Private Pilot Test Prep vs Binnacle School
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Private Pilot Test Prep
Prepare for your FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test with over 900 questions and explanations. Unlock a complete ground school course with detailed tracking and premium test prep, including a free trial.
- Over 900 FAA questions and explanations
- Custom study sessions by topic
- Simulated FAA exams
- Review missed questions
- Cross-device data sync
- Instructor endorsement upon course completion
Read full descriptionHide full description
The #1 Private Pilot test prep app is now free, and includes over 900 FAA questions and explanations to help prepare for the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test. Upgrade to the complete ground school course to unlock all lesson, detailed tracking and statistics, and premium test prep with hundreds of additional questions (free trial available). ▸ Custom study sessions based on topics, session size, and your overall mastery. Filters allow you to include or exclude questions that require the use of figures or an E6B. ▸ Create practice sessions from missed questions after a completed practice or exam session. ▸ Review missed questions after a practice or exam session. ▸ Take simulated FAA exams administered under the same rules and time constraints as the actual Private Pilot knowledge test. Unlike other test prep apps, our exams present the correct proportion of questions from each knowledge area per the ACS. ▸ Sync your data and course progress across on all of your iOS devices ▸ Access a library of study resources for the Private Pilot certificate ▸ Question bank covers all areas of the Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards to ensure thorough preparation for the knowledge test. ▸ Detailed explanations and references for all questions. ▸ Obtain an instructor endorsement after completing the course.
Binnacle School
Prepare for your U.S. Coast Guard captain's license exams with a structured, module-based study approach. Practice questions with detailed explanations and interactive drills to master navigation, seamanship, and more. Track student progress for classes or unlock all content with a premium subscription.
- Module-based exam preparation
- Explanation on every question
- Interactive drills for practical skills
- Class management and student tracking
- Progressive unlocking of study modules
- Daily practice with built-in tutor
Read full descriptionHide full description
Binnacle School — USCG Captain's License Exam Prep Study for your U.S. Coast Guard captain's license the way the exam actually works: by module, at your own pace, with an explanation on every question. Whether you're going for an OUPV / Six-Pack, OUPV-Master, or a 100- or 200-Ton Master credential, Binnacle School breaks the written exam into the same categories the Coast Guard tests. WHAT YOU STUDY - Navigation Rules (COLREGS / Inland) — lights, shapes, sound signals, give-way and stand-on. The most heavily weighted module on every deck exam. - Navigation General — piloting, tides and currents, aids to navigation, dead reckoning. - Deck General — seamanship, ground tackle, stability, firefighting, vessel construction. - Chart Plotting — set and drift, course to steer, lines of position, fixing your position. - Meteorology and Safety, scaling up to Celestial Navigation and Radar for the 200-Ton exam. FREE TO START Three full modules — Rules of the Road, Safety, and Meteorology — are open to everyone, no account required. Get free daily practice with an explanation from the built-in tutor. PASS TO UNLOCK Clear a module (80% over 20+ questions) and the next one opens. Build toward your specific license target one category at a time, in the sequence the exam follows. INTERACTIVE TRAINERS Drill the visual, hands-on parts the way they're tested: navigation lights, knots, chart work, celestial sights, stability, maneuvering boards, and tides. CLASSES Teaching a license course? Create a class, share a join code, and track every student's accuracy, attempts, and activity from one roster. Open specific modules for your students as they're ready. GO PRO Unlock every module, remove daily limits, and get unlimited tutor explanations. Sign in with Apple, Google, or a one-time email code. Fair winds and a following sea.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Private Pilot Test Prep at 1.5K against Binnacle School's 1. Binnacle School's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Private Pilot Test Prep sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Binnacle School sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Binnacle School holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Pilot Test Prep has 1.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update fortnightly, Binnacle School weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Private Pilot Test Prep | Binnacle School |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.5K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 84.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 122 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aeroapps Technology | John Thomas |
Bugs and requests
Private Pilot Test Prep
Reported bugs
4 issues- Grading issues and incorrect marking of answers
- Frequent app updates required, causing issues for users with poor internet
- Inability to review missed questions after exiting the app
- Crashes and login issues reported
Requested features
8 requests- Add sound when choosing correct answers
- Provide separate guides for each chapter
- Offer 50-question practice tests by chapter
- Allow users to pause and resume simulated tests
- Provide a bank of all practice tests and simulated tests
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Display passed section grades to track progress
- Add a lock zoom feature for charts
- Integrate a protractor tool
Binnacle School
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Private Pilot Test Prep
- Private Pilot Course TrialFree
- Private Pilot Test Prep$49.99
- Upgrade to Ground School$99.99
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Private Pilot Ground School$149.99
Binnacle School
- Binnacle School Premium$4.991 Month
- Binnacle School Premium$29.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$79.99
Questions
Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?
Is Binnacle School free?
Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School?
Do Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School have ads?
Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School?
Other comparisons















