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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Planes Live

35
User verdict / 100 High confidence In trouble

Planes Live, once a highly-rated flight tracker, is currently experiencing a significant negative trajectory due to a recent shift towards aggressive monetization, making the free version nearly unusable with excessive ads and paywalls, while also suffering from data inaccuracies and functional bugs.

4.6★ lifetime (93,103) Free + in-app purchases since 2016 by Mosaic S.r.l. updated 2.2 mo ago recent negative 61% 120 reviews across 4 regions
Monetization & Ads Data Accuracy Bugs & Performance User Experience & Design Customer Support
5★296
4★43
3★55
2★86
1★520
recent reviews across 4 regions, vs the 4.6★ lifetime average

Planes Live is a flight tracking app that has seen a sharp decline in user satisfaction due to a recent update that heavily pushes subscriptions and integrates numerous intrusive ads into the free version. Users report issues with data accuracy, app functionality, and a frustrating user experience, despite some acknowledging its past utility and detailed information when it works.

What users like

  • Provides detailed and accurate real-time flight information when functioning correctlyR94R100R102R116
  • Easy to use and intuitive interface for tracking family flightsR91R98R113R115
  • Offers a comprehensive view of planes around the worldR104R151

What users complain about

  • Free version is almost unusable due to an overwhelming number of intrusive ads and constant subscription promptsR2R3R4R8
  • Flight data is frequently inaccurate, showing incorrect locations, statuses, or missing flights entirelyR1R11R25R33
  • Subscription costs are considered excessively high, with some users reporting charges of $5-10 per week or $100 per yearR6R13R14R19
  • Users report issues with the 'free trial' system, including being charged prematurely or difficulty canceling subscriptionsR16R24R28R31
  • App experiences bugs such as freezing, slow loading, and notifications not workingR2R36R60R87
  • Some users dislike the new app layout and missing features like plane images or dark modeR10R18R26R99
  • Customer support is reported to be unresponsive or unhelpfulR1R57
  • Concerns about inappropriate adult ads appearing in the free versionR5

Latest update · v3.10.58

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

We fixed a few bugs and made the new user experience even more amazing!

Recurring themes

Monetization & Ads negative
Many users complain that the app has become unusable in its free version due to an excessive number of intrusive ads and constant prompts to subscribe. The subscription cost is perceived as too high, with reports of $5-10 per week or $100 per year. Users feel the app has shifted from a useful free tool to a 'bait and switch' tactic, making them switch to alternatives.R2R3R4R6
Data Accuracy negative
A significant number of recent reviews highlight issues with flight data accuracy. Users report planes not showing up, incorrect flight paths, delayed status not being reflected, and planes appearing to have landed when still in the air. This directly contradicts the app's core purpose.R1R11R25R33
Bugs & Performance negative
Users frequently mention various bugs, including the app freezing, slow loading times for flight information, and notifications failing to work. Some also note issues with the map tracker not consistently displaying planes or showing them in the wrong direction.R2R36R60R87
User Experience & Design mixed
While some users appreciate the app's detailed information and ease of use, others express dissatisfaction with recent changes to the layout, missing features like plane images or dark mode, and an overall clunky interface. The constant interruption by ads also severely degrades the user experience.R10R18R26R99
Customer Support negative
A few reviews indicate poor customer support, with users reporting bounced emails, unhelpful responses, or difficulty getting a response to issues like missing data or billing problems.R1R57

Who it's for

This app is for users who are willing to pay a premium subscription for real-time flight tracking, provided the reported accuracy issues are resolved R100R113. It is NOT for users seeking a free or low-cost flight tracker, or those who prioritize data accuracy and a smooth, ad-free experience R3R274.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative, which contrasts sharply with the high lifetime rating. This suggests a significant decline in quality or user satisfaction following recent updates, particularly concerning monetization strategies and data accuracy. The developer's notes mention 'fixed a few bugs and made the new user experience even more amazing!' which directly contradicts the widespread user reports of new bugs, freezing, and a degraded user experience due to ads and paywalls.

Frequently asked

Is Planes Live free to use?
While Planes Live offers a free version, recent reviews indicate it is almost unusable due to constant, intrusive ads and frequent prompts to subscribe R2R3R12R274.
How much does a Planes Live subscription cost?
Users report subscription costs ranging from $5 to $10 per week, or approximately $100 per year, which many consider to be excessively expensive R6R35R39R205.
Is the flight tracking information accurate?
Recent reviews frequently report issues with data accuracy, including missing flights, incorrect flight paths, and inaccurate arrival/departure times, despite some users finding it accurate in the past R1R11R25R33.
Are there many ads in the app?
Yes, numerous recent reviews state that the free version of the app is overwhelmed with ads, making it difficult to use and often freezing the application R2R3R4R8.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R94] 5/5 · US Accurate: The most accurate flight info I’ve ever seen
  2. [R100] 5/5 · US Great app!!: Great how it’s integrated with the airlines and gives accurate info in real time. Love it so far!
  3. [R102] 5/5 · US Great App: It’s an amazing app because it tells you when the planes are moving at what speed and altitude and I just got it to track my sisters flight but WOW!!!
  4. [R116] 5/5 · US Detailed and Accurate Updates: Recommend it.
  5. [R91] 5/5 · US Flight Nz1: Very easy to track flight
  6. [R98] 5/5 · US Happy mom: I’m loving being able to keep up with my children’s flight in their small plane.
  7. [R113] 5/5 · US Perfect: I can follow my family flying!! Awesome ! ETA and other things … have too many informations !
  8. [R115] 5/5 · US Well designed app!: I use this app to keep me current on family travels - makes coordinating transportation so much more efficient. Very easy to use - intuitive. Good stuff!
  9. [R104] 5/5 · US A good app to have: It does cost money but you can press x to get out and you get to see planes round the world and it showes it like a gps would that makes it easy for you to go to places and you can go to airport and you can see planes around you.
  10. [R151] 5/5 · US Great app!!: You can see almost every plane in the world with this. For free! Love this app.
  11. [R2] 1/5 · US Now useless: The free app is now worse than useless, a complete waste of time. Nothing but constant ads and even when not ads, frequently freezes.
  12. [R3] 2/5 · US Was a good app before, now not so much: Was good app before, then they turned it into having to pay for a plan. If you don’t pay, the free version is almost unusable. Rarely use it now, I’ve switched to other flight tracking apps.
  13. [R4] 1/5 · US Once great, now just spam: Just a big spam app now. Avoid.
  14. [R8] 2/5 · US Used to be great. Now It’s terrible: Used to be a useful app and a must on each flight or even sitting on my deck at home. Now it’s hot garbage, filled with pop up ads and constant prompts for a subscription.
  15. [R1] 1/5 · US Missing flight data everywhere what’s up?: I sent something in with no response. Checking today for flights from Fort Lauderdale to Boston again and it shows there aren’t any next week or after. I’m about ready to cancel what’s going on with your data? When it’s working, it’s a five star app. If it doesn’t have the flights it’s not even a one star app Thanks.
  16. [R11] 3/5 · US Does not track planes properly: This app work for a while ok but recently is not showing the planes flying right over my head. I don’t live in a big city with lots of traffic so it should not be the high plane traffic. Disappointed ! The App I properly updated so it’s the phone.
  17. [R25] 1/5 · US so bad it's comical.: This was a great app and I loved it. As of late it's garbage. You can point it directly at a plane in the sky and absolutely nothing shows up. Don't waste your time.
  18. [R33] 1/5 · US Update not good: I am 20 miles north of DFW and check on overhead flights often. The new upgrade is bad and many times the flight shown overhead is already on the ground at DFW when I click on it. I liked the older version much better. The new deal of broken lines fore and aft of flight with plane shown miles way from actual location is a downgrade from earlier version.
  19. [R6] 1/5 · US F you very much: So Flight tracker I’ve been using for years all of a sudden stops working today and says I have to pay five dollars a week to use it, up yours certainly not worth it! Maybe $20 a year would be fine but not five dollars a week!!!
  20. [R13] 1/5 · US Have to pay: Use to not have to pay now you do
  21. [R14] 1/5 · US Greedy: Hardly usable unless you pay
  22. [R19] 1/5 · US Horrible: This is really horrible. I do not want to pay for just to see flight track because I can’t even see my kids fly, and that does not make any sense. One stars should be good.🤬🤬🤬🤬😡😡😡😡
  23. [R16] 1/5 · US No real free trial: The only way to try the app is to agree to pay for a subscription. So if you don't like the app you have to remember to cancel the subscription. It's a scam to weasels money out of unsuspecting people.
  24. [R24] 1/5 · US Illegal business practices: Expiration date is 8/12/25. Billed 8/8/25 canceled on 8/8/25They refused a refund twice. How do u charge before expiration date and refuse a refund if you canceled before the expiration date. It may be a lousy $9.99 but the BBB will decide on their business practices.
  25. [R28] 1/5 · US Planes Live Scam: They say you can cancel within the 1st week, but never contact you or give you an option to cancel. Can not get them to give me an actual phone number to speak with a human being!!!!
  26. [R31] 1/5 · US Deceptive: U pick free access and they start trial period.
  27. [R36] 5/5 · US sad 😕: The app keeps telling me to manage my notifications. I’ve done everything I can and this app will not do my notifications. I don’t know why.
  28. [R60] 5/5 · US Ops manager: Takes forever to flight information
  29. [R87] 5/5 · US Good app but….: This app is wonderful and has so much easy features and accurate but after a while I starts to freeze and can’t types and other stuff I don’t know if it’s a bug or just my phone but it’s kinda anoying but overall it’s a worth it app and simple directions how to use it great job making this app it perfectly made but I don’t know about the bug so yea.
  30. [R10] 1/5 · US New Update is Terrible: This used to be a great app, but now it is clunky.
  31. [R18] 3/5 · US Appearance and flight info: Would be cool to see it have a dark mode feature and would be cool to have it where you click on a flight it shows the picture of the type of aircraft just like it used to
  32. [R26] 4/5 · US I prefer the old version:/: I've used this app for quite some time now, but the new layout just bugs me. The only reason this particular tracker was my go-to was because it was easy to see a close image of the plane overhead, it displayed above all the flight info. Either that particular feature has been removed entirely, or it's been hidden in such a way that I can't find it.
  33. [R99] 5/5 · US Night Mode: Great app, but can you add a night mode. The white bright screen is annoying at night.
  34. [R57] 3/5 · US App is great, support is terrible.: Love the app! However, support is terrible. Sent a support request through the app and the email got bounced back to me saying that the email address was no longer in use and to send a support request through the app (???). I sent an email to the address in the App Store, got a reply that basically said to look in the FAQ on the website and if the question was
  35. [R5] 1/5 · US Adult Ads Showing: Just installed and glad no kids were around as very graphic adult ads showing right at the top. I’m sure this is from a third party ad network but I’d be selecting one that was far more restrictive before dropping it on my application. I’m certain the application is built well based on the reviews but this is not acceptable.
  36. [R12] 3/5 · US Ads are out of control: I get it - you build an app hoping to make money, and you deserve to. But the ads have taken over the free version of the app, making it almost unusable at times.
  37. [R274] 3/5 · GB free version is impossible to use: I was once a big advocate of this app and used it frequently. Yes, it was free and now you have a choice between subscriptions and advertising. I wanted to just check one flight, so not happy to take out a yearly subscription. The advertiser funded version was so poorly implemented that it was impossible to get away from the ads once they had been served. Close
  38. [R35] 1/5 · US App cost: $10 A WEEK to track planes? Yeah right. Bye planes live, won’t miss ya
  39. [R39] 1/5 · US Do not download this app: You have to pay to sign in this app. It’s $99+ for a whole year. If you want a app to track planes download a app that you not have to pay to sign in. I’m sorry to write this review but make it free to sign in.
  40. [R205] 3/5 · US Nice app with steep subscription: Its a nice app but when there are free options the price of 6$ per week isnt worth it unless there is a usecase where you need to use it so frequently for your job or travel

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store