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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

FlightAware Flight Tracker vs Planes Live

FlightAware Flight Tracker 4.9★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner FlightAware Flight Tracker
Planes Live 4.6★ · Free + IAP 40

FlightAware Flight Tracker is the better choice for reliable flight tracking and a more stable user experience, despite some recent UI and login issues, while Planes Live struggles with excessive ads and data accuracy.

Full reviews: FlightAware Flight Tracker · Planes Live

FlightAware Flight Tracker generally offers more reliable flight data and a better user experience, though recent updates have introduced some frustrations. Planes Live is plagued by an overwhelming number of ads in its free version and frequent issues with data accuracy, making it difficult to recommend.

Head to head

Features and Information edge: FlightAware Flight TrackerR2R3R5R7
FlightAware Flight Tracker FlightAware is praised for providing essential and detailed information, including speed, location, and altitude, and is excellent for tracking specific aircraft and receiving alerts R2R5R26. Users appreciate its accessibility for list views and text-based information . However, some users report missing flights or incorrect details, such as delayed updates or wrong departure times R3R7R10. There are also requests for features like Live Activity support R16 and complaints about old maps .
Planes Live Planes Live offers interesting flight information and allows users to watch planes move, but many users report significant issues with missing flight data, incorrect arrival times, and planes not showing up on the map R78. Some users miss older features like seeing a close image of the plane or a picture of the aircraft type . Notifications are also reported to be unreliable .
Ease of Use and UI edge: FlightAware Flight TrackerR1R4R9R12
FlightAware Flight Tracker FlightAware is generally considered easy to use, quick to set up, and concise . However, recent updates have led to complaints about a clunky, appalling UI, difficulty setting notifications, and illogical processes . Some users find the map cluttered with white lines R12, while others report slow loading times R4. Login and registration issues are also frequent, with users encountering authentication problems, wiped settings, and inability to sign in R1R9R13.
Planes Live Planes Live is described as having easy features and being simple to use by some . However, many users find the app clunky and difficult to navigate, especially after updates . The free version is often rendered unusable by constant ads, making it hard to access features R64R66. Users also report issues with the app freezing and an overly busy interface .
Reliability and Performance edge: FlightAware Flight TrackerR2R4R7R10
FlightAware Flight Tracker FlightAware is generally considered reliable and accurate by many users, providing peace of mind and saving waiting time R2. However, a significant number of recent reviews highlight issues with incorrect flight details, delays not updating, and the app not working or loading slowly R4R7R10. Some updates have also caused the app to become unusable or bricked on older devices R25.
Planes Live Planes Live suffers from frequent reliability issues, with users reporting that the app often doesn't work, shows incorrect arrival times, or fails to track planes properly R78. The app is also prone to freezing R64 and notifications often do not work .
Price and Value edge: FlightAware Flight TrackerR6R22R24R33
FlightAware Flight Tracker FlightAware is appreciated for being free and functional with ads, with some users happy to pay a reasonable annual fee (around £5) to remove them R6R34R54. However, some users are unwilling to subscribe for ad removal without additional features R6, and a few report paying for an ad-free version only to still see ads or have their subscription not work R24R22. The enterprise plan is considered poor value compared to competitors R33.
Planes Live Planes Live's free version is widely criticized for being almost unusable due to excessive and intrusive ads, including adult ads R64R66. The subscription cost is a major point of contention, with users complaining about having to pay for basic functionality, high weekly prices (e.g., $5/week or £5.49/week), and a lack of a real free trial .
Support and Updates edge: FlightAware Flight TrackerR13R16R22R25
FlightAware Flight Tracker FlightAware users report issues with updates wiping settings R13 or making the app incompatible with older devices . There are also complaints about a lack of response to user feedback regarding desired features like Live Activity R16. Some users experience login problems and report no effective support R22R25.
Planes Live Planes Live users report terrible support, with bounced emails and unhelpful responses directing them to FAQs . There are also complaints about illegal business practices regarding billing and refusal of refunds . Updates are often seen as detrimental, making the app worse with more ads and a clunkier interface .
Pick FlightAware Flight Tracker if

You need a generally reliable flight tracker with detailed information and are willing to tolerate occasional UI quirks or pay a modest annual fee to remove ads R2R5R26R34.

Pick Planes Live if

You are an occasional plane spotter who enjoys watching planes move and are willing to pay for a subscription to avoid overwhelming ads and data issues .

Evidence note: Reviews for Planes Live are heavily skewed by negative experiences with ads and subscription models in the free tier, making direct feature comparison challenging without considering the paid versions. FlightAware's negative reviews are more diverse, covering UI, login, and data accuracy issues, but its free tier is generally more functional.

Frequently asked

Is FlightAware Flight Tracker truly free?
Yes, FlightAware Flight Tracker is permanently free to use with ads, and you can choose to pay an annual subscription (around £5) to remove them R6R34R54.
Why are there so many ads in Planes Live?
Planes Live's free version is heavily monetized with frequent and intrusive ads, which many users report make the app almost unusable, often appearing immediately upon opening or after short interactions R64R66R81R112.
Do these apps provide real-time flight data?
FlightAware provides detailed, up-to-date information including speed, location, and altitude, though it notes it doesn't show real-time data due to security reasons R26. Planes Live claims to show real-time flight information, but many users report inaccuracies and delays in updates R78R90R96.
Are there login or registration issues with FlightAware?
Yes, many FlightAware users report significant login and registration issues, including being forced to create an account for the free version, complex authentication processes, and problems with email codes or Cloudflare errors preventing access R1R9R22R25.

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. [R2] FlightAware Flight Tracker 5/5 · GB Tracker: Flight aware is my only tracker I use. I found it to be reliable and containing all essential information for the journey I am watching over. Thank you Flight Aware for keeping it real.
  2. [R3] FlightAware Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB TUI Flights: Not being tracked, having to use other apps and websites to do this.
  3. [R5] FlightAware Flight Tracker 5/5 · GB Registration tracking: FlightAware is brilliant at tracking specific aircraft. Receiving alerts is extremely helpful when tracking and logging an aeroplanes progress.
  4. [R7] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB It did not update with the delay: It did not update with the delay on 6/1/2025
  5. [R1] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB NO!!: I won’t open an account and log in to use free version… goodbye!!
  6. [R4] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB Poor App: Very poor app takes ages to load and overall content not good with poor live data
  7. [R9] FlightAware Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB Authentication syndrome: I’ve been member for 15 years and never such a paranoia. You put your password and they email an authentication code, you put that in , the next step shows a QR code and the app asks you to scan the QR code!? What kind of idiot thought of that idea? How would you scan your screen with the device that you’re using. It’s quite sad to see the human intelligence degraded to su
  8. [R12] FlightAware Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB White lines: Decent app but each plane has a line drawn behind it which on its own isn’t an issue but when there are 100s of planes on a screen it makes it impossible to see what you are looking at as it’s just a sea of white lines, not a good feature and can’t see any way of disabling it
  9. [R10] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB Wrong, wrong, wrong: More often than not, this app seems to get details of flights wrong. It is especially annoying when it says my flight has taken off when, in fact, it is still at the departure gate. Until the app improves its accuracy, I cannot recommend it.
  10. [R6] FlightAware Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB Can’t Subscribe to Remove Ads: Lovely app, and I’d be happy to pay a one off sum to remove ads, but that requires a subscription! Not a chance in the world. The ads are irritating but I’ll delete the app rather than subscribe for no extra features.
  11. [R22] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB Login issues: I have an account and I pay an annual add free version , but I am unable to login with my email , Nit, doesn’t accept the email A/ code I receive with email, please help ?
  12. [R24] FlightAware Flight Tracker 3/5 · GB Getting ads although I’ve bought the ad free version: Bought the ad free version a couple of months ago and now ads are back, and the theme is all broken
  13. [R33] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB Weather Layers: The offering and weather layers options for enterprise users is really limited. Comparing to what you get from FR24 or RadarBox this is really poor value for money. I strongly encourage you not to pay for Enterprise plan unless you are really stupid.
  14. [R13] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB Seems to have done un update: Seems to have done un update and wiped all my settings . I don’t think I hade any warning of this so not very happy 🤯☹️
  15. [R16] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB STILL NO LIVE ACTIVITY SUPPORT: IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEVELOPS HAVE NO INTERESTS ON FOLLOWING USER’s FEEDBACKS! It’s been many years now, and every time there’s an update, I always check to see if the most wanted feature, “Live Activity”, has been added. But it’s still not supported. I’ve thought about switching to another flight tracker app that does have Live Activity, but kept waiting, hoping thi
  16. [R25] FlightAware Flight Tracker 1/5 · GB Another app update failure: The last updates bricked this app making it impossible to log in due to cloudflare errors
  17. [R34] FlightAware Flight Tracker 5/5 · GB Flight aware app: Great app full of up to date info…worth the £5 a year to get rid of the ads!
  18. [R54] FlightAware Flight Tracker 5/5 · GB “Simply the Best”: An app that for once is actually permanently free, as long as you don’t want to remove adverts. It’s accurate, informative and you choose if you would like alerts and what type. I rarely write reviews, but this app is a really worthwhile addition to your list.
  19. [R64] 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.
  20. [R66] 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.
  21. [R81] 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
  22. [R112] Planes Live 2/5 · US Immediate Ads: Ad scheme has changed so that you’re watching a minute of ads as soon as you open it. That plane you were trying to identify overhead is now long gone. Too many other options out there to keep this one
  23. [R26] FlightAware Flight Tracker 4/5 · GB Very impressed: I’m very impressed with such detailed information shown on this apps, you can track a flight status including speed, location , altitude, etc . It doesn’t show real time date of course , due to security reasons but it’s good
  24. [R78] 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
  25. [R90] Planes Live 3/5 · GB Ok but not great: I think the app is good fun and gives you lots of information about the flight but unfortunately it is not accurate regards the flight status yesterday it stated that a flight was landed at least an hour before it had
  26. [R96] Planes Live 3/5 · GB Good concept but not very accurate: Good concept but not very accurate

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