# Airlines Manager vs OptiFlight

The clearest difference is ads: OptiFlight at none against Airlines Manager's shown. OptiFlight also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 68%). Airlines Manager's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 1.3K). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Airlines Manager sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and OptiFlight 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 — 4.6 for Airlines Manager against 4.6 for OptiFlight. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Airlines Manager has 22K ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Airlines Manager's written reviews are positive against 78% of OptiFlight's.

Airlines Manager ships an update every 5 weeks, OptiFlight every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Airlines Manager | OptiFlight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airlines-manager-plane-tycoon/id823481079/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optiflight/id1490464625/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | 67.8% of reviews | **78.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 506 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Playrion](https://appshunter.io/developer/460015248) | [Krish Suchdev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1378468452) |

## What reviewers say

### Airlines Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airlines-manager-plane-tycoon/id823481079)

Build and manage your own airline empire in this realistic aviation simulation game. Set up flight routes, customize aircraft, and compete with other players worldwide. Experience monthly challenges and regular updates inspired by real-world aviation.

**Highlights:** Manage airline fleet, 2700+ airports worldwide, 200+ airplane models, Real-time flight monitoring, Custom aircraft liveries, Research & development center, Player-to-player plane trading

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AM Gold (Monthly, Pro Mode) | $5.99 | per month |
| AM Gold (Monthly, Tycoon Mode) | $5.99 | per month |
| La Tirelire | $1.99 | one-time |
| La Petite Paire | $1.99 | one-time |
| Le Baluchon | $3.99 | one-time |
| La Paire | $3.99 | one-time |
| La Banane | $9.99 | one-time |
| Rio Challenge Pack Big | $9.99 | one-time |
| Le Deck | $12.99 | one-time |
| Pack Promotionel | $15.99 | one-time |
| The Safe | $17.99 | one-time |
| Special Event Pack | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic and detailed
- 🚀 Immersive airline management experience
- 👍 Customizable liveries and branding
- 👍 Engaging progression and challenges
- 👍 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connectivity issues
- 🐛 Glitches with maintenance and financial tracking
- 💰 Aggressive monetization through ads and in-app purchases
- ⏱️ Slow progression and repetitive gameplay
- 🤔 Confusing interface and lack of guidance

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect airport and route information
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Unexplained loss of progress and saved data
- Maintenance and delivery timers not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to lease/rent out aircraft
- More customization options for airports and lounges
- Seasonal demand fluctuations and weather events
- Improved route planning and scheduling tools
- Subsidiary/low-cost airline management


### OptiFlight

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optiflight/id1490464625)

Design intricate flight networks to connect cities and guide passengers efficiently. Adapt your routes to dynamic events like airport rushes and closures across over 350 themed levels. Test your strategic planning skills in historical, present-day, and weather-simulated scenarios.

**Highlights:** Design flight networks, Create historical flight maps, Simulate inclement weather, Use real-world cities, 350+ levels, Analyze in-game statistics, Compete on leaderboards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.00 | one-time |
| OptiFlight Expansion | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $5.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Airlines Manager free?

Airlines Manager is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is OptiFlight free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Airlines Manager or OptiFlight?

Airlines Manager is rated higher. Airlines Manager averages 4.6 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while OptiFlight averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Airlines Manager or OptiFlight have ads?

Airlines Manager shows ads; OptiFlight does not.

### Which is updated more often, Airlines Manager or OptiFlight?

Airlines Manager ships an update every 5 weeks, and OptiFlight every 6 weeks. Most recently, Airlines Manager was updated on November 1, 2026 and OptiFlight on October 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*