# Holdings vs IFR Flight Simulator

The clearest difference is price: IFR Flight Simulator at Free against Holdings's $2.99. IFR Flight Simulator also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.8) and review sentiment (65% vs 29%). Holdings's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

IFR Flight Simulator is free to download; Holdings costs $2.99 up front. IFR Flight Simulator sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Holdings asks for nothing beyond the download.

IFR Flight Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IFR Flight Simulator has 106 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of Holdings's written reviews are positive against 65% of IFR Flight Simulator's.

Holdings ships an update every 12 months, IFR Flight Simulator every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Holdings | IFR Flight Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holdings/id884451875/reviews) | **[4.3 (106 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifr-flight-simulator/id6444241915/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **106** |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | **64.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 3 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oliver Puetz](https://appshunter.io/developer/808632167) | [Tobias Maihoff](https://appshunter.io/developer/1653306504) |

## What reviewers say

### Holdings

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holdings/id884451875)

Practice aviation holding patterns with interactive visualizations. Covers entries, briefings, and actual holding with timing and wind corrections. Ideal for flight students and experienced pilots to maintain proficiency.

**Highlights:** Interactive holding pattern visualization, Practice entries with course and timing, Complete holding briefings, Actual holding practice with wind corrections, Altitude assignment decisions, Aircraft perspective and overview map

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### IFR Flight Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifr-flight-simulator/id6444241915)

This aviation simulator helps pilots master IFR procedures and prepare for instrument ratings. Practice holdings, intercepts, and approaches with realistic flight simulation and navigation tools on your phone. Ideal for student and experienced pilots seeking convenient, effective training.

**Highlights:** Realistic aviation training, Worldwide flight navigation database, Comprehensive training modes, Real-time flight simulator, Integrated autopilot, Optimal holding entry path overlay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Full Access | $59.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $79.99 | per year |
| SALE % Pro \| One-Time Purchase | $49.99 | one-time |
| SALE % Pro \| One-Time Purchase | $84.99 | one-time |
| Pro Access \| One-Time Purchase | $169.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Holdings free?

Holdings costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IFR Flight Simulator free?

IFR Flight Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Holdings or IFR Flight Simulator?

IFR Flight Simulator is rated higher. Holdings averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while IFR Flight Simulator averages 4.3 from 106 ratings.

### Do Holdings or IFR Flight Simulator have ads?

Neither Holdings nor IFR Flight Simulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Holdings or IFR Flight Simulator?

Holdings ships an update every 12 months, and IFR Flight Simulator every 5 days. Most recently, Holdings was updated on October 24, 2026 and IFR Flight Simulator on October 25, 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.*