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Aviation · head to head

FlightAware vs X-Plane 12

FlightAware logo

FlightAware

Aviation

Global flight tracking and aviation data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
X-Plane 12 logo

X-Plane 12

Aviation

Professional flight simulation software

From
$59.99/lifetime
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FlightAware has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FlightAware flightAware Global is sold per aircraft tail, with discounts applied only when multiple aircraft are tracked; X-Plane 12 commercial and professional use requires a separate licence at $1,000, against $59.99 for the personal digital download
  • They diverge on capability: FlightAware covers Real-time tracking, X-Plane 12 covers Flight physics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FlightAware and X-Plane 12 actually diverge.

Attributes where FlightAware and X-Plane 12 differ
AttributeFlightAwareX-Plane 12
Starting priceFree$59.99/lifetime
Pricing modelfreemiumone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Macos, Linux
Founded20051995

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Aviation).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in FlightAware

  • Real-time tracking
  • Flight status
  • Airport info
  • Delay tracking
  • Weather data
  • APIs
  • Third-party apps
  • Airlines

Only in X-Plane 12

  • Flight physics
  • Global scenery
  • Realistic aircraft
  • Weather simulation
  • ATC system
  • Plugins
  • Add-ons
  • VR headsets

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

FlightAware

  • Tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alertsnot X-Plane 12
  • Blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacynot X-Plane 12
  • Pulling live and historical flight positions and tracks into an application over a REST APInot X-Plane 12
  • Predicting arrival times with Foresight for airline and airport operationsnot X-Plane 12

X-Plane 12

  • Flight simulation for private pilots and enthusiastsnot FlightAware
  • Procedure practice and aircraft familiarisationnot FlightAware

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

FlightAware

  • FlightAware Global is sold per aircraft tail, with discounts applied only when multiple aircraft are tracked
  • Global satellite tracking through Aireon space-based ADS-B requires the Platinum plan at $295 per month or $3,540 per year
  • Secure flight sharing, flight leg unblocking and access management start at the Gold plan at $168 per month, not the $60 per month Silver plan
  • AeroAPI Standard carries a $100 monthly minimum and AeroAPI Premium a $1,000 monthly minimum regardless of usage
  • Historical flight data and flight alerting are excluded from the free AeroAPI Personal tier
  • AeroAPI Personal is rate limited to 10 result sets per minute against 5 per second on Standard
  • AeroAPI billing is metered per result set, for example $0.050 per result set for flight search, where one result set is 15 records
  • AeroAPI volume discounts begin only above $1,000 of monthly usage
  • Firehose, Foresight and FBO Toolbox carry no published price on the commercial products page

X-Plane 12

  • Commercial and professional use requires a separate licence at $1,000, against $59.99 for the personal digital download
  • The personal edition therefore cannot be used for paid training or commercial simulation
  • The professional edition is a distinct product rather than an upgrade path

Pricing, plan by plan

FlightAware

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Flight tracking
    • Basic info
    • Mobile app
  • Subscription$9.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Premium tracking
    • Weather maps

X-Plane 12

$59.99/lifetime
  • X-Plane 12$59.99/lifetime
    • Full simulator
    • Global scenery
    • Realistic physics

Which should you pick?

Choose FlightAware if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want flight status.
FlightAware review

Choose X-Plane 12 if

  • You need flight physics.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want global scenery.
X-Plane 12 review

Questions people ask

Is FlightAware or X-Plane 12 better?
Neither clearly leads. FlightAware starts at Free and X-Plane 12 at $59.99/lifetime, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FlightAware or X-Plane 12?
FlightAware has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FlightAware and $59.99/lifetime for X-Plane 12.
Does FlightAware or X-Plane 12 run on more platforms?
FlightAware runs on Web, Ios, Android. X-Plane 12 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux.
Can I use FlightAware for free?
Yes. FlightAware has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. X-Plane 12 starts at $59.99/lifetime.
What is FlightAware best used for?
FlightAware is most often used for tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alerts, blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacy, pulling live and historical flight positions and tracks into an application over a rest api, predicting arrival times with foresight for airline and airport operations. Of those, tracking a business aviation fleet by tail number with taxi and ground alerts and blocking or selectively sharing an aircraft's flight legs for privacy are not what X-Plane 12 is typically brought in for.
What can FlightAware do that X-Plane 12 cannot?
FlightAware covers Real-time tracking, Flight status, Airport info, Delay tracking. X-Plane 12 covers Flight physics, Global scenery, Realistic aircraft, Weather simulation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

X-Plane 12: How much does X-Plane 12 Personal Edition cost?

X-Plane 12 Personal Edition is priced at $59.99 for digital download, the same price on Steam, or $99.99 for the DVD set.

Source
X-Plane 12: What is the pricing difference for professional use of X-Plane 12?

Professional-use versions are significantly more expensive, ranging from $1,000 for digital downloads to $1,250 for USB keys.

Source
X-Plane 12: How do I activate X-Plane 12 after purchasing the digital download?

When you purchase the digital download edition, you will receive an email confirmation with instructions on how to use and activate X-Plane 12.

Source
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