# Airplane! vs Flight Simulator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Airplane! at 76% against Flight Simulator's 18%. Airplane! also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.1) and monetization model (freemium vs paid). Flight Simulator's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Airplane! sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Flight Simulator sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Airplane! holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.4K and 4.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Airplane!'s written reviews are positive against 18% of Flight Simulator's.

Airplane! ships an update every 3 months, Flight Simulator fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Airplane! | Flight Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (5.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airplane/id692594090/reviews)** | [4.1 (4.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-simulator-world/id1605579522/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.4K** | 4.7K |
| Positive reviews | **75.9% of reviews** | 17.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 380 MB | 2.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Quantum Design Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/419048022) | [Sir Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504136162) |

## What reviewers say

### Airplane!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airplane/id692594090)

Pilot your own aircraft, delivering cargo and passengers between airports. Experience the thrill of flight without extensive training. Unlock all game content with a premium subscription.

**Highlights:** Pilot your own plane, Deliver cargo and passengers, Fly between airports, Unlock full game content, Multiple languages supported

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

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 737 Passenger | $0.99 | one-time |
| B2 Spirit | $0.99 | one-time |
| X45 UAV | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Aircraft 53 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Aircraft 93 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Aircraft 84 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Aircraft 90 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Aircraft | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Aircraft 27 | $0.99 | one-time |
| C17 Cargo | $1.99 | one-time |
| F18 Hornet | $1.99 | one-time |
| Harrier | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mig29 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 747 Passenger | $3.99 | one-time |
| Storm level | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock San Francisco | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Frankfurt | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Seattle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Military Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Aircraft | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Variety of aircraft to fly
- ✨ Nostalgic and fun experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💰 Excessive in-app purchases required
- 🛫 Unrealistic flight mechanics and physics

**Reported bugs**

- Airports disappearing from the map
- Planes exploding on landing
- Restore purchases not working

**Requested features**

- More free or unlockable aircraft
- Improved graphics and visual effects
- Realistic landing and takeoff mechanics
- Ability to fly between different locations


### Flight Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-simulator-world/id1605579522)

Experience realistic airplane flying with high-resolution graphics and cutting-edge AI. Master various flying skills through numerous missions, from basic takeoffs to advanced rescue and combat scenarios. Become a seasoned pilot through challenging events.

**Highlights:** Realistic airplane flight simulation, High-resolution graphics, AI-powered scenarios, Diverse mission types (takeoff, landing, rescue, air race), Pilot skill progression, Challenging commander events

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100.000 Coin | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lockhead Martin F-35 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Game | $1.99 | one-time |
| 500.000 Coin | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Airboss Belluga XLA330 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Airboss A380 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 5.000.000 Coin | $9.99 | one-time |
| Sukoi S27 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 10.000.000 Coin | $17.99 | one-time |
| Fighter Jet Package | $19.99 | one-time |
| Passenger Package | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic graphics
- 💡 Variety of planes
- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💰 Pay-to-play model
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🔒 Lack of online functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Planes crashing on landing
- Compass not working properly
- Rescue mission not functioning
- Night mode causing black screen

**Requested features**

- More planes and airports
- Improved flight physics and controls
- Online multiplayer mode
- Customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Airplane! free?

Airplane! 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, Airplane! or Flight Simulator?

Airplane! is rated higher. Airplane! averages 4.3 out of 5 from 5.4K ratings, while Flight Simulator averages 4.1 from 4.7K ratings.

### Do Airplane! or Flight Simulator have ads?

Neither Airplane! nor Flight Simulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Airplane! or Flight Simulator?

Airplane! ships an update every 3 months, and Flight Simulator fortnightly. Most recently, Airplane! was updated on October 19, 2026 and Flight Simulator on October 18, 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.*