Which product fits what you want to do?
| When you want to … | You need … | Why |
|---|
| see nearby aircraft and build a collection of real sightings | MODE 1090 | Live sky, pointing mode and collection work as one continuous loop. |
|---|
| manage your own trip with gates, delays and rebooking context | a travel flight tracker | Products such as Flighty are designed around the passenger before and during a specific flight. |
|---|
| search aircraft anywhere in the world on a map | a global map tracker | A worldwide database solves a different problem than a calm view of your immediate surroundings. |
|---|
| receive 1090 MHz broadcasts directly from aircraft | an ADS-B receiver and antenna | An iPhone does not receive those radio signals. MODE 1090 visualizes data supplied by connected services. |
|---|
MODE 1090 vs Flighty
Watch the sky or manage a journey?
Flighty is organized around booked flights, fast travel alerts and the causes behind delays. MODE 1090 starts with the aircraft above you: discover it, point toward it, confirm it and keep the sighting.
MODE 1090 vs global maps
The whole world or the sky around you?
Global trackers excel when you want to find a particular aircraft anywhere. MODE 1090 deliberately narrows the view to nearby traffic and turns it into a personal observation loop.
MODE 1090 vs your own receiver
Open an app or install hardware?
A dedicated ADS-B receiver gives you direct radio data but needs an antenna, a location and setup. MODE 1090 needs no additional hardware and never claims that your Apple device receives 1090 MHz itself.
Features, prices and platforms from other products can change. This page compares their fundamental product direction, not every individual setting.
Sources checked July 27, 2026
