Comparison

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.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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 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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

Private Pilot Test Prep4 screens
Binnacle School4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Private Pilot Test Prep versus Binnacle School: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate Pilot Test PrepBinnacle School
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.5K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.5K — better1
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.117.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size122 MB3 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAeroapps TechnologyJohn 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 more
  • 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

4 purchases

Private Pilot Test Prep

One-time4
  • Private Pilot Course TrialFree
  • Private Pilot Test Prep$49.99
  • Upgrade to Ground School$99.99
Show 1 more
  • Private Pilot Ground School$149.99
3 purchases

Binnacle School

Subscriptions2
  • Binnacle School Premium$4.991 Month
  • Binnacle School Premium$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$79.99

Questions

Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?
Private Pilot Test Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Binnacle School free?
Binnacle School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School?
Binnacle School is rated higher. Private Pilot Test Prep averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Binnacle School averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School have ads?
Neither Private Pilot Test Prep nor Binnacle School shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School?
Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update fortnightly, and Binnacle School weekly. Most recently, Private Pilot Test Prep was updated on October 29, 2026 and Binnacle School on October 15, 2026.

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