# On Instruments vs RFS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: On Instruments at none against RFS's 13. On Instruments also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). RFS's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (24K vs 9). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

On Instruments costs $2.99 and RFS $0.99 up front. RFS sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. On Instruments asks for nothing beyond the download.

RFS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RFS has 24K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of On Instruments's written reviews are positive against 74% of RFS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

On Instruments ships an update every 8 months, RFS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | On Instruments | RFS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | [4.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/on-instruments/id907222098/reviews) | **[4.6 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rfs-real-flight-simulator/id1444761746/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **24K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 73.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Paid** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#4** |
| Size | 13 MB | 547 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aircraft Training Aids, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/692999325) | [RORTOS SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/454802333) |

## What reviewers say

### On Instruments

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/on-instruments/id907222098)

Hone your instrument flying skills with this simulator. Navigate various courses by precisely managing heading, altitude, and airspeed. Features multiple difficulty levels, including courses with instrument failures.

**Highlights:** Instrument scanning practice, Multiple course difficulties, Heading, altitude, airspeed control, Attitude Indicator failure simulation, Score maximization

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### RFS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rfs-real-flight-simulator/id1444761746)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Paid · Racing, #38 Top Paid · Simulation, #43 Top Grossing · Racing, #86 Top Paid · Games, #125 Top Paid (US App Store)

Experience the thrill of piloting an aircraft with a realistic flight simulator. Learn takeoffs, landings, and full flights with detailed 3D cockpits and extensive airport options. Engage in multiplayer mode or try your hand at air traffic control.

**Highlights:** 60+ airplane models with 3D cockpits, 1900+ HD airports with 3D buildings, Real-time flights and weather, Multiplayer mode with global community, Air Traffic Control (ATC) game mode, Customizable liveries and airport designs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RFS Pro (1 month) | $3.99 | per month |
| RFS Pro (1 month) | $4.99 | per month |
| RFS Pro (1 month) | $5.99 | per month |
| RFS Pro (1 month) | $5.99 | per month |
| RFS Pro (6 months) | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| RFS Pro (6 month) | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| RFS Pro (1 year) | $29.99 | per year |
| RFS Pro (1 year) | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic simulation
- 🚀 Variety of aircraft and liveries
- 🚀 Affordable subscription
- 👍 Smooth controls
- 👍 Impressive graphics and 3D airports

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and disconnections
- 🐛 Autopilot and flight model issues
- 🐛 Lack of interactive cockpit features
- 🔋 Drains device battery quickly
- 💰 Limited free aircraft selection

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues when switching devices
- Runway and taxiway rendering problems
- Autopilot disconnects during long flights
- Inconsistent landing gear and reverse thrust behavior

**Requested features**

- Add more free aircraft options
- Improve ATC functionality and realism
- Implement more advanced camera views (cabin, under-wing, etc.)
- Add support for external controllers (throttle, etc.)
- Improve weather effects and turbulence simulation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is On Instruments free?

On Instruments costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RFS free?

RFS costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, On Instruments or RFS?

RFS is rated higher. On Instruments averages 4.4 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while RFS averages 4.6 from 24K ratings.

### Do On Instruments or RFS have ads?

Neither On Instruments nor RFS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, On Instruments or RFS?

On Instruments ships an update every 8 months, and RFS every 3 weeks. Most recently, On Instruments was updated on October 6, 2026 and RFS on October 18, 2026.

---

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