Comparison

SambaSafety vs CDL Direct Course

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SambaSafety

Access and complete assigned training courses and lesson assignments. Progress is synchronized across web and mobile, ensuring you never lose your place. Requires a company-enabled SambaSafety account to log in.

Highlights
  • Access assigned training courses
  • Synchronized progress across devices
  • Push notifications for assignments
  • Comprehensive course library
  • Starts, progress, and completions recorded
Features
Read full description

NOTE: Your company MUST have a SambaSafety account enabled for you to log in to the SambaSafety App Welcome to the SambaSafety mobile app. This app will let you access and complete your training courses and lesson assignments. You'll never lose your progress. If you start a lesson in the SambaSafety mobile app, you can finish it on a web browser - or vice-versa. You'll always be taken to the furthest "page" you've completed in a course no matter where you log in. You must have a SambaSafety account enabled by your company. Talk to your manager to make sure you have the correct login and company ID. You must also have Internet access during playback. SAMBASAFETY APP FEATURES • A comprehensive library featuring hundreds of online courses for training every skill level, vehicle and driver type • Access to your assigned courses • Push notifications for new lesson assignments and reminders • Auto-logout after 1-hour of idling • Once logged in, you're never more than two clicks from starting a lesson • Never lose your place — progress is synchronized across the web and mobile app • Starts, progress, and completions are recorded and time-stamped • Internet access is required — data rates may apply • Lessons will stream/buffer, not download for later viewing * The app will warn you if an assigned course is not available on a mobile device. If that is the case, you'll need to complete it via a standard web browser, like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Explorer/Edge.

About

CDL Direct Course

This FMCSA-approved course fulfills the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirement for obtaining a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). Complete all mandated theory training online, anytime, anywhere, and have your results instantly submitted to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.

Highlights
  • FMCSA-approved ELDT
  • Online course completion
  • Instant FMCSA registry submission
  • Accessible on any device
  • Flexible scheduling
Features
Read full description

FMCSA-APPROVED CDL ENTRY LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING (ELDT) Individuals who obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) on or after February 7, 2022 will need to complete this course before they will be permitted to take their CDL skills or knowledge test. Upon completion of this course the results will instantly be submitted to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. Prior to providing any testing services CDL testing centers will retrieve these results from the FMCSA Training Provider Registry to confirm that the student has completed the required ELDT theory training. This course covers all units for ELDT as mandated by the FMCSA. Follow the steps below to begin your journey to a new career. 1. Register For The Course - Registration is simple and only takes a few minutes. You can begin the course immediately after registration. No classrooms, no lines. 2. Begin The Course - The course can be taken from any device, any place, anytime. We keep track of your progress. All you have to do is login and complete each section of the course when it fits your schedule. 3. Complete The Course - The moment you complete the course we report the completion to the Federal Registry. You can then begin the behind-the-wheel training.

Screenshots

SambaSafety4 screens
CDL Direct Course4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CDL Direct Course at 81% against SambaSafety's 9%. CDL Direct Course also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 21). SambaSafety's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CDL Direct Course sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. SambaSafety asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CDL Direct Course holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CDL Direct Course has 1.9K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 9% of SambaSafety's written reviews are positive against 81% of CDL Direct Course's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SambaSafety ships an update every 3 months, CDL Direct Course every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SambaSafety versus CDL Direct Course: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSambaSafetyCDL Direct Course
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (21 ratings)4.9 (1.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews9.1% of reviews80.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings211.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB34 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperInstructional Technologies, Inc.CDL Direct

Customer experience

SambaSafety

All ratings19 ratings
Positive36.8%
Neutral5.3%
Negative57.9%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive9.1%
Neutral9.1%
Negative81.8%

CDL Direct Course

All ratings1,937 ratings
Positive98.6%
Neutral0.6%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive80.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative19.2%

Bugs and requests

SambaSafety

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CDL Direct Course

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • No record of completion at DMV
  • Unable to create account

Requested features

2 requests
  • Ability to enlarge text
  • Option to use audio

In-app purchases

None

SambaSafety

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

CDL Direct Course

One-time3
  • Class A CDL Course - Ages 18+$399.99
  • Class B CDL Course - Ages 18+$399.99
  • B to A CDL Upgrade - Ages 18+$399.99

Questions

Is SambaSafety free?
SambaSafety is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CDL Direct Course free?
CDL Direct Course is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SambaSafety or CDL Direct Course?
CDL Direct Course is rated higher. SambaSafety averages 2.7 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while CDL Direct Course averages 4.9 from 1.9K ratings.
Do SambaSafety or CDL Direct Course have ads?
Neither SambaSafety nor CDL Direct Course shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SambaSafety or CDL Direct Course?
SambaSafety ships an update every 3 months, and CDL Direct Course every 2 months. Most recently, SambaSafety was updated on October 24, 2026 and CDL Direct Course on October 22, 2026.

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