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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Better options than

Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker alternatives

Flightradar24 users often seek alternatives due to excessive and intrusive ads, as well as features being moved behind a paywall. Many also express concerns about data privacy. Alternatives offer varied experiences, from detailed flight tracking to flight booking and travel planning.

Why users look for alternatives to Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker

The alternatives

Skyscanner Flights & Travel
4.8★ · 492,610 ratings · Free

Skyscanner helps users find and book flights, accommodations, and tours, consolidating confirmation information in one place R52. It is praised for connecting users to many options and providing accurate flight price algorithms R52R55R56.

Better for: Skyscanner is better for travelers looking to find the cheapest flights and deals, especially for last-minute bookings R56R61R64. It suits those who want to compare prices across different airlines and manage their travel details in one app R52.

Head-to-head: Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker vs Skyscanner Flights & Travel
FlightAware Flight Tracker
4.9★ · 375,698 ratings · Free

FlightAware provides detailed flight tracking information and is considered a reliable resource for real-time updates, often more dependable than airline information R69R78. Users appreciate its extensive features and information, with some upgrading to premium subscriptions R78.

Better for: FlightAware is better for users who need dependable, detailed, and real-time flight tracking, especially those who frequently pick up friends or family from the airport R69R76. It also suits aviation enthusiasts who enjoy extensive tools and information R78.

Head-to-head: Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker vs FlightAware Flight Tracker
Flight Tracker +
4.7★ · 288,352 ratings · Free

Flight Tracker + offers easy navigation and provides important information like current flight status and gate details, with the convenience of automatic flight updates for frequent flyers R83R90. However, its free version has become almost unusable due to ads and demands for payment R80R87.

Better for: Flight Tracker + is better for frequent flyers who are willing to pay for a subscription to get reliable flight status and gate information, as the paid version offers convenience and important updates R90.

Head-to-head: Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker vs Flight Tracker +
Flighty
4.8★ · 140,322 ratings · Free

Flighty is praised for making flying life easier, providing real-time updates, and consolidating all flights in one place R95R97R104. It offers detailed information including stats, gates, and baggage carousel details R102.

Better for: Flighty is better for business travelers and frequent flyers who value real-time updates during irregular operations and want all their flight information, including detailed stats and gate info, in one convenient app R95R97R102R104. It's also suitable for those who might pay a weekly subscription for the week they are flying R102.

Head-to-head: Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker vs Flighty
Planes Live
4.6★ · 93,103 ratings · Free

Planes Live is generally considered interesting and great for watching planes . However, its free version has become nearly unusable due to constant and excessive ads, with some users reporting graphic adult ads R110R112R113R118.

Better for: Planes Live might suit users who are looking for a basic plane-watching experience and are willing to pay to remove ads, given that the free version is heavily impacted by them R110R112R113.

Head-to-head: Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker vs Planes Live
Stick with Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker if

You should stick with Flightradar24 if you primarily enjoy the broad visual experience of seeing many planes on a map and are willing to tolerate frequent ads or pay for a subscription to remove them . It's also a good choice if you use it to track family flights and appreciate its informative features .

Evidence note: None of the alternatives had too few reviews to judge.

Frequently asked

Why are Flightradar24 users looking for alternatives?
Flightradar24 users are looking for alternatives primarily due to an overwhelming number of intrusive ads in the free version, which often make the app unusable R1R4R10. Additionally, many features that were once free are now behind a paywall R6R15R16, and some users have concerns about the app's data privacy practices R7R22.
Which alternative is best for finding cheap flights?
Skyscanner Flights & Travel is best for finding cheap flights, as users praise its ability to connect to many options for flights and its accurate algorithms for flight prices, making it suitable for last-minute bookings R52R56R61R64.
Are there any free alternatives to Flightradar24 without excessive ads?
Based on the reviews, most flight tracking alternatives mentioned, such as Flight Tracker + and Planes Live, also have issues with excessive ads or require subscriptions for full functionality, making it difficult to find a completely free alternative without intrusive ads R80R87R110R112. FlightAware has ads but users have upgraded to premium for features R65R78.
Which app provides the most reliable real-time flight updates?
FlightAware Flight Tracker is noted for providing impressive features and information, with users depending on it more than airline information for real-time updates R69R78. Flighty is also praised for its real-time updates, especially during irregular operations R104.

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. [R1] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Persistent Ads: Enjoyed the app for about 2 weeks, didn’t mind the periodic ads. But now the ads that pop up cover the entire screen and make you sit through several seconds before the “X” appears in the corner to close. If that’s not bad enough, pressing the “X” takes you to the App Store instead of closing the ad, then when you close that, another ad pops up in its place. It seems now that I sp
  2. [R4] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Too many ads: Too many ads
  3. [R5] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 4/5 · US Adds are bad: Everything is fine just the free tier has lots of adds
  4. [R10] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Ads: After the adds can’t go back to the radar screen
  5. [R6] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 3/5 · US Add unless you pay: It’s okay but it makes you pay a subscription to go no adds
  6. [R15] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 3/5 · US I dunno: Must pay to get most features. Basic (what you start with) is where you can only see flights. So annoying!
  7. [R16] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Free features getting removed, overall platform decay: not impressed with changing free features to be subscription gated. previously a subscription was not needed to view more than 24 hours of arrival/departure history, now you do. desktop has a huge sidebar that was intentionally inserted to be as annoying as possible to force you to subscribe to remove. aircraft age and vertical speed previousl
  8. [R18] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 3/5 · US Pay pay pay: It’s okay
  9. [R7] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Sells your data very hard yo opt out: Openly sells your PII information to third parties even if you are a paid subscriber. Very hard to reject cookies. Also zero California privacy policy or request for data deletion.
  10. [R22] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Too hard to opt out of data sharing: App shares your data with 30 partners and you have to decline in each individually. Uninstalled instead
  11. [R28] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US can you fix this plz: idk if it’s just me or mg phone but on the app the entire screen is blurry.
  12. [R34] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US STILL NOT LOADING (UPDATED REVIEW JUNE 29): The app was perfect. And still, flights don’t load. The search bar isn’t responsive. And it happens at JFK Airport. This was never an issue. It can’t possibly a reception problem with my phone, because I’m able to use other apps without a problem, including Flight Aware. I prefer this app though.
  13. [R9] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 3/5 · US Incomplete Flight Info: This app has been awesome to see what is flying overhead. However, the app owners have decided to erase flight logs and inform
  14. [R45] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB Not all planes recognised: I live in Norfolk, we have a lot of aircraft flying over from the RAF and USAF. I always like to know what they are, but they don’t even appear on the map☹️
  15. [R48] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB Inaccurate but okay app will still use: Not accurate a plane that’s not even took off yet a flight radar 24 will be telling me it’s already 25 feet up in the air
  16. [R52] Skyscanner Flights & Travel 5/5 · US Great App: I recently discovered Skyscanner while planning a trip to Europe. I love that it connects you to so many options for flights, accommodations, tours, etc. and all your confirmation info, pin #, receipts, correspondence, etc., is all in one spot.
  17. [R55] Skyscanner Flights & Travel 5/5 · US Good and accurate information: I’m
  18. [R56] Skyscanner Flights & Travel 3/5 · US Very basic, use Google Flights for long term flight tracking!: It’s great for last minute bookings, also used Skiplagged for last minute flight booking. There used to be the filter for choosing different continents, well they got rid of that which is a bummer. However there algorithms for flight prices has been more accurate. Unfortunately, for long term flight tracking details I’d recommend Googl
  19. [R61] Skyscanner Flights & Travel 5/5 · US Orlando trip: So convenient and the price was the cheapest.. I highly recommend…
  20. [R69] FlightAware Flight Tracker 5/5 · US What great resource: I depend on this much more than what the Airline tells me.
  21. [R76] FlightAware Flight Tracker 3/5 · US Love: I’m a plain nerd and I like to keep track of flights where they’re going in when they’re coming and when I see a plane, I need to look it up right away or I feel this compulsion. Flight aware is my go to app as I can instantly find out what why and where and I love it thank you.
  22. [R78] FlightAware Flight Tracker 5/5 · US Impressive: I continue to be surprised and impressed by the features and information this app provides. I’ve had it less than a week and have already upgraded from a free to a premium subscription. I’m not an aviator either - the tools the app has for them look very extensive and useful. Downloaded the app originally because I have a little boy with autism who loves watching planes come and go, I
  23. [R80] Flight Tracker + 4/5 · US Free Version Downgrade: Not going to leave some silly one star review. I’ve used the app for years without issue, almost always just to track my wife’s incoming flight to pick her up. Just now opened it to use it for the first time in months, and it’s now unusable in the free version. Now bombarded with endless ads and demands to get the paid version and can’t even figure out a way around it to do
  24. [R83] Flight Tracker + 5/5 · US Very Easy: The app is very easy to navigate
  25. [R87] Flight Tracker + 1/5 · US Free version is pointless: Free version is pointless. Better off getting flight radar
  26. [R90] Flight Tracker + 5/5 · US Great for Frequent Flyers: I utilized the previous free version of Flight Tracker for many years during my airline pilot career and frequent travels on numerous airlines. Although I’m disappointed the free version no longer works, this paid version has enough important information like current flight status and gate information , along with the convenience of automatic flight updates, flight progr
  27. [R95] Flighty 3/5 · US Review: I paid for the lifetime membership, app is fine. I love how all my flights are in one place that is the best. However the data is incorrect a lot of the time. I try to send them corrections but nothing happens. Not really the data ahead of time more like while my flight is happening it will say delayed but it really isn’t.
  28. [R97] Flighty 5/5 · US Best Travel App !: No better app on the market for making you flying life easier !!
  29. [R102] Flighty 5/5 · US Awesome for not just tracking your flight before take off but in flight to also while in the air.: App is awesome, pro is worth it and the pricing is good just 4.99 a week so you don’t have to do monthly just the week that you’re flying. Info on the app is full of info, even for an airplane nut or junkie will love the stats and gates, luggage carousel baggage pick up all in one place. If your pl
  30. [R104] Flighty 5/5 · US Perfect for business travel.: I enjoy the real time updates on irrop days. It’s a great way to keep up with statistics, ect.
  31. [R110] Planes Live 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.
  32. [R112] Planes Live 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.
  33. [R113] Planes Live 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.
  34. [R118] Planes Live 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.
  35. [R64] Skyscanner Flights & Travel 5/5 · US Excelentes: Primera vez q la uso y me pareció fácil su acceso y los precios no son los más altos ni los más baratos, tienen un precio módico oh intermedio
  36. [R65] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Ads: Ads suck !

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