Approach Control vs ATC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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.
ATC
Experience the thrill of air traffic control by issuing real clearances using your voice. Manage aircraft on the ground, in the air, and through busy airspace at authentic airports. This game is designed for aviation enthusiasts and flight simmers.
- Voice-native air traffic control
- Authentic ATC phraseology
- Ground, Tower, Approach, and Center roles
- Real-world airport simulations
- Offline voice recognition
- Career progression and premium airports
Read full descriptionHide full description
You have the mic. You have the frequency. Every aircraft is waiting on your word. ATC: Cleared for Takeoff is the voice-native air traffic control game where you don't tap buttons — you SPEAK. Issue real clearances out loud and watch pilots read them back and follow your instructions, all recognized right on your device. SPEAK LIKE A REAL CONTROLLER Key the mic and use authentic phraseology. "Cleared for takeoff." "Turn left heading two seven zero." "Contact tower." The recognizer is tuned to real ATC language and runs on your device — no internet required, and your audio is processed on your phone. WORK EVERY SEAT Move up through the tower cab and the radar room: • Ground — taxi aircraft to the runway without gridlock • Tower — sequence departures and arrivals on the runway • Approach & Departure — vector traffic through busy terminal airspace • Center — run high-altitude en-route sectors and keep jets separated REAL AIRPORTS Control traffic at faithfully laid-out real-world airports, from your first quiet field to demanding hubs. Earn your way up the career ladder, or unlock premium airports to jump straight into the deep end. BUILT FOR AVIATION FANS Whether you're a flight simmer who has always wanted to be on the OTHER side of the radio, a student pilot drilling radio calls before your first solo, or someone who loves listening to live ATC — this is the controller's chair you have been waiting for. Think you can keep them separated? Grab the mic. You're cleared for takeoff.
Screenshots
Verdict
Approach Control and ATC both sit at 2.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 36% of Approach Control's written reviews are positive against 0% of ATC's. Approach Control also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Approach Control sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and ATC sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.9 for Approach Control against 2.8 for ATC. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 10 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of Approach Control's written reviews are positive against 0% of ATC's.
Approach Control ships an update every 3 weeks, ATC every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Approach Control | ATC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (9 ratings) — better | 2.8 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 36.4% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 10 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 174 MB | 82 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Big Fat Simulations Inc. | James Payoyo |
Customer experience
Approach Control
ATC
In-app purchases
Approach Control
- Advanced$1.99
- Ninja$1.99
- Approach Control: Remastered$1.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Cornered$1.99
- Insanity$1.99
- Windy$1.99
- Pandemonium$1.99
- Gridlock$1.99
- Full Unlock$14.99
ATC
- Remove Ads$2.99
- Role Pack: Center + Clearance$4.99
- Premium — Full Roster$9.99








