# Ground School vs FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ground School at 88% against FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep's 11%. Ground School also leads on price (Free vs $9.99) and rating (4.9 vs 2.0). FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Ground School is free to download; FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep costs $9.99 up front. Ground School sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per month. FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ground School holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ground School has 1.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Ground School's written reviews are positive against 11% of FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep's.

Ground School ships an update every 2 weeks, FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ground School | FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ground-school/id1444387206/reviews)** | [2.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/faa-ia-knowledge-test-prep/id1446964317/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 215 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [On The Flight Line Productions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/328833131) | [Bravo Zulu Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1000879252) |

## What reviewers say

### Ground School

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ground-school/id1444387206)

Prepare for your FAA written test and become a safer pilot with this comprehensive training app. It combines expert instruction, engaging videos, and interactive practice tests to ensure you gain the knowledge needed to fly your best.

**Highlights:** Expert FAA flight instructor knowledge, Engaging educational videos, Pilot perspective flight footage, Over 1,000 practice test questions, CG animations for concept illustration, Pilot Proficiency dashboard, FAA Knowledge Test endorsement

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All-Access – Monthly Plan | $49.99 | per month |
| All-Access – Monthly Plan | $49.99 | per month |
| All-Access – Monthly Plan | $49.99 | per month |
| All-Access – 3-Month Plan | $149.99 | per 3 months |
| All-Access – 3-Month Plan | $149.99 | per 3 months |
| All-Access – 3-Month Plan (Sale) | $149.99 | per 3 months |
| All-Access – Annual Plan | $299.99 | per year |
| All-Access – Annual Plan | $299.99 | per year |
| All Access – Annual Plan (Sale) | $299.99 | per year |
| All-Access – Annual Plan | $299.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $299.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent ground school app
- 👍 Comprehensive and well-presented content
- 🎓 Helpful for passing written exams
- 👍 Great for both new and experienced pilots
- 🎓 Useful for CFIs to stay sharp

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🔍 Lack of desktop version
- 🔍 Limited flashcard and spaced-repetition features
- 🔍 Need for more interactive chart/sectional practice
- 🐛 Some questions have outdated or incorrect answers

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues between iPhone and iPad
- Some questions have incorrect or outdated answers

**Requested features**

- Desktop version of the app
- More robust flashcard and spaced-repetition system
- Deeper interactive practice with sectional charts
- Expansion to commercial and ATP levels


### FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/faa-ia-knowledge-test-prep/id1446964317)

Prepare for your FAA Inspection Authorization Knowledge Test with a comprehensive question bank. This app offers quiz, test, and study modes to track your progress and familiarize you with exam-style questions. It requires no internet connection for offline study.

**Highlights:** Extensive question bank for IA exam, Quiz, Test, and Study modes, Progress tracking with scores and dates, Randomized questions and answers, Offline functionality, Optional sound and vibration feedback

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ground School free?

Ground School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep free?

FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ground School or FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep?

Ground School is rated higher. Ground School averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep averages 2.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Ground School or FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep have ads?

Neither Ground School nor FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ground School or FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep?

Ground School ships an update every 2 weeks, and FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep every 14 months. Most recently, Ground School was updated on October 26, 2026 and FAA IA Knowledge Test Prep on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*