an update every 2 weeks, and Flight Simulator every 2 months. Most recently, Approach Control was updated on October 10, 2026 and Flight Simulator on October 14, 2026.

Other comparisons