What are the best add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

The best add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator are a well-supported aircraft you will learn properly, detailed scenery for airports or regions you revisit, and one or two utilities that fix a real workflow problem. On PC, the FlyByWire A32NX is an excellent freeware starting point; Xbox users should prioritise proven Marketplace releases.

Which MSFS add-ons are worth installing first?

The best first installs are add-ons that improve the type of flying you already do, rather than packages chosen solely because they are popular.

For a free PC airliner, the FlyByWire A32NX remains the clearest place to start when a compatible release is available for your simulator. It changes the aircraft itself rather than merely repainting it. Our hand-picked selection of free MSFS aircraft, scenery and utilities provides further options without requiring a paid purchase.

If you are willing to spend money, buy for a specific role: one Airbus or Boeing you intend to study, one detailed home airport, or one utility you will use on most flights. Our curated premium aircraft and scenery recommendations cover the stronger payware choices and what each one is suited to.

Should I choose an aircraft or scenery add-on first?

Choose an aircraft first for systems and procedural flying; choose scenery first for VFR, circuits, sightseeing and routes centred on familiar airports.

• Choose an aircraft first if you want better flight-management logic, autopilot behaviour, engine simulation or checklists. One aircraft learned properly offers more lasting value than a large collection flown once.
• Choose airport scenery first if you repeatedly use the same departure, destination or training field. You will see the improvement during every taxi, take-off and approach.
• Choose regional scenery first if you fly low and visually. Check for overlap with official World Updates, photogrammetry, mesh and other packages covering the same area.
• Choose a utility first only when the default aircraft and scenery already suit you, but planning, pushback, cockpit reference or add-on management is causing friction.

A mistake we see constantly is treating quantity as quality. Extra liveries and novelty aircraft are harmless fun, but they rarely improve the simulator as much as one well-maintained aircraft or airport that matches your regular flying.

Are free or payware MSFS add-ons better?

Freeware can equal or exceed paid products, while payware is most valuable when it funds detailed systems, specialist artwork, documentation and continuing support.

Price alone says little about quality. Before installing or buying an add-on, check:

• Exact compatibility: it should name MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both, as well as PC or Xbox where applicable.
• Maintenance: look for a documented update history and evidence that compatibility problems are addressed after simulator changes.
• Scope: confirm whether an aircraft has custom systems and flight dynamics or is primarily a visual model, sound pack or livery.
• Dependencies: some scenery requires an object library, official world content or another base package.
• Installation method: external applications and proprietary installers can require background software, accounts or manual updating.
• Performance: dense airports, complex glass cockpits, traffic and world-life packages can place demands on different parts of the system.

Freeware is particularly strong for liveries, scenery fixes, utilities and selected aircraft. Payware makes more sense for a specialised aeroplane or a highly detailed airport you will use often. Neither label guarantees accuracy or support.

Which add-ons work on PC and Xbox?

PC supports both external add-ons and Marketplace content, while Xbox is limited to products distributed through the in-simulator Marketplace.

Marketplace availability does not mean every product supports both PC and Xbox. Check the platform shown on the individual listing before purchasing. Our PC and Xbox Marketplace buying guidance explains the practical differences between in-sim purchases and externally distributed PC add-ons.

Do MSFS 2020 add-ons work in MSFS 2024?

No—compatibility between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 is package-specific and should never be assumed.

Some older packages work through compatibility support, while others need a dedicated installer, update or replacement version. An add-on working visually does not prove that its avionics, animations, flight model, traffic logic or external connections are functioning correctly.

The two simulators can also use separate content and Community locations on the same PC. Copying an entire MSFS 2020 Community folder into MSFS 2024 is a quick way to import outdated packages and duplicate scenery. Confirm the supported simulator, install only the appropriate build and test it before adding anything else.

Why do Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons cause problems?

Most add-on failures come from an incorrect folder structure, missing dependencies, duplicate scenery, outdated packages or several demanding add-ons being loaded together.

• The add-on does not appear: extract the archive rather than placing the compressed file in the Community folder. In a standard package, manifest.json and layout.json should be inside the package's top-level folder, not buried beneath an extra wrapper folder.
• An airport has doubled buildings or broken terrain: two packages are probably modifying the same location. Keep one version and disable or remove the other, including conflicting handcrafted content where the simulator permits this.
• Textures are missing or appear pink: check for a required object library, base aircraft or official content package. Outdated liveries can also fail after the underlying aircraft changes.
• Loading stalls or the simulator crashes: temporarily empty the Community folder and close external utilities. If the problem disappears, restore packages in groups, halving the suspect group each time until the faulty add-on is isolated.
• Frame rate drops at major airports: test the same aircraft, weather and location without third-party traffic or world-life packages. A complex airliner, dense airport and heavy traffic package can each run acceptably alone but perform poorly together.
• A package breaks after a simulator update: remove it until a compatible release is available. Reinstalling the same outdated files rarely fixes a genuine version conflict.

Follow our step-by-step Community-folder installation instructions for extracting and placing PC packages correctly. Deleting the rolling cache is not a universal add-on fix; reserve that for streamed terrain or imagery problems rather than aircraft, airport or utility failures.

What should I install first as a new MSFS user?

A new MSFS user should build a small add-on collection in a fixed order and test every addition before installing the next one.

1. Confirm the simulator and platform. Verify MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024 support and whether the package is intended for PC, Xbox or both.
2. Install one aircraft. Choose the type you genuinely want to learn rather than filling the hangar immediately.
3. Add one familiar airport or region. Known landmarks, taxiways and approaches make visual defects easier to spot.
4. Add one useful utility. Pick a tool that solves a repeated problem such as pushback, cockpit workload or add-on organisation.
5. Run a representative test flight. Include a cold start, taxi, take-off, autopilot use where relevant, approach and shutdown. Watch for missing objects, abnormal systems, stutters and excessive loading time.
6. Keep a package list. Record what is installed and remove an old version before replacing it unless the package's own updater says otherwise.

This staged approach produces a smaller, more reliable setup and makes the next compatibility problem much easier to diagnose.