Free AI ATC Practice Apps (2026): What's Actually Free
Which AI radio practice apps are free in 2026: TowerTalk, ATCpal, ReadBack AI, WilcoAI, ARSim, Comms and more, with free limits, trials and paid prices.
Radio calls are the part of flight training most students practice least, because you can't rehearse them without someone talking back. AI controllers fix that, and most of the apps have a free tier or trial. The free part is very different from app to app, though. Some let you practice a little every day forever, and some only give you a few days. Here is what each one actually gives you before you pay, checked on each vendor's site or US App Store listing on October 19, 2026.
Free tiers you can keep using
| App | What's free | Card needed? | Paid plan (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TowerTalk | Radio check, skills assessment and a 26-lesson phraseology course written from the AIM; Virtual ATC is free to start | No | $69.99 once for 90 days, or $20.99/mo | Web |
| ReadBack AI | 2 sessions a day plus the full 65+ lesson path; easy level, 2 airports (San Diego and Santa Monica), overall score only | No | Solo $7.99/mo billed yearly | iOS, Android |
| WilcoAI | One Daily Challenge attempt a day | No | $2.99/mo or $19.99/yr | iOS, iPadOS |
| ATCpal | 22 of its 201 lessons plus the first call of every other lesson, spoken out loud and checked word for word against FAA, ICAO or Transport Canada phraseology | No | $9.99/mo billed yearly | Web |
| PlaneEnglish ARSim | Free lessons (basics, airport, pattern, glossary) plus a free trial of the full simulator | No | VFR $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr | iOS, Web |
| Comms | 3 of its 35+ voice scenarios | No | $14.99/mo or $79.99/yr | iOS, Android |
| Abeam | Daily quizzes, games, weather practice and a sample of the radio simulator | No (no account either) | $14.99/mo or $119.99/yr | iOS |
| ATC One | Starter plan: non-AI exercises, Phrase Builder and reference material (the AI controller is Pro only) | No | $79.99/yr | iOS |
| Learn ATC | Free trial of the browser sim plus free BZF/AZF exam questions (European radio licences) | No | Simulators €22.90/mo | Web |
Prices and limits change often, and App Store prices are US prices. Check each app before you subscribe.
Free trials (time-limited)
- ATC Ready: 7-day free trial for new subscribers, then $89.99 a year or $4.99 a week. It has 142 lessons and an AI controller that talks at real radio pace.
- KoAir: 3 days free, then €29.99 a month on the web ($24.99 a month in the US App Store). It has a 9-phase syllabus that goes all the way to MAYDAY and radio failure, in English or Spanish.
- Abeam Premium and ATC One Pro: 7-day and 3-day trials of the full radio simulators.
- Aviate AI: free download with radio flashcards, live ATC listening and some training tools; the full AI simulation needs Premium ($29.99 a month or $199.99 a year in the App Store).
For flight simulator pilots
If you fly Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane, SayIntentions.AI has a 24-hour trial of everything with no card, inFlight ATC has a 30-minute demo, and OpenATC AI is free and open source for X-Plane 12 (early alpha). BeyondATC has no trial and costs $29.99 once. See the full comparison in SayIntentions vs BeyondATC.
How to get the most out of free tiers
- Pair a drill app with a talk-back app. ATCpal or ARSim teaches the wording. TowerTalk, ReadBack AI or WilcoAI makes you say it to a controller who answers. Between them you cover both halves for $0.
- Use your own airport. TowerTalk covers 4,717 US public-use airports, so you can rehearse the exact taxi and pattern calls for your next lesson.
- Practice every day, briefly. The daily limits (ReadBack AI's 2 sessions, WilcoAI's one challenge) suit a 5 to 10 minute routine better than a weekend cram.
- Start one trial at a time. A 3-day or 7-day trial is best saved for the week before a hard lesson, like your first Class C arrival or your first IFR clearance. Set a reminder to cancel before it renews.
- Pay for one app when it earns it. If you keep hitting the same free limit, that's the app to pay for. Several have options around $20 a year (WilcoAI) or a one-time pass (TowerTalk's 90 days for $69.99).
What free apps won't do
AI controllers sometimes accept a sloppy readback or phrase things differently from your local tower. Check your wording against AIM chapter 4 and the Pilot/Controller Glossary, and practice the real thing with your CFI. Listening to your home airport on LiveATC between lessons is free too, and it's the best way to hear how your local controllers actually talk.
New to radio practice? Start with How to practice ATC radio calls with AI, or see the whole training stack in AI tools for student pilots.
Cockpit Index is independent and has no affiliate deals with these apps. Safety: AI ATC is for practice only, never a source of real clearances.
Compare all radio trainers on our ATC and radio practice page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free AI ATC practice app?
Several apps have a free tier you can keep using without a card, but each one limits it. As checked in October 2026: ReadBack AI allows 2 sessions a day at an easy level plus its full lesson path, WilcoAI gives one Daily Challenge attempt a day, ATCpal has 22 free lessons, Comms has 3 free scenarios, TowerTalk has a free radio check, assessment and phraseology course, and PlaneEnglish ARSim has free lessons plus a trial. For flight simulators, OpenATC AI is free and open source for X-Plane 12, but it is an early alpha.
Which free ATC app is best for a student pilot?
Start with two: one that drills phraseology (ATCpal or ARSim) and one that lets you talk to an AI controller at a real airport (TowerTalk, ReadBack AI or WilcoAI). Use the free tiers for a week or two, then pay for one app only if you keep hitting its limit.
Do free trials need a credit card?
It varies. ATCpal, ReadBack AI, WilcoAI, TowerTalk, Abeam and Learn ATC say their free options need no card, and SayIntentions.AI says the same for its 24-hour trial. App Store trials (such as ATC Ready, ATC One Pro and Abeam Premium) are subscriptions that renew automatically unless you cancel in your Apple account before the trial ends.
Does AI radio practice count toward my pilot certificate?
No. These apps are study aids. They do not log time or replace the radio work you do with your CFI. Some, like PlaneEnglish ARSim, say they can earn FAA WINGS credits, which is a proficiency program, not certificate time.
Are prices the same in every country?
No. App Store prices on this page are US prices, and KoAir and Learn ATC price in euros on their websites. Check the price shown in your own store before subscribing.
More guides
- Best AI Apps for Checkride Oral Prep (2026)
- How to Practice ATC Radio Calls with AI
- Can ChatGPT Answer FAR/AIM Questions? What Pilots Should Know
- AI Tools for Student Pilots: A Starter Kit
- How to Use AI to Study for the Instrument Rating (2026)
- AI Weather Briefing Apps vs. a Traditional Preflight Briefing
- AI Pilot Logbook Apps: What They Automate and What You Still Sign
- How to Use ChatGPT for Ground School (Without Learning It Wrong)
- SayIntentions vs BeyondATC: AI ATC for Flight Simulators (2026)