# Ground School vs PatternCall

The clearest difference is rating: Ground School at 4.9 against PatternCall's 4.0. Ground School also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). PatternCall's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ground School sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per month and PatternCall sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ground School holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ground School has 1.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Ground School ships an update every 2 weeks, PatternCall daily. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ground School | PatternCall |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ground-school/id1444387206/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patterncall-learn-pilot-radio/id6766146765/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 88.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 215 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [On The Flight Line Productions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/328833131) | [Broken Cloud Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896212943) |

## 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


### PatternCall

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patterncall-learn-pilot-radio/id6766146765)

Practice real air traffic control radio calls with personalized scenarios based on your home airport and callsign. Receive instant, detailed feedback on every transmission to build confidence and accuracy. Offers structured learning paths for various flight operations, from basic communication to advanced IFR procedures.

**Highlights:** Personalized ATC scenarios, Real airport frequencies, Instant element-by-element feedback, Multiple difficulty modes, Structured learning paths, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PatternCall Pro | $5.99 | per month |
| PatternCall Pro Annual | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ground School free?

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

### Is PatternCall free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ground School or PatternCall?

Ground School is rated higher. Ground School averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while PatternCall averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Ground School or PatternCall have ads?

Neither Ground School nor PatternCall shows ads.

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

Ground School ships an update every 2 weeks, and PatternCall daily. Most recently, Ground School was updated on October 21, 2026 and PatternCall on October 18, 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.*