Here to help
Support.
Answers about spotting, points, privacy, plans and your account.
Need more help?
Contact the planespottr team at [email protected].
Getting started
What is planespottr?
A planespotting game for your phone. Find real aircraft on a live map, spot the ones you can see in the sky, and earn points as you build a collection of every aircraft you spot, on your own or with friends.
How do I spot an aircraft?
Tap an aircraft on the map to open its flight card, with its route, type, registration and altitude. When you can see it in the sky, press Spot. That’s it: you’ve earned points and added it to your collection.
Do I need to be at an airport?
No. You can spot any aircraft you can see within 100 miles of you, whether you’re in your backyard or out for a walk. The closer the sighting, the more it’s worth.
Does planespottr use my camera?
Not for everyday spotting: you spot from the map and flight card, no photo required. AR mode, part of Pro, uses your camera to label aircraft right where they are in the sky.
How do I sign in?
With your Apple or Google account.
Spotting and points
How do points work?
Every spot earns points, called Spot Value. Closer sightings, rarer aircraft types and special liveries are worth more, and My Log shows how each spot’s points add up.
Can I spot the same aircraft again?
Yes, once 30 minutes have passed. Repeat spots of the same aircraft earn less each time, so there’s always a reason to look for something new.
What’s a special livery?
A livery is an aircraft’s paint scheme. A special livery is a distinctive design that stands apart from the airline’s usual look, and spotting one earns extra points.
What exactly am I collecting?
Airframes. An airframe is one physical aircraft, known by its registration (like G-VTEA), so you build a history with every plane you meet. Aircraft you’ve flown on are remembered too.
Friends and privacy
Do I need friends to play?
No. Spotting, points, your collection and the leaderboards all work on your own. Add friends when you want a feed of each other’s spots, with likes and comments, and a friends leaderboard.
Who can see my spots?
Your spot details are private to you and the friends you accept. Limited profile, leaderboard and shared-airframe history information can be seen by other signed-in users. Your precise spotting location is never included in those shared views. Read the privacy policy.
Can friends see my exact location?
No. Friends see an approximate distance band for a spot, never your exact location. Your precise spotting location, place name and exact distance are visible only to you.
Are my photos and notes private?
Photos are private by default. You can change the default in Settings under Photo privacy or change an individual photo on its spot’s screen. Private notes and favorites are visible only to you.
What can people outside my friends see?
Other signed-in users can see limited profile and leaderboard information, such as your username, home airport, spot count and points. Shared-airframe history may show who spotted an aircraft, its flight and when. It never includes your spotting location.
Plans and availability
Is planespottr free?
Yes. The whole game is free, with the same Spot Value as Pro. Pro is an optional upgrade for your full history, premium map highlights, AR spotting, weather layers and no ads.
When can I download it? Is it on Android?
planespottr is coming soon for both iPhone and Android. There are no download links yet; they’ll appear on the website as soon as they’re ready.
Is there an Apple Watch app?
Yes, planespottr will include an Apple Watch app: a radar of nearby aircraft, so you can spot right from your wrist. Like the phone app, it’s coming soon.
Account and app help
How do I delete my account?
In the app, go to Settings › Account › Delete account and confirm. This permanently deletes your profile, photos and private notes, and removes your friendships. Your spots, likes and comments are kept only in anonymous form, no longer linked to you. You can’t undo this.
Deleting your planespottr account doesn’t cancel an App Store subscription. Manage it in the App Store to stop future renewals.
How do I manage or cancel my subscription?
Pro is billed through your App Store account. Go to Settings › My plan › Manage Subscriptions, or the iPhone Settings app › your name › Subscriptions. Cancelling stops future renewals, and Pro stays on until the end of the period you’ve paid for.
I have Pro but the app shows Free.
Tap Restore Purchases (in Settings › My plan › Manage Subscriptions, or on the Pro screen) while signed in to the App Store account you used. A restored purchase applies to the planespottr account you’re signed in to.
How do I request a refund?
Payments are handled by Apple, and refunds are governed by Apple’s policies. We cannot issue refunds directly; request one through Apple.
Why does planespottr ask for my location?
The map and spotting need location: the app uses it to center the map, find nearby aircraft and save where you were when you spot one. Allow location access so your spots can earn points.
The app asks for location access only “While Using the App.” It does not use your location in the background. You can turn location access on or off in your device settings.
How do I report content or block someone?
You can report a spot, a photo, a comment or an account in the app. On someone’s spot, choose Report spot. On a comment, tap the flag. On a person’s profile, tap More (or the Friends button, if you are friends), then Report Account.
To block someone, open the same menu on their profile and choose Block. Neither of you will be able to find the other, send requests, or like or comment on each other’s spots. They won’t be notified. You can unblock an account in Settings › Preferences › Blocked accounts.
You can also contact us about content that you believe breaks our Terms.