Comparison

AviATC vs Flight Sim Deck

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

Head to head
About

AviATC

This app acts as a flight recorder for pilots and aviation enthusiasts, capturing ATC audio, video, and telemetry. It allows for real-time tracking of aircraft and airports, with features for post-flight debriefing and sharing flight replays for training or insurance purposes.

Highlights
  • Live ATC radio and ATIS transcription
  • Real-time aircraft and airport tracking
  • In-flight video recording (Beta)
  • Flight data recording with synced audio
  • 3D flight path and telemetry playback
  • Sharable flight replays
Features
Read full description

Listen to Live ATC. Track Every Flight. Built for pilots and aviation enthusiasts who want to listen, track, and follow the skies in real time. Tune into live ATC radio from towers across the country, watch aircraft move on a live traffic map, and read transcribed ATC and decoded airport weather — all from your phone. Save the moments worth keeping to your personal Listening Library, complete with AI summaries and searchable transcripts. Follow Airports Save your favorite airports to monitor live ATC radio, active traffic, and real-time weather with transcribed ATIS from anywhere. Listen to Live ATC Tune into ground, tower, approach, and center frequencies at airports nationwide. A live ATC scanner in your pocket. Hear the action exactly as it happens. Live Traffic Map Track aircraft in real time on an interactive map. Tap any plane to see its altitude, speed, and route as it flies. Real-Time Transcription Follow every callout as text while you listen. Catch tail numbers, clearances, and instructions even when the frequency is busy or hard to hear. Your Listening Library Save any session and come back to it later. Go Pro for AI-written summaries, fully searchable transcripts, and 30-day history — and bookmark your favorites to keep them forever. Airport Weather, Decoded Plain-English METAR and TAF briefings for any airport, plus a live radar overlay, so you always know the conditions. For Pilots and Enthusiasts Whether you're studying real-world phraseology, following traffic at your home field, or just love aviation, AviATC puts the live national airspace in your pocket. Shareable Share sessions and summaries with students, instructors, or fellow aviators for training, review, or the love of flying. Everything you save is stored privately and securely — your own record of the skies, whenever you want it. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Flight Sim Deck

This app acts as a comprehensive electronic flight bag for virtual pilots using X-Plane. It centralizes flight information, instrument displays, checklists, and weather data, transforming your device into a connected cockpit companion.

Highlights
  • Real-time instrument streaming (PFD/MFD)
  • SimBrief OFP import
  • Interactive checklists
  • METAR weather and airport database
  • FMS/WebFMC control
  • Integrated scratchpad and PDF reader
Features
Read full description

Flight Sim Deck is the essential flight companion for virtual pilots on X-Plane. Designed to replace multiple windows and third-party apps, this application transforms your device into a comprehensive and connected Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Whether you are a long-haul airline captain or a general aviation enthusiast, Flight Sim Deck centralizes everything you need for an immersive and organized flight. Key Features: High-Fidelity Instrument Streaming: Display and interact with your aircraft's Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Display (MFD) in real-time via our dedicated plugin. Advanced Themes: Enjoy immersive designs specifically for the G1000 and Embraer E-Jets (X-Crafts compatible), including texture streaming for perfect readability. SimBrief Integration: Instantly import your complete Operational Flight Plan (OFP) by simply entering your SimBrief ID. Access routes, fuel, and payloads. FMS / WebFMC Control: Enter your flight plans and manage the Flight Management Computer (CDU) directly from your tablet's touchscreen (requires WebFMC plugin for some functions). Integrated Checklists: Access a vast library of interactive checklists via SimChecklist, automatically adapted to your aircraft type. Weather & Airports: Automatic METAR retrieval for your departure and arrival airports. Includes an airport database to quickly find diversion airfields. Flight Tools: Scratchpad: Take quick notes (clearances, frequencies) directly in the app. PDF Reader: Consult your navigation charts and flight documents. Voice Announcements: Be audibly alerted to critical events (e.g., autopilot disconnect). Easy Connectivity: The app connects to X-Plane via our free "Flight Sim Deck Bridge" plugin. It supports both automatic and manual (IP/Port) connections for a stress-free setup. Note: This application requires the X-Plane 11 or 12 flight simulator on PC/Mac to operate.

Screenshots

AviATC3 screens
Flight Sim Deck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Flight Sim Deck at 5.0 against AviATC's 4.3. Flight Sim Deck also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). AviATC's advantage is ratings volume (48 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. AviATC sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Flight Sim Deck asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flight Sim Deck holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AviATC has 48 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AviATC ships an update every 5 days, Flight Sim Deck weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
AviATC versus Flight Sim Deck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAviATCFlight Sim Deck
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (48 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings48 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.215.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAviscriptjerome BENAUT

Customer experience

AviATC

All ratings48 ratings
Positive81.3%
Neutral4.2%
Negative14.6%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%

Flight Sim Deck

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

AviATC

Subscriptions2
  • AviATC Monthly$7.991 Month
  • AviATC Pro3 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$149.99
None

Flight Sim Deck

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AviATC free?
AviATC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flight Sim Deck free?
Flight Sim Deck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AviATC or Flight Sim Deck?
Flight Sim Deck is rated higher. AviATC averages 4.3 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Flight Sim Deck averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do AviATC or Flight Sim Deck have ads?
Neither AviATC nor Flight Sim Deck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AviATC or Flight Sim Deck?
AviATC ships an update every 5 days, and Flight Sim Deck weekly. Most recently, AviATC was updated on October 9, 2026 and Flight Sim Deck on October 16, 2026.

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