Ground School vs ATSim
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ground School
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.
- 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
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Featuring expert knowledge from an award-winning FAA flight instructor, Ground School will teach budding pilots everything they need to know for their FAA written test and beyond. By combining years of teaching know-how with cutting edge CG animation, informative video demonstrations, and more, Ground School is more than an app that teaches you how to fly — its gives you the knowledge you need to Fly Your Best, whether you're a complete novice or more experienced pilot. By following this FAA pilot knowledge course, you'll learn much more than is needed to pass an FAA written test. In fact, we guarantee you will pass that test and go on to be a better, safer pilot, too. Ground School users can look forward to: ・ Engaging videos that show you the things you need to know, perfect for visual learners. ・ Get the Pilot Perspective — Every video is filmed as if you are the one flying so there are no surprises when you're in the cockpit. ・ More than 1,000 questions that form unlimited practice tests so you know exactly what to expect when taking your FAA exam. ・ Cutting edge CG animations that help illustrate concepts that will help you understand the material in front of you. ・ The Pilot Proficiency dashboard that distills all of your interactions with Ground School into a single screen showing areas where you are strong as well as others that need work. ・ Get your endorsement to take the FAA Knowledge Test directly within Ground School. ・ And much more! Ground School is in active development and is always improving to give you the very best shot at not only passing exams, but being safe in the skies, too. Terms of Service: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/ground-school/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/ground-school/privacy
ATSim
Practice air traffic control radio communication and phraseology with an AI-powered simulator. Learn through repetition and immediate feedback with realistic scenarios covering over 170 airports and various flight types.
- AI-powered pilot interaction
- Voice recognition and speech analysis feedback
- Practice radio communication
- Master aviation phraseology
- Over 170 airports simulated
- VFR and IFR flight control lessons
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The PlaneEnglish Air Traffic Simulator (ATSim) is an interactive air traffic control radio simulator created to enable air traffic controllers to learn and master radio communication and phraseology on their own time. ATSim provides a self-guided means to practice and master the radio through repetition and immediate feedback. AI-based pilots interact with the controller to make requests and respond to instructions. Instantaneous feedback through voice recognition and speech analysis will guide you, the controller, through realistic scenarios toward proficiency in aviation phraseology and communication. You can access more than 170 airports and step through lessons covering airport, terminal area, and in-transit control of VFR and IFR flights. Guided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phraseology, standards, and radiotelephony procedures the current version of the simulator focuses on the FAA phraseology standards. Upcoming improvements will enable users to switch between ICAO and FAA standards. Future releases and updates to ATSim will expand the training content, lessons, and scenarios.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Ground School at 4.9 against ATSim's 4.1. Ground School also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 63%) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 15). ATSim's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 16.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Ground School sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per month. ATSim asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ground School holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ground School has 1.7K ratings behind it against 15, 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 63% of ATSim's.
| Parameter | Ground School | ATSim |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (1.7K ratings) — better | 4.1 (15 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.2% of reviews — better | 62.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K — better | 15 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 216 MB | 163 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | On The Flight Line Productions LLC | PlaneEnglish |
Customer experience
Ground School
ATSim
Bugs and requests
Ground School
Reported bugs
2 issues- Syncing issues between iPhone and iPad
- Some questions have incorrect or outdated answers
Requested features
4 requests- Desktop version of the app
- More robust flashcard and spaced-repetition system
- Deeper interactive practice with sectional charts
- Expansion to commercial and ATP levels
ATSim
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ground School
- All-Access – Monthly Plan2 variants$49.991 Month
- All-Access – Monthly Plan3 Days trial$49.991 Month
- All-Access – Monthly Plan14 Days trial$49.991 Month
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- All-Access – 3-Month Plan$149.993 Months
- All-Access – 3-Month Plan3 Days trial$149.993 Months
- All-Access – 3-Month Plan (Sale)3 Days trial$149.993 Months
- All-Access – Annual Plan$299.991 Year
- All-Access – Annual Plan3 Days trial$299.991 Year
- All Access – Annual Plan (Sale)3 Days trial$299.991 Year
- All-Access – Annual Plan14 Days trial$299.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$299.99
ATSim
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Ground School free?
Is ATSim free?
Which has better reviews, Ground School or ATSim?
Do Ground School or ATSim have ads?
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