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

FlightStats vs Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker

FlightStats 4.8★ · Free to download · ⚠ stale 45
Winner Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker
Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70

Flightradar24 is the better choice for comprehensive flight tracking, despite its aggressive ads in the free version, while FlightStats struggles with accuracy issues and a less functional free experience.

Full reviews: FlightStats · Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker

Flightradar24 offers a more feature-rich and generally accurate flight tracking experience, though its free tier is heavily impacted by ads. FlightStats, while historically reliable, is currently plagued by critical bugs, inaccurate information, and a frustrating user experience.

Head to head

Features edge: Flightradar24 | Flight TrackerR2R6R8R11
FlightStats FlightStats is praised for providing pertinent flight information like gates, terminals, and live tracking maps, with some users appreciating its simplicity R2R11. However, recent updates have removed the Apple Watch app, disappointed users with changes to flight listings, and introduced issues with scheduling future flights R6R8R12R16. Some users also desire more information like passenger counts .
Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker Flightradar24 is lauded for its extensive coverage of planes and detailed information, allowing users to track specific aircraft and appreciate aviation . Users enjoy seeing what's flying overhead and tracking family members . However, many features, including historical data, aircraft age, and vertical speed, have been moved behind a paywall, frustrating users who previously had access to them for free . Some users also wish for features like time-lapse weather radar and terminal forecasts .
Ease of Use tieR3R7R10R12
FlightStats FlightStats is generally described as simple and user-friendly by some R26. However, many recent reviews highlight significant usability issues, including an inability to create accounts, app crashes, difficulty changing dates for future flights, and a confusing UI R3R7R10R12. Some users also find the app's appearance ugly .
Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker Flightradar24 is generally easy to use, with many users enjoying its interactive map and ability to quickly find planes . However, the app's user interface has been criticized by some for being blurry or changing formats . The overwhelming number of ads in the free version also significantly hinders usability, making it difficult to interact with the app R61R70.
Reliability & Accuracy edge: Flightradar24 | Flight TrackerR1R2R4R5
FlightStats FlightStats has a mixed record on accuracy. While many users praise it as accurate and reliable for flight times, gates, and tracking R2R5R11, a significant number of recent reviews report critical inaccuracies. These include incorrect gate information, showing flights as departed when still on the ground, displaying cancelled flights as flying, and providing misleading information about flight paths R1R4R15R21. Some users also report flights not being found or server errors .
Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker Flightradar24 is generally considered accurate for tracking planes and flight paths . However, some users have reported issues with planes not loading, the search bar being unresponsive, or military aircraft not appearing on the map . There was also a concerning report about a pilot's erratic flying .
Price/Value tieR11R26R27R33
FlightStats FlightStats is advertised as free and many users appreciate this, calling it a 'bonus' and 'user friendly' without charge R11R26. However, recent reviews indicate that the ability to remove ads has been removed, and the app is now 'covered in ads' R27R33. One user even mentioned a previous free tier that is now $3 per month, implying a shift to a paid model or reduced free functionality .
Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker Flightradar24 offers a free version but is heavily criticized for its excessive and intrusive ads that make the app almost unusable R61R64R65R70. Many features are also locked behind a subscription, leading users to feel they have to pay to get a good experience .
Support & Privacy tieR3R7R9R10
FlightStats Users have reported issues with account creation, including not receiving email confirmations and app crashes, suggesting a lack of effective support for these basic functions R3R7R10. There are also concerns about excessive tracking requests from vendors, which some users found intrusive enough to delete the app R9.
Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker Flightradar24 faces significant criticism regarding privacy, with users reporting that the app sells personal identifiable information (PII) to third parties and makes it very difficult to opt out of data sharing and cookies R67R82. Some users also reported issues with verifying identity using Apple Pay, incurring a small charge .
Pick FlightStats if

You are a long-time user who finds its current (though sometimes buggy) interface familiar and still occasionally reliable for basic flight status checks, and you prefer a simpler, less feature-rich experience R2.

Pick Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker if

You want a comprehensive flight tracking experience with a wide range of features, are willing to tolerate aggressive ads in the free version, or are prepared to pay for a subscription to remove ads and unlock advanced functionalities .

Evidence note: FlightStats has a higher proportion of recent negative reviews highlighting critical bugs and inaccuracies compared to its lifetime rating. Flightradar24's negative reviews are heavily skewed towards ad complaints and subscription gating of previously free features, rather than core functionality issues.

Frequently asked

Is FlightStats accurate for real-time flight tracking?
FlightStats has mixed reviews regarding its accuracy; while some users find it very accurate for gate and flight information, many recent reviews report significant inaccuracies, such as showing flights as departed when still on the ground or providing incorrect gate details R1R4R15R21.
Are there many ads in Flightradar24's free version?
Yes, the free version of Flightradar24 is heavily criticized for its excessive, intrusive, and often unclosable ads that significantly hinder the user experience and can make the app difficult to use R61R64R65R70.
Can I track future flights with FlightStats?
Many recent FlightStats users report significant bugs preventing them from scheduling or tracking future flights, with the date selection wheel often stuck on past dates or only allowing a few days into the future R12R16R22R25.
Does Flightradar24 share my personal data?
Yes, Flightradar24 has been criticized for openly selling personal identifiable information (PII) to third parties and making it very difficult for users to opt out of data sharing and cookie tracking R67R82.

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] FlightStats 5/5 · US Accurate: It’s great to have this app, I used it a lot to get info about gate , terminals etc . I really like it and I have this apps for a few years ! It’s a keeper !
  2. [R6] FlightStats 3/5 · US Apple Watch app: What happened to the great Apple Watch app? Please bring it back.
  3. [R8] FlightStats 5/5 · US Recent changes: I got a new phone and the FS app is now giving me all the companies (Alaska/AA etc.) that do the same flight. I preferred the old postings, wish I knew how to get back to that?! Otherwise it works great 99% of the time !
  4. [R11] FlightStats 5/5 · US Best flight tracking app we’ve found: We have downloaded & deleted so many flight tracker apps because they just do not perform as needed. Flightstats very good with all pertinent info right in front of you. Also, best LIVE flight tracking map we’ve seen. Bonus is it’s free. For now…. Many thanks to developers!
  5. [R3] FlightStats 3/5 · US What happened?: Used to be a very reliable app…can’t even create a free account anymore. Had high hopes but now it’s just useless.
  6. [R7] FlightStats 2/5 · US Like the app: But it crashes every time I create an account so I am stuck on using as an unregistered user.
  7. [R10] FlightStats 1/5 · US inoperative: Tried multiple times to create account…never sent email confirmation. Very frustrating!
  8. [R12] FlightStats 3/5 · US Date: I can’t schedule dates the for future flights.
  9. [R1] FlightStats 1/5 · US Incorrect gate information in ATL: Flight attendant here. I cannot rely on flight stats, many times have the incorrect gate posted.
  10. [R4] FlightStats 1/5 · US Plane did not leave when flight stats said: Usually flight stats is right on
  11. [R5] FlightStats 5/5 · US Peace of mind: Great tool for parents’ peace of mind. Thanks
  12. [R26] FlightStats 5/5 · US Best flight tracker ever!!: So many of these flight sites want to charge you … and then they’re so complicated u need a graduate degree to figure out how to use them!!! So glad that FLIGHTSTATS keeps it SIMPLE and FREE to use .. and most important USER FRIENDLY!!!
  13. [R27] FlightStats 3/5 · GB Quite confusing and covered in ads: Wanted to like this, but it’s so covered in ads that it’s hard to tell what’s flying when.
  14. [R33] FlightStats 3/5 · GB Good app, but annoying adverts: The application itself is good. Well laid out, accurate and has everything that you need to know about the flight. My only annoyance is that the ability to remove adverts has been removed (no in-app purchases are available). The adverts are quite large too.
  15. [R9] FlightStats 3/5 · US Used to be great: What’s the deal with the list of vendors asking for approval to track users of this app?
  16. [R15] FlightStats 3/5 · US Incorrect Info: Why are you showing flights leaving Terminal 2 at JFK when that terminal is closed and being demolished? Have had to start using Flight Tracker app as much more accurate.
  17. [R21] FlightStats 3/5 · GB Big problem with false information yesterday: This was a five star app but yesterday it showed a live flight DL 30 Atlanta to Heathrow as cancelled when it was flying. This is bad when expecting international travellers. Please investigate.
  18. [R61] 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
  19. [R64] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Too many ads: Too many ads
  20. [R65] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 4/5 · US Adds are bad: Everything is fine just the free tier has lots of adds
  21. [R70] Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker 1/5 · US Ads: After the adds can’t go back to the radar screen
  22. [R16] FlightStats 1/5 · US Bad UI: I tried to search for a flight on a future date, but it wouldn’t let me.
  23. [R22] FlightStats 1/5 · US Bug made it unusable: Seemed ok at first, got a couple flights added and wanted to add my returning flight that was set for the following month but it wouldn’t let me change the month. No matter what I tried, the date in the search field was set in stone and I couldn’t change it. Uninstalled.
  24. [R25] FlightStats 1/5 · US Date not working: Today is May 23 and my flight is May 28. I was unable to change the month at all, and the date displaying at first is May 20 and then it will only allow me to change the date to May 26. If I delete that info and start over, again it starts off showing May 20 and only will only change to May 26. Thought it was my phone…. but nope, it does exactly the same thing on my husband’s pho
  25. [R67] 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.
  26. [R82] 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

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