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FlightAware Flight Tracker vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against FlightAware Flight Tracker's closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

FlightAware Flight Tracker
This App
Planes Live - Flight Tracker
Nemesis
AirNav Radar – Flight Tracker
Contender
KAYAK: Flights, Hotels & Cars
Peer
TripIt: Travel Planner
Peer
FlightStats
Peer
Skyscanner Flights & Travel
New Kid
Core Identity
DeveloperFlightAwareMosaic S.r.l.AirNav SystemsKAYAKTripItLNRS Data Services LimitedSkyscanner
CategoryTravelTravelTravelTravelTravelTravelTravel
PlatformiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS
Store Metrics
Rating4.9 / 54.6 / 54.7 / 54.8 / 54.8 / 54.8 / 54.8 / 5
Ratings Count366,79193,1551,202485,771299,58077,787492,543
PriceFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Release DateJun 4, 2009Jun 16, 2016Jul 28, 2018Feb 28, 2009Apr 10, 2009Dec 18, 2012Feb 17, 2011
Last UpdatedApr 27, 2026Mar 24, 2026Mar 27, 2026May 12, 2026Mar 17, 2026Oct 30, 2024May 12, 2026
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentimentmixed--mixedmixedmixednegative
Score45/100--45/10045/10065/10035/100
Praises
  • Real-time flight tracking accuracy provides reliable information for airport pickups and family travel monitoring
--
  • Cross-airline search functionality helps users identify the most cost-effective travel itineraries
  • Itinerary Organization
  • Pro Feature Value
  • Accurate real-time flight tracking provides essential utility for frequent travelers and family members
  • Comprehensive flight search results provide travelers with diverse options for budget-conscious trip planning
Complaints
  • Cumbersome multi-factor authentication requirements create significant friction and prevent quick access to flight information
--
  • Inaccurate pricing and bait-and-switch tactics occur when navigating to third-party booking sites
  • Login and Authentication Issues
  • Email Parsing Failures
  • Account registration and verification failures prevent users from accessing personalized features
  • Frequent application freezing and unresponsiveness during search interactions disrupt the core booking flow
Requests
  • Simplified login persistence to avoid repeated multi-factor authentication steps during daily use
--
  • Direct booking support to avoid the reliability issues associated with third-party travel brokers
-
  • Integration with wearable devices to allow for quick flight status checks on the wrist
  • In-app notification support for price alerts would eliminate reliance on external email checking
Strategic Intel
Strengths
  • Professional-grade ADS-B data sets provide a competitive barrier for aviation users
  • High-utility push alerts drive daily retention
  • NEXRAD radar integration increases session duration
--
  • Cross-platform itinerary consolidation creates a high-utility hub
  • Camera-based bag measurement provides unique pre-trip utility
  • SAP Concur ecosystem integration for enterprise users
  • High-value Fare Drop Tracking ROI
  • Superior document management with Apple Intelligence support
  • Minimalist interface reduces cognitive load for day-of-travel users
  • Siri Shortcuts integration reinforces daily app-open habits
  • Meta-search engine transparency drives high organic install velocity
  • Everywhere Search captures high-intent top-of-funnel travel planners
Weaknesses
  • Multi-factor authentication friction prevents quick access
  • Search interface keyboard-overlap bugs
  • Fifty percent price increase for ad-free access alienates long-term users
--
  • 0.7★ rating gap between iOS and Android
  • Persistent bait-and-switch pricing complaints
  • Severe login and authentication instability
  • Email parsing size limitations
  • Aggressive paywalling of previously free features
  • Account registration failures block personalized feature access
  • Android UI regressions obscure critical flight information
  • Frequent search-interface freezing disrupts core booking flow
  • Inaccurate price displays at checkout erode user trust
Pricingfreemiumfreemiumfreefreesubscriptionfreemiumfree
MomentumMaintenanceIntenseIntenseActiveActiveZombieActive
Update Cadence5 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~20d avg5 versions5 versions5 versions, ~8d avg2 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~6d avg5 versions5 versions, 5 majors/6mo, ~10d avg

Compare FlightAware Flight Tracker head-to-head

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FlightAware Flight Tracker, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

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