# RCS vs Approach Control

The clearest difference is price: Approach Control at Free against RCS's $0.99. Approach Control also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). RCS's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 2.9) and review sentiment (53% vs 36%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Approach Control is free to download; RCS costs $0.99 up front. RCS sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Approach Control sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

RCS holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RCS has 94 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of RCS's written reviews are positive against 36% of Approach Control's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RCS | Approach Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rcs-real-combat-simulator/id6738282698/reviews)** | [2.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/approach-control-remastered/id6756545492/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **94** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **53.2% of reviews** | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#26** | — |
| Size | 648 MB | 174 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RORTOS SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/454802333) | [Big Fat Simulations Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/578114758) |

## What reviewers say

### RCS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rcs-real-combat-simulator/id6738282698)

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Paid · Racing, #184 Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)

Experience realistic military flight combat with modern fighter jets. Master takeoffs, landings, and engage in intense air-to-air and air-to-ground battles across global locations. Create custom missions and compete in real-time multiplayer.

**Highlights:** Pilot modern fighter jets, Realistic flight physics, Air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, Global airports and airbases, Interactive tutorials, Mission editor, Real-time multiplayer

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RCS Pro (1 month) | $5.99 | per month |
| RCS Pro (6 months) | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| RCS Pro (1 year) | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great graphics and realistic features
- 🚀 Highly detailed scenery and airports
- 👍 Passionate development team

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Limited features in paid version
- 🐛 Clunky UI
- 🎮 Overly sensitive controls

**Reported bugs**

- Multiplayer is hard to play
- Constant crashing and freezing issues

**Requested features**

- Add camera views for launched weapons
- Add a camera view for the target
- Add a padlock camera view
- Add the ability to eject from the airplane
- Add flyable bombers


### Approach Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/approach-control-remastered/id6756545492)

Experience a realistic air traffic control simulation with genuine ATC procedures and pilot voice recordings. Make critical decisions under pressure, manage traffic across 10 unique sectors, and test your skills with challenging scenarios. Includes training modules and career tracking.

**Highlights:** Realistic radar simulation, Genuine ATC procedures, Actual pilot voice recordings, 10 unique approach sectors, 10 ATC challenges, In-built training modules, Career statistics and trophy case

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ninja | $1.99 | one-time |
| Approach Control: Remastered | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cornered | $1.99 | one-time |
| Insanity | $1.99 | one-time |
| Windy | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pandemonium | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gridlock | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full Unlock | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RCS free?

RCS costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Approach Control free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RCS or Approach Control?

RCS is rated higher. RCS averages 4.1 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while Approach Control averages 2.9 from 9 ratings.

### Do RCS or Approach Control have ads?

Neither RCS nor Approach Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RCS or Approach Control?

RCS ships an update every 3 weeks, and Approach Control every 3 weeks. Most recently, RCS was updated on November 4, 2026 and Approach Control on November 3, 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.*