# Ground School vs Arioso

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Ground School at 16.0 against Arioso's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ground School sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per month and Arioso sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ground School ships an update every 2 weeks, Arioso fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ground School | Arioso |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ground-school/id1444387206/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 215 MB | 199 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [On The Flight Line Productions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/328833131) | [HANG ZHENG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871954264) |

## What reviewers say

### Ground School

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

This app provides comprehensive FAA test preparation for aspiring pilots. It combines expert instruction with engaging videos, CG animations, and practice tests to ensure users pass their written exams and become safer pilots.

**Highlights:** Expert FAA flight instructor knowledge, Engaging video demonstrations, Cutting-edge CG animations, Over 1,000 practice questions, Pilot Perspective filming, Pilot Proficiency dashboard, FAA Knowledge Test endorsement

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| 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 (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 |

**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


### Arioso

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arioso/id6765957541)

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Burgmüller 25 Studies Op. 100 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Czerny 50 Studies Op. 481 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Czerny 100 Studies Op. 599 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bach 15 Two-Part Inventions | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bach Anna Magdalena Notebook | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bach 18 Little Preludes | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tchaikovsky Album for the Young | $2.99 | one-time |
| Schumann Album for the Young | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ground School free?

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

### Is Arioso free?

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

### Do Ground School or Arioso have ads?

Neither Ground School nor Arioso shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ground School or Arioso?

Ground School ships an update every 2 weeks, and Arioso fortnightly. Most recently, Ground School was updated on November 2, 2026 and Arioso on October 28, 2026.

---

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