# IFR Flight Trainer Simulator vs Flight School Apps

The clearest difference is rating: Flight School Apps at 5.0 against IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's 3.9. Flight School Apps also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 82%). IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's advantage is ratings volume (76 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IFR Flight Trainer Simulator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Flight School Apps sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Flight School Apps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IFR Flight Trainer Simulator has 76 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Flight School Apps's.

IFR Flight Trainer Simulator ships an update every 3 months, Flight School Apps fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IFR Flight Trainer Simulator | Flight School Apps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifr-flight-trainer-simulator/id901798935/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-school-apps/id1550424999/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **76** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 81.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 155 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flygo-Aviation Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/550770776) | [Aircraft Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499571546) |

## What reviewers say

### IFR Flight Trainer Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifr-flight-trainer-simulator/id901798935)

Practice instrument flight rules (IFR) navigation with this simulator. Learn and improve IFR procedures, including VOR, NDB, and holding patterns. Offers cockpit and map modes with adjustable wind and built-in tasks for comprehensive pilot training.

**Highlights:** Cockpit and map modes, VOR, NDB, DME, HSI, EHSI, RMI instruments, Approach procedure practice, Adjustable wind settings, Holding pattern simulation, Custom scenario creation, Built-in training tasks

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IFR Simulator Half Price | $11.99 | one-time |
| IFR Simulator Unlock | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface and intuitive controls
- 🎓 Excellent learning tool for IFR training and instrument procedures
- 🎮 Comprehensive customization options (wind, runway, conditions)
- 📊 Dual view modes (cockpit and map/plan view)
- 🎯 Realistic flight modeling and aerodynamics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive monetization with limited free trial
- ⏱️ Unreasonably short trial period (3-5 minutes)
- 🔒 Paywall blocks most features in free version
- 🎯 Unrealistic immediate heading changes (no standard rate turns)
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and stability issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after short usage periods
- Heading indicator gets stuck causing continuous turning
- HSI radials appear to be offset or incorrect
- DME distance calculations may be inaccurate (slant range issue)
- Task completion triggers before reaching waypoints

**Requested features**

- Standard rate turn simulation for realistic intercepts and holdings
- LOC (Localizer) mode for HSI reverse sensing practice
- Fixed-card ADF instrument option
- Adjustable turn rate settings to match different aircraft
- Error feedback display showing incorrect flight paths


### Flight School Apps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-school-apps/id1550424999)

This app provides supplemental pilot training materials for various aircraft, including Cessna, Citation, Piper, and more. It offers study tools for written exams, oral exams, and general aviation knowledge, with options for flashcards, quizzes, and memory items.

**Highlights:** Aircraft system study tools, Flashcards and quizzes, Memory item study, Aircraft limitations study, Worldwide weather and flight planning, Custom flashcard maker, Aircraft conversion calculator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wyandotte Aviation School | Free | one-time |
| MindCoach: Mental Health | Free | one-time |
| N75743 (C172N) | $9.99 | one-time |
| N61658 (C172M) | $9.99 | one-time |
| N61813 (C172M) | $9.99 | one-time |
| N73477 (C172M) | $9.99 | one-time |
| N73192 (C172M) | $9.99 | one-time |
| N61628 (C172M) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Beechcraft Musketeer Sport B19 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Cessna C172N | $19.99 | one-time |
| Cessna C152 | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IFR Flight Trainer Simulator free?

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

### Is Flight School Apps free?

Flight School Apps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or Flight School Apps?

Flight School Apps is rated higher. IFR Flight Trainer Simulator averages 3.9 out of 5 from 76 ratings, while Flight School Apps averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or Flight School Apps have ads?

Neither IFR Flight Trainer Simulator nor Flight School Apps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or Flight School Apps?

IFR Flight Trainer Simulator ships an update every 3 months, and Flight School Apps fortnightly. Most recently, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator was updated on October 20, 2026 and Flight School Apps on October 12, 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.*