Steam or Microsoft Store for Microsoft Flight Simulator?
For most PC simmers, Microsoft Flight Simulator is better on Steam if you want one library, straightforward ownership and Steam's usual client features. Buy from the Microsoft Store if you prefer keeping the licence inside Microsoft's Xbox ecosystem. Performance and core content are broadly the same; storefront lock-in is the real difference.
Which is better: Steam or Microsoft Store?
Neither storefront gives you a better aircraft model or a meaningful frame-rate advantage; the best choice is the one you are happiest to keep for years.
| Choose | Best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | You keep most PC games in Steam and want one library, one friends list and Steam's normal client features. | You still need to sign in with a Microsoft/Xbox account inside the sim, and changing to the Microsoft Store later means buying the base sim again. |
| Microsoft Store | You already use the Xbox app or Microsoft's PC ecosystem and want the licence managed there from the start. | Store/Xbox app ownership checks can be the frustrating part on some PCs, and switching to Steam later also means buying the base sim again. |
Your storefront choice is separate from your edition choice. Standard, Deluxe and Premium Deluxe are the same decision whichever store you use.
The differences that actually matter
The simulator is essentially the same, but the ownership chain around it is not.
- Performance: do not expect one store version to run noticeably better than the other on the same PC.
- Updates: both versions can update in two stages: the launcher through Steam or the Microsoft Store/Xbox app, then large sim content inside Microsoft Flight Simulator itself. The mistake we see constantly is assuming the client update was the whole update.
- Base-game ownership: your core licence stays with the store you bought from. Steam does not become a Microsoft Store copy later, and the Microsoft Store version does not turn into a Steam copy.
- Long-term convenience: if almost everything you play lives in Steam, Steam is usually the cleaner daily experience. If you already live in the Xbox app and Microsoft account ecosystem, the Microsoft Store version is the tidier fit.
Does Steam avoid Microsoft account sign-in?
No. Buying Microsoft Flight Simulator on Steam is not a way around Microsoft sign-in.
You still log into a Microsoft/Xbox account inside the sim, and that account matters for cloud data and some in-sim ownership checks. One of the most common self-inflicted problems is buying through one storefront account, then signing into a different Microsoft/Xbox account and wondering why content is missing or not recognised.
If you plan to buy add-ons inside the simulator, read our breakdown of how the in-sim Marketplace works and when it makes sense before you spend heavily there.
Do mods and add-ons work differently?
Both PC versions support freeware and manual add-ons; the practical difference is mostly the install path.
If you use liveries, scenery and utilities, do not choose a storefront because you think one blocks mods. On PC, both versions rely on the same general Community folder method, but the exact location differs between Steam and Microsoft Store/Xbox installs. Our guide to finding the Community folder shows where to look.
The follow-up problem is usually not compatibility but housekeeping: knowing which store owns the base sim, which account owns the in-sim purchases, and where your manual add-ons live. Keep those three separate in your head and most confusion disappears.
What happens if you switch later or reinstall on a new PC?
Reinstalling is routine; changing storefront is not.
If you buy on Steam, your base entitlement stays on Steam. If you buy from the Microsoft Store, it stays there. If you later decide you picked the wrong storefront, plan on buying the base simulator again rather than transferring it.
That is why we tell people to treat the store choice as a long-term decision, not a casual one. If you are planning a hardware change or a fresh Windows install, our walkthrough for reinstalling Microsoft Flight Simulator on a new PC explains the account side so you do not lose track of what belongs where.
Our buying advice
We usually steer PC-only simmers towards Steam if they already buy and manage most games there, and towards the Microsoft Store if they want everything tied to Microsoft's own PC ecosystem from day one.
- Choose the ecosystem you already use. Storefront lock-in matters more than any tiny feature difference.
- Use the same Microsoft/Xbox account consistently. Mixing accounts causes far more pain than picking the wrong store.
- Ignore performance myths. Buy the version that fits your ownership and reinstall habits, not rumours about extra FPS.
If you are genuinely neutral, we give Steam a slight edge for most PC users simply because it keeps the library side simpler. We would only pick the Microsoft Store instead when you deliberately want the purchase managed through Microsoft's own side of the ecosystem.