Comparison

Ground School vs ATSim

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Ground School4 screens
ATSim3 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Ground School versus ATSim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGround SchoolATSim
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.7K ratings) — better4.1 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews88.2% of reviews — better62.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1.7K — better15
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.012.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size216 MB163 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOn The Flight Line Productions LLCPlaneEnglish

Customer experience

Ground School

All ratings1,736 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews136 reviews
Positive88.2%
Neutral5.1%
Negative6.6%

ATSim

All ratings15 ratings
Positive73.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative13.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

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

11 purchases

Ground School

Subscriptions10
  • 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
Show 7 more
  • 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
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$299.99
None

ATSim

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ground School free?
Ground School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ATSim free?
ATSim is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ground School or ATSim?
Ground School is rated higher. Ground School averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while ATSim averages 4.1 from 15 ratings.
Do Ground School or ATSim have ads?
Neither Ground School nor ATSim shows ads.

Other comparisons