Comparison

Approach Control vs Busy ATC

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 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
Read full description

Work real approach radar. Make real decisions. Feel the pressure. Approach Control: Remastered is a highly realistic air traffic control simulation designed by real-world air traffic controllers. It delivers an authentic radar-control experience using genuine ATC procedures and actual pilot voice recordings. It's a game, but it feels very real. The radar behaves exactly like real approach control radar, including a true 3-second sweep used by professional controllers, plus actual ICAO separation and wake turbulence standards. Every element is designed to replicate how controllers scan, think, and manage traffic in real time, all within a clean, intuitive interface built for mobile. Control traffic in 10 unique approach sectors, each with its own localizer configuration and arrival entry points. Put your skills to the test with 10 ATC challenges that demand precision, planning, and calm decision-making under pressure. Train Like a Controller. New to air traffic control? Built-in Ground School and guided on-the-job training teach you the fundamentals step-by-step, preparing you for increasingly complex traffic scenarios. Track Your Career. Career statistics and a trophy case track your progress, performance, and long-term achievements as an approach controller. If you love flight simulation, try an air traffic control simulation. Approach Control: Remastered delivers one of the most authentic ATC experiences available on mobile.

About

Busy ATC

Features
Read full description

You've got the tower, Controller. Busy ATC is a warm-hearted air-traffic time-management game. Tap a plane, pick its runway, park it at the gate, and send it off again. Then keep that up for a whole parade of planes at once. LAND • LOAD • LAUNCH • 84 hand-tuned shifts across 8 airports, from sleepy Stevens Point Municipal to Aurora Polar International • Real weather works against you: snow buries runways, sea fog rolls in, desert dust gusts rattle your traffic. Plan around it, or buy the gear that beats it. • Build out every airport in the shop: gates, runways, hold over spaces, a paint shop, fuel trucks, arrivals boards and more • Color-match planes to gates, chain landing combos, chase Early departures • Earn Bronze, Silver and Gold Wings on every shift. Sweep Gold and be named Controller of the Year. • Game Center: chase 11 achievements and climb the Career Score leaderboard • Premium, not pushy: no ads, no energy timers, no consumables. Three airports are free, and two one-time purchases unlock the rest of the career. Night shifts under runway lights. Helicopters that land right at the gate. Supersonic darts with passengers who wait for no one. VIP stands, commendations, and a promotion certificate with your name on it. Clear every plane before time runs out and keep the parade moving. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Approach Control4 screens
Busy ATC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Busy ATC at every 4 days against Approach Control's every 3 weeks. Approach Control's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Approach Control sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Busy ATC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Approach Control ships an update every 3 weeks, Busy ATC every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Approach Control versus Busy ATC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterApproach ControlBusy ATC
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size174 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBig Fat Simulations Inc.Vertolini

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Approach Control

One-time9
  • Advanced$1.99
  • Ninja$1.99
  • Approach Control: Remastered$1.99
Show 6 more
  • Cornered$1.99
  • Insanity$1.99
  • Windy$1.99
  • Pandemonium$1.99
  • Gridlock$1.99
  • Full Unlock$14.99
2 purchases

Busy ATC

One-time2
  • Polar Finale$2.99
  • Career Pack$4.99

Questions

Is Approach Control free?
Approach Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Busy ATC free?
Busy ATC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Approach Control or Busy ATC have ads?
Neither Approach Control nor Busy ATC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Approach Control or Busy ATC?
Approach Control ships an update every 3 weeks, and Busy ATC every 4 days. Most recently, Approach Control was updated on September 20, 2026 and Busy ATC on September 18, 2026.

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