Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Planes Live vs Flighty

Planes Live 4.6★ · Free + IAP 55
Winner Flighty
Flighty 4.8★ · Free + IAP 80

Flighty offers more reliable and advanced flight tracking features, particularly for frequent travelers, while Planes Live struggles with data accuracy and an intrusive free experience.

Full reviews: Planes Live · Flighty

Flighty provides superior real-time updates, delay predictions, and detailed flight information, making it ideal for frequent travelers despite its higher cost. Planes Live, while sometimes accurate, is plagued by intrusive ads, inconsistent data, and poor support in its free version.

Head to head

Features edge: FlightyR8R9R14R26
Planes Live Planes Live users appreciate its ability to track planes in real-time and find out origins and destinations R14R26. Some users miss older features like seeing a close image of the plane overhead or aircraft pictures R8R9. The app also provides good information about flight speed and altitude .
Flighty Flighty users praise its comprehensive features, including real-time updates, delay predictions, and information about the aircraft's origin R74. It also offers unique features like end-of-year travel statistics and tracking if you've flown a particular aircraft before . However, some advanced features like alternative flight finding are questionable , and offline map options are desired .
Ease of Use edge: FlightyR6R7R25R27
Planes Live Planes Live is generally considered easy to use for finding and tracking flights . However, some users find the new layout clunky R25 and report difficulties getting the app to function . The free version is often described as almost unusable due to excessive ads R6R7R27.
Flighty Flighty is lauded for its easy navigation and user-friendly interface . Users appreciate features like automatic flight reminders and the legibility of detailed information . However, some users report issues with the app constantly asking for ratings and occasional bugs like incorrect aircraft listings .
Reliability/Accuracy edge: FlightyR1R3R15R24
Planes Live Planes Live receives mixed reviews on accuracy. Some users find it very accurate , while others report missing flight data R1, planes not showing up R3, incorrect arrival times R24, or map tracking issues R15.
Flighty Flighty is generally praised for its accurate and often faster-than-airline updates on delays and changes R74. However, some users report inconsistencies and delayed updates within the app itself R73R82, and occasional wildly incorrect information R85. Gate information can also be missing or delayed .
Price/Value tieR4R6R7R10
Planes Live Planes Live's free version is heavily criticized for being unusable due to constant and intrusive ads R4R6R10R13. The subscription cost is considered expensive by many, with some mentioning $5 a week . Users feel forced to pay for basic functionality R7.
Flighty Flighty is considered expensive, with many useful features locked behind a subscription R84. Users mention prices like £60 for a year or £4.99 per week R84R106. The removal of monthly subscription options is also a point of contention R103. Despite the cost, some frequent travelers find the premium version to be a good value and essential R74.
Support edge: Planes LiveR11R12R40R93
Planes Live Planes Live support is described as terrible, with bounced emails and unhelpful responses directing users to FAQs R12. Users also report issues with notifications not working despite attempts to fix them R11R40.
Flighty There are no direct reviews about Flighty's customer support. However, users report issues with the app draining battery and compatibility problems with older iOS versions R93, which could imply a lack of support for these areas.
Pick Planes Live if

You are an occasional user who doesn't mind dealing with frequent ads and potential data inconsistencies for a free flight tracking experience, or if you are willing to pay for a subscription despite reported support issues R4R6R12.

Pick Flighty if

You are a frequent traveler who values highly detailed, often proactive, and reliable flight information, and are willing to pay a premium for a superior user experience R74.

Evidence note: Evidence for support for Flighty is thin, with no explicit reviews mentioning customer service interactions. The 'Support' dimension for Flighty is inferred from technical issues reported by users.

Frequently asked

Is Planes Live free to use?
Planes Live has a free version, but it is heavily criticized for being almost unusable due to constant and intrusive ads, with some users reporting adult ads R4R6R13R22.
How accurate is Flighty's real-time tracking?
Flighty is generally praised for providing accurate and often faster-than-airline updates on delays and changes, giving users advance notice R74. However, some users have reported inconsistencies, delayed updates within the app, or even wildly incorrect information at times R73R82R85.
What are the subscription costs for Flighty?
Flighty is considered expensive, with many useful features paywalled, and users mention prices such as £60 for a year or £4.99 per week, with some noting the removal of monthly subscription options R84R103R105R106.
Does Planes Live have good customer support?
Planes Live's customer support is described as terrible, with users reporting bounced emails, unhelpful responses that direct them to FAQs, and issues with notifications not working R11R12R40.

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. [R8] Planes Live 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.
  2. [R9] Planes Live 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
  3. [R14] Planes Live 5/5 · US Great app: Very interesting and great to watch
  4. [R26] Planes Live 5/5 · US Great app: I have totally enjoyed this app. Sitting out back on our patio we watch plane’s go by and we find out where there going and where there from.
  5. [R6] 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.
  6. [R7] 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.
  7. [R25] Planes Live 1/5 · US New Update is Terrible: This used to be a great app, but now it is clunky.
  8. [R27] Planes Live 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
  9. [R1] Planes Live 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.
  10. [R3] Planes Live 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.
  11. [R15] Planes Live 3/5 · US Map tracker doesn't always work.: If you care about the map tracking feature, it doesn't often work. Many times it has shown a flight going in the opposite direction in should be, yet the fligt data is correct when not using the map.
  12. [R24] Planes Live 3/5 · GB It didn’t misleading information.: Arrival time was incorrect. Plane was delayed and landed 1 hour 30 late. But program showed what still on time
  13. [R4] 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.
  14. [R10] Planes Live 1/5 · US Once great, now just spam: Just a big spam app now. Avoid.
  15. [R11] Planes Live 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.
  16. [R12] Planes Live 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
  17. [R40] Planes Live 2/5 · US Notifications Didn’t Work: Takes a while to get past all the marketing fluff and attempts to get you to subscribe. I turned all the notifications for my flights on both in the app and the settings. Never received one.
  18. [R93] Flighty 3/5 · GB Amazing app, however older versions of support would be appreciated.: So I have an iPhone 12 Pro (running iOS 26) and an iPhone 7. Of course, the 7 is stuck at 15 however this app needs 17. My main phone crashes whenever I open the app so I thought I could use my iPhone 7 for it but to no avail. Please make, even if it’s really a stripped down version, a version compatible with older versions. I u
  19. [R13] 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.
  20. [R22] Planes Live 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.
  21. [R73] Flighty 2/5 · US Inconsistent and delayed updates: I get email alerts of gate changes and delays, which are accurate. But the app itself doesn’t refresh properly. I need to delete the flight and re-enter. Until this is fixed, I can’t rely on this app.
  22. [R74] Flighty 5/5 · US Must have: I’ve tried just about every flight tracking app out there, and Flighty is in a league of its own. If you travel even a few times a year, it’s worth every penny. The real-time updates are consistently faster than the airlines, the delay predictions are incredibly accurate, and the app gives you information you didn’t even know you needed, like where your aircraft is coming from, whether
  23. [R82] Flighty 1/5 · US Nope.: Did the free trial. This was the last to update. My flight changed and it took this app 13 hours to notify me. TripIt works better.
  24. [R85] Flighty 1/5 · US Gives wildly incorrect info with paid pro subscription: For no reason it told me that my flight from Frankfurt was leaving 53 minutes early. It said my 10:10 flight was leaving at 9:17.
  25. [R84] Flighty 3/5 · GB £60 for a year, £300 lifetime?: The app is great, but if you want the pro features it's ridiculously expensive. Even on black friday sale the price still didn't make sense. I'd be ready to pay, but I find that price hard to justify...
  26. [R103] Flighty 1/5 · GB Loved it but got rid of monthly subscription: Got rid of their monthly subscription. So you can only pay weekly or yearly. Shame. Used to love the app. Byeeeeee
  27. [R105] Flighty 3/5 · GB An Expensive Perfectiom: Clean, sleek, modern tracker. Unfortunately, the pricing makes it completely out of reach for anyone not among the top 10% earners.
  28. [R106] Flighty 1/5 · GB Unreasonable pricing: I almost subscribed thinking it was £4.99 a month but that’s per week. Insane. I’m not willing to commit to annual and that weekly price has put me off subscribing at all.

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