MSFS vs X-Plane vs Prepar3D compared: find the best simulator for scenery, flight modelling, add-ons, training, platforms and hardware.
For most newcomers, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is the best all-round choice for global scenery and accessibility. Choose X-Plane 12 for desktop flight dynamics, aircraft development or macOS/Linux support. Choose Prepar3D when a training programme, established add-on library or dedicated cockpit specifically requires it; otherwise, it is the least suitable starting point.
In this comparison, MSFS means Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 unless we explicitly refer to MSFS 2020. Prepar3D must also be treated as version-specific: an aircraft or module compatible with one major Prepar3D release may not work in another.
MSFS vs X-Plane vs Prepar3D at a glance
MSFS 2024 leads on the default world and accessibility, X-Plane 12 on desktop flexibility and aircraft experimentation, and Prepar3D on specialised installations that already depend on it.
| Simulator | Strongest reasons to choose it | Supported platforms | Main compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Streamed worldwide scenery, convincing VFR flying, built-in activities and console access | Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro | Greater dependence on online services; console add-ons and external hardware are restricted |
| X-Plane 12 | Blade-element-based flight modelling, aircraft development, detailed control configuration and desktop integration | Windows, macOS and Linux | Default ground scenery is less photographic than MSFS |
| Prepar3D | Training scenarios, established professional integrations, legacy add-ons and existing cockpit installations | Windows PC | Licence considerations and strict version-specific compatibility |
No simulator guarantees an accurate aircraft. Systems depth, avionics, failure logic and handling still depend heavily on the individual aircraft package. A well-developed aircraft in one simulator can be more convincing than a weak implementation in a platform with a more advanced underlying flight model.
Is MSFS 2024 the best flight simulator on the market?
For a new home simmer who wants one broad recommendation, MSFS 2024 is the best all-round choice. Its strongest advantage is the ability to fly almost anywhere with recognisable terrain, buildings and weather without first assembling a large scenery library.
It is particularly effective for VFR navigation, sightseeing, bush operations and discovering unfamiliar airports. Its career mode and other structured activities also provide more direction than the traditional start-at-an-airport format.
That does not make it best for every installation. X-Plane is usually the stronger fit for macOS or Linux, experimental aircraft and technical data output. Prepar3D remains appropriate when an organisation, course or cockpit already uses Prepar3D-specific software and interfaces.
Platform choice matters as much as the simulator name. MSFS 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, making it the only one of these three with modern console versions and the first Microsoft Flight Simulator released on PlayStation. PC provides much greater freedom for community modifications, external applications and specialist cockpit equipment; consoles rely on their supported add-on ecosystem and compatible hardware.
Prepar3D vs MSFS 2024: which is better?
MSFS 2024 is better for most new home users, while Prepar3D is better only when a defined training, software or cockpit requirement outweighs MSFS's scenery and accessibility.
Prepar3D is designed as a visual simulation platform and is well suited to repeatable scenarios, instructor-led use and installations built around established interfaces. It can also remain valuable when replacing it would mean abandoning a substantial collection of compatible aircraft, scenery and cockpit software.
MSFS 2024 provides the more convincing default world and requires far less scenery work before a VFR flight looks plausible. Prepar3D can be extensively enhanced, but the final result depends on the exact simulator version and the add-ons installed.
Do not assume Prepar3D content can be transferred. Aircraft containing compiled gauges or modules normally need a dedicated MSFS edition, while scenery conversion is not a simple copy-and-paste process. Even between Prepar3D releases, installers, rendering features and compiled components can cause failures.
Licensing is another practical difference. Check that the selected Prepar3D licence matches the intended personal, academic or professional use. Owning Prepar3D does not by itself turn a home cockpit into a certified training device; approval applies to the complete installation and its intended use, not simply the software running on it.
Our closer comparison of Prepar3D and Microsoft Flight Simulator covers scenery, performance, add-ons and licensing in more detail. If an existing library is the main reason for staying, first assess when a Prepar3D installation remains worth keeping.
MSFS vs X-Plane: scenery or desktop flexibility?
Choose MSFS 2024 for the best default visual world and easier entry; choose X-Plane 12 for cross-platform desktop use, aircraft experimentation and more direct technical integration.
X-Plane calculates aerodynamic forces across sections of an aircraft rather than relying only on fixed lookup tables. That makes it useful for testing unusual configurations and refining aircraft geometry, but it does not prove that every X-Plane aircraft is accurate. Developers can enter poor data, simplify systems or override parts of the model.
MSFS can also support sophisticated flight models and detailed aircraft. For airliners in particular, the implementation of the flight-management computer, autopilot, electrical system and hydraulic logic often matters more than arguments about the host simulator's physics.
X-Plane stores more of its normal scenery environment locally and exposes extensive control assignments, plugins and data outputs. MSFS relies more heavily on streamed content to deliver its intended world detail, so connection quality and data limits belong in the buying decision. High-resolution X-Plane custom scenery can instead demand considerable local storage.
Operating system support may settle the comparison immediately. X-Plane 12 runs on Windows, macOS and Linux; MSFS 2024 requires Windows on desktop, or a supported Xbox or PlayStation console. Our detailed MSFS 2024 and X-Plane 12 breakdown examines their weather, scenery, connectivity and flight modelling more closely.
Prepar3D vs X-Plane 12: which should you choose?
X-Plane 12 is the better fresh purchase for most desktop simmers, while Prepar3D wins when an existing training setup or essential P3D-only add-on dictates the platform.
X-Plane offers native Windows, macOS and Linux versions, an aerodynamic model suited to aircraft development, and flexible input and data-output options. Prepar3D is Windows-only and makes more sense as part of an established system than as an isolated first purchase.
An existing add-on collection can reverse that answer. A cockpit built around Prepar3D modules, displays and scenery may be costly or impossible to reproduce exactly in X-Plane. Conversely, buying Prepar3D because an old add-on once supported it is risky: confirm the precise Prepar3D release, installer and required modules before spending anything.
For a focused treatment of those trade-offs, read our deeper comparison of Prepar3D and X-Plane.
Is MSFS 2024 worth it over 2020?
MSFS 2024 is usually worth choosing over MSFS 2020 for a new buyer, but an existing MSFS 2020 owner should upgrade only after checking essential aircraft, utilities, hardware interfaces and internet requirements.
The newer simulator adds its career structure, broader aviation activities and updated world and simulation systems. It also serves the widest range of platforms: MSFS 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, whereas MSFS 2020 remains limited to PC and Xbox and was never released on PlayStation.
MSFS 2020 can still be the sensible installation for a mature cockpit or a favourite aircraft that has not been confirmed for MSFS 2024. Shared branding does not guarantee compatibility. Check each aircraft, livery, scenery package, utility and control interface individually rather than assuming the entire Community folder or add-on library will migrate cleanly.
X-Plane 11 vs MSFS 2024: which is the better buy?
For a new user with supported hardware, MSFS 2024 is a stronger purchase than X-Plane 11; choose X-Plane 11 only for a specific legacy aircraft, plugin or settled installation that depends on it.
X-Plane 11 belongs to an older simulator generation. Anyone attracted to X-Plane's flight modelling, macOS/Linux support or technical flexibility should normally compare MSFS 2024 with X-Plane 12 instead. Older X-Plane 11 aircraft and plugins are not guaranteed to work correctly in X-Plane 12, so an established XP11 collection can still justify keeping both installed.
What should I check before choosing a simulator?
Choose the required aircraft, operating system and cockpit hardware before choosing the host simulator. Since the early Flight Simulator era, one of the costliest mistakes we have seen is buying the platform first and discovering that the intended aircraft or peripheral is unsupported.
- Define the flying you will actually do. Worldwide VFR and console flying favour MSFS 2024; aircraft development and cross-platform desktop use favour X-Plane 12; a specified training or legacy cockpit workflow may require Prepar3D.
- Check the exact aircraft product. Verify the simulator and major version it supports. Labels such as study-level are not technical standards, so inspect the stated systems, avionics and failure features rather than relying on the description alone.
- Audit every essential add-on. Aircraft, scenery, weather tools and compiled plugins do not transfer freely between MSFS, X-Plane and Prepar3D. Major releases within the same simulator family can also break compatibility.
- Verify controls and external displays. Check drivers, button and axis requirements, multi-monitor software, instrument panels and data interfaces. On consoles, confirm support for the exact device rather than assuming PC compatibility carries across.
- Plan for internet and storage. MSFS 2024 needs a suitable connection to deliver its streamed world as intended. X-Plane and Prepar3D place more scenery data on local storage, and detailed custom airports or orthophoto scenery can become very large.
- Judge performance using your intended workload. A default light aircraft over rural terrain says little about a complex airliner at a detailed hub. Resolution, traffic, weather, glass-cockpit displays and third-party scenery can shift the bottleneck between the processor, graphics card and memory.
If one aircraft is the reason for buying a simulator, reverse the usual process: identify its best-supported edition first, then purchase the simulator and version it requires. That single check prevents more disappointment than comparing screenshots or arguing over which platform is universally best.